“Not Selected by Employer” on Indeed: Meaning & What to Do Next

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Explaining this common Indeed message & how to avoid getting it

Co-authored by Cynthia Orduna and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: January 20, 2025 Fact Checked

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“Not Selected By Employer” Meaning

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Types of Rejection

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Reasons for the Message

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What to Do After Rejection

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Avoiding the “Not Selected By Employer” Message

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If you applied for a job on Indeed and got a message about your application saying, “Not selected by employer,” then we have bad news and good news. The bad news is that “Not selected by employer” is a rejection message. The good news is that you can take steps to avoid getting this message in the future—from revamping your resume to carefully answering screening questions on Indeed. In this article, we’ll explain the significance behind the “Not selected by employer” message, what to do after getting it, and more.

“Not Selected By Employer” Meaning at a Glance

The “Not selected by employer” message on Indeed means your job application was rejected. If you get this message, review your resume and the job description to see if there’s a clear reason for the rejection. You can always improve your resume and apply to similar jobs going forward.

Section 1 of 5:

“Not Selected By Employer” Meaning on Indeed

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“Not selected by employer” means your job application was rejected. Unfortunately, the meaning behind a “Not selected by employer” message on Indeed is pretty straightforward: your application wasn’t what the employer was looking for and, therefore, got rejected. Some employers may also send personalized feedback to explain the rejection, which you can use going forward.^{[1]
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- Receiving the "Not selected by employer" message doesn’t mean your application was terrible—there are many reasons an employer might not select your application to move forward with.
- Getting rejected just means it’s time to find other jobs you can apply for, and make sure your resume is as polished as it can be when it’s time to apply!

Section 2 of 5:

Types of Employer Rejection on Indeed

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Instant response If you applied and it was immediately rejected (or rejected within a few minutes), you probably gave an “incorrect” answer to a screening question. Many applications on Indeed come with screening questions, and if your answer isn’t what employers are looking for, the application may be automatically rejected without anyone even looking at it.
- For example, if there’s a question like, “Do you have at least 2 years of experience in social media management?” and you answered, “No,” that’s probably why you got the rejection message.
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Quick response (1 to 3 days) If you got the “Not selected by employer” message within 1 to 3 days after submitting your application, it was likely screened and filtered out by an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) rather than a recruiter. ATS technology is quite popular among employers on Indeed; it’s designed to scan for specific keywords or essential qualifications specified by the employer.
- Your application may also get rejected this way if an ATS couldn’t scan it properly (which usually happens because of how a resume is formatted).
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Delayed response (3+ days) If your application is rejected after 3 days or more, it was likely reviewed by the hiring manager—which means you at least made it past the initial screening questions and ATS. Still, if the company didn’t feel you were the right candidate for the job, there’s plenty you can do to strengthen your resume the next time you apply for a job (which we’ll highlight below).
- You may even get this message after an interview, which is unfortunate but can happen. It just means the employer is moving forward with a different candidate.

Section 3 of 5:

Reasons You Might Get the “Not Selected By Employer” Message

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There are many potential reasons for rejecting a candidate. So, even if an actual person views your application on Indeed and it still gets rejected, don’t assume the worst. Remember that the person who viewed your application doesn’t know you personally, and the rejection message doesn’t reflect who you are. Reasons your application might get rejected include:^{[2]
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- You may not seem like the best fit for that company. Some companies put a lot of emphasis on “company culture,” so even if you meet a job’s technical requirements, an employer might reject you if they feel like someone else is a better fit.
- Your experience or qualifications may not fit the job requirements. Your application is more likely to be rejected if you lack the expertise or qualifications specified by the employer.
- There’s a more qualified candidate. It happens to everyone: even if you meet the job’s requirements and would be a great employee, the company may find someone with a little more experience than you.
- You may be overqualified for the job. It may sound odd, but some employers don’t want candidates with so much experience they’re overqualified; the worry is that they’ll get bored and leave the job quickly.

Section 4 of 5:

What to Do After Seeing the “Not Selected By Employer” Message

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Take another look at the job you applied for. Read over the description—especially the desired experience and qualifications. See if there’s something in the description that could indicate why your application was rejected, even if it’s just that you need a bit more experience or there’s one skill listed that you didn’t mention in your resume.
- If you’re unsure why your application was rejected or want to know exactly what kind of resume and application the employer was looking for, you could always ask them for feedback.
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Review (and possibly update) your resume. If you still think you’d be a great candidate for the job based on its description, go back to your resume and ensure it shows that you’d be a great candidate, too. Is all the information easy for employers to find and read? If you notice anything that could be improved, make those changes; they might help in the future! For example:^{[3]
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- Give each section of your resume (education, work experience, skills, and so on) clear headings that plainly indicate what each is about.
- Make sure all the information on your resume is up-to-date, reflecting your most recent experience and relevant accomplishments.
- Emphasize any promotions you’ve gotten, especially if you got a promotion more quickly than expected.

Section 5 of 5:

How to Avoid Getting the “Not Selected By Employer” Message

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Customize your resume for each job that you apply for. Each time you apply for a job, read the description carefully and ensure your resume reflects the desired qualifications listed. It’s a good idea to create a resume for each job, highlighting certain skills or work experiences over others based on what the employer is looking for.^{[4]
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- Additionally, if there are any basic “yes or no” screening questions on Indeed about prerequisites for the job, be sure to answer “yes” so your application isn’t automatically rejected.
- It's okay to respond to the "spirit" of a screening question rather than the question itself to ensure your application makes it past the ATS. For instance, if a question asks if you have 5+ years of administrative experience and you have 3, and you feel you're still a strong candidate, answer "yes" anyway.
- Just make sure your resume and cover letter accurately reflect your experience and qualifications.
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Use ATS-compatible formatting for your resume. Since many companies use ATS technology to review resumes nowadays, making your resume ATS-friendly is a good idea. It should have a simple structure without elaborate fonts or images. Additionally, create your resume as a Word or Google Docs file, then save it as a PDF; an ATS can easily read this type of file.^{[5]
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- Try using a single-column layout for your resume as well since it’s more ATS-friendly.
- Unsure if your resume is ATS-compatible? Try highlighting the text. If you can, that means an ATS can read your resume—but if you can’t, it isn’t compatible.
- Building your resume in Photoshop or an online program can result in a resume that can’t be highlighted (which is why Word or Google Docs are ideal).
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Make sure you meet the requirements for each position you apply for. As mentioned above, you’re more likely to get jobs when you fulfill all the minimum qualifications and requirements (and when the employer can easily see that on your resume). So, to avoid getting that “Not selected by employer” message, find jobs for which you’re fully qualified.^{[6]
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- However, don’t forget: you can also apply for jobs even if you don’t meet every single requirement. It’s always worth a shot!
- Even though you’re more likely to get jobs you meet all the requirements for, some employers are more flexible than others.
- For example, you might still get a job (or at least an interview) if you have all the desired skills for a job but only 2 years of experience when they’re looking for 3 or more.