Determining a Candidate's Application Status

To understand where a candidate is within the application process, you can refer to the Application Status on the candidate profile. The Application Status is listed in grey text at the top of the candidate profile, below the candidate's name. This article covers the different status messages you may see and what each one means.

In this article:
Application Sections
Application Status Definitions
Two-Step Applications
Important Considerations
FAQ
Additional Resources

Application Sections

ClearCo applications are made up of the following sections:

• Pre-Screen Section: A set of questions presented to a candidate before they can access the rest of the application. Candidates who do not meet the required criteria are knocked out at this stage and will not proceed further. The Pre-Screen does not generate its own Application Status message.
• Resume Section: Where candidates upload their resume and any other required application files.
• Initial Section: The first set of application questions. In a One-Step application, all questions live here.
• Detailed Section: A second set of questions present in Two-Step applications.

Application Status Definitions

The Application Status is listed in grey text at the top of the candidate profile. Below are the statuses that you will encounter.

 

• Application Completed: The candidate has finished all required sections of the application.
• In Progress: The candidate has started a section and is actively working on it.
• Abandoned: The candidate accessed a section but did not click Continue to move forward.
• Incomplete Application: The candidate has not finished the full application.
• Initial Section Complete, Detailed Section Not Sent: The candidate finished the first stage of a Two-Step application, but the recruiter has not yet sent them the Detailed Section.
• Detailed Section In Progress: The candidate has started but not yet completed the Detailed Section.
• Blank: The candidate has not started the application. This is common with Easy Apply candidates who submitted their resume through a job board but have not yet begun the ClearCo application.

How Abandoned Is Determined

The time before an application is marked as Abandoned is based on your application's settings. Under the Settings tab of your application, you can configure the abandoned email timeframe. Once that window passes without the candidate completing the application, the system marks their status as Abandoned and automatically sends them a reminder email to continue.

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Two-Step Applications

For Two-Step applications, the status will progress through the following stages:

• Initial Section In Progress: Candidate has started but not finished Part 1.
• Abandoned: Candidate started Part 1 but did not complete it.
• Initial Section Complete, Detailed Section Not Sent: Candidate finished Part 1; the recruiter has not yet sent Part 2.
• Detailed Section In Progress: Candidate has started Part 2.
• Application Complete: Candidate has finished both parts.

Note

In a Two-Step application, a status of Complete only reflects full completion once both parts have been finished. A candidate's status can move from Complete back to Abandoned if they begin Part 2 but do not finish it, and will return to Complete once they do.

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Important Considerations

• Knock-out questions: Only candidates who pass the Pre-Screen questions will appear in ClearCo. This is determined by the application rules configured for your requisition. Candidates who are knocked out will not create a profile or appear in your candidate list.
• Application updates: If a candidate revisits and edits a previously completed application without finishing it again, the status banner will update to reflect their current progress, even if they had completed it before.
• Completion rate and optional resume uploads: If the Resume Section is not marked as required, candidates who skip it will not have their completion rate negatively impacted. Skipping an optional section does not cause an Incomplete status.
• Hiring workflows: Hiring workflows triggered by application completion are separate from the Application Status bar. Completing a workflow step does not necessarily mean the application status will reflect completion.

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FAQ

When is a candidate profile created, and when does the application document appear?

A candidate profile is created as soon as a candidate enters their name and email address. If they upload a resume during that step, it will appear under the candidate's Documents tab. However, the Application-type document is not generated until the application is fully completed or, in a Two-Step application, until at least the Initial Section is finished. Partial applications are not visible as a document.

Can a candidate's status go backwards after showing as Complete?

Yes. If a candidate returns to a completed application and begins navigating through it again without finishing, the status will update to reflect where they stopped. This means a previously Complete status may temporarily show as In Progress or Abandoned until they finish again.

Why does my completion rate seem low even though candidates are applying?

If your Resume Section is not marked as required and candidates skip it, that alone will not lower your completion rate. However, candidates who create a profile but never start the application (common with Easy Apply) or who abandon mid-way will affect the rate. Reviewing where candidates are dropping off, Resume, Initial, or Detailed Section, can help identify where to focus.

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Additional Resources

Two-Step Application Process
Applications: Rules (Overview)
Introduction to Job Applications
Job Applications: Settings