Taleo Application Statuses Explained: What Each Status Means
Published:
Quick answer: why are Taleo statuses confusing?
Taleo status wording is set by the employer. Process Complete, Completed, and Under Review are not universal hiring decisions on their own. Read the status alongside any employer email, job-posting change, or task—and give direct communication more weight.
| Status | What it may indicate | What it cannot confirm alone |
|---|---|---|
| Process Complete | A configured workflow reached an end state. | Whether the outcome was rejection, withdrawal, or another closure. |
| Completed | A step or process was marked complete. | Your standing in the hiring process. |
| Under Review | The application is in or waiting for review. | An interview or active human review right now. |
What does Process Complete mean in Taleo?
Process Complete usually means the employer marked a workflow as finished. Employers can configure Taleo differently, so it is not safe to call it a universal rejection or offer signal without a matching message or clearer status.
Is Completed different from Process Complete?
Sometimes. Completed can describe a finished step, while Process Complete can describe the end of a broader workflow, but an employer may use either phrase differently. Check what else changed: a rejection notice, a withdrawn application, a request, or an actual offer supplies the needed context.
What does Under Review mean?
Under Review generally means the application remains in an evaluation path or queue. It can include screening, recruiter review, or a waiting period before a hiring manager looks at it. It does not guarantee that someone is reading it at that moment. See Job application under review.
What rejection terminology should you watch for?
Labels such as Not Selected, No Longer Under Consideration, Inactive, or a direct rejection email are more clearly closure-oriented than Process Complete. Even then, they normally apply to that requisition, not every role at the company. No longer under consideration explains the distinction.
Why do Taleo statuses differ by employer?
Taleo supports employer-specific recruiting workflows, permissions, transitions, and candidate-facing labels. One company can expose a broad application state while another exposes a particular stage. Do not use a screenshot or forum interpretation from another employer as a definitive translation of yours.
How long should you wait?
Use the employer's promised timeline first. Without one, a single concise follow-up after roughly one to two weeks can be reasonable if the role is still open and there is a suitable contact. A stagnant label is not a countdown.
What should you do next?
Check email and the portal for a message or required task, document the date and requisition, and continue applying elsewhere. If you follow up, ask whether the role remains active and whether the employer needs anything else—rather than asking them to decode a label.