Managing Job Posting and Candidate Statuses under ATS Settings

⚡ What are Job & Candidate Statuses?

Job and Candidate Statuses help your team stay organized throughout the hiring process by clearly tracking both job postings and applicants (candidates) at every stage.

Within ATS Settings, there are two types of statuses:

1. Applicant Statuses: used to track where applicants are in your hiring process (such as New, Interview, or Hired)
2. Job Posting Statuses: used to manage whether a job posting is visible and accepting applications (such as Draft, Published, or Closed)

For example, your company may run multiple interview stages, such as an initial screening, a structured interview, and a final interview. Creating separate statuses for each stage makes it’s clear where every candidate is in the process.

At the same time, you may use job posting statuses differently, for example, marking a role as paused when you’ve received a high volume of applicants, or closing it once offers are in progress. 

The Status page is designed to reflect your workflow, helping your team quickly understand what stage each candidate or job posting is in, and what actions are needed next. 

🔎 Why Use Job & Candidate Statuses?

Here are some common ways statuses help streamline your hiring process:

• Keeping your hiring workflow organized: Statuses create a clear structure for your pipeline, making it easy to track where candidates are and what steps come next.
• Aligning your team on hiring stages: Using consistent statuses ensures everyone reviewing candidates is on the same page when moving applicants forward or making decisions.
• Customizing your process to fit your business: You can rename, add, and organize statuses to match your internal terminology or hiring steps.
• Improving visibility across dashboards: Statuses appear across the Candidate and Job Dashboards, helping your team quickly understand progress at a glance.

🔐 Access required

Job & Candidate Statuses under ATS Settings is part of our Applicant Tracking feature and is included in our HR Add-On. 

Who can manage the Candidate Dashboard?

• Super Administrators: Full access to view and manage statuses under ATS Settings. 
• Team Administrators: Can access and manage statuses under ATS Settings if they have permission to Update ATS Settings. If you are unable to access, please confirm your permissions with a Super Administrator.

📋 Topics covered in this article:

• Navigating to ATS Settings: Status 
• Filtering Statuses
• Managing Applicant (Candidate) Statuses
• Managing Job Posting Statuses 
•  Frequently Asked Questions: Applicant & Job Statuses

📚 Related articles:

• Managing & Filtering the Candidate Dashboard
• How to Navigate the Job Dashboard
• Check out our dedicated Applicant Tracking section to find how-to guides, FAQs, and more.

Navigating to ATS Settings: Status

When your account is first set up, it includes default job postings and applicant statuses that reflect a standard hiring workflow. These can be used right away, but most teams will want to review and adjust them to better align with their hiring practices.

From the Status Settings page, you can reorder existing statuses, rename them, hide ones you do not use, or create custom ones to reflect your process. Whether that includes multiple interview stages, internal reviews, or specific hiring steps unique to your team.

1. Click the Applicant Tracking tab.
2. From the left-hand navigation menu, select ATS Settings.
3. The page will default to the Branding section, select Status.
4. The Status page will load, where you can toggle between: Applicants (also referred to as Candidates) and Jobs.

Filtering Statuses

Each Status page (Applicants and Jobs) includes a filter option in the top-right corner that helps simplify what you see.

When enabled, this filter hides any status groups that do not contain custom statuses, allowing you to focus only on the stages currently being used in your workflow.

💡 | Tip: This can be especially helpful when setting up or reviewing your hiring process, making it easier to identify which stages have already been customized.

1. Once under the Status section under ATS Settings. 
2. On the top-right of the page, toggle Hide Empty Groups.
   💡 | Tip: You can identify groups without custom statuses by the label “No Status” shown in the section where custom statuses would normally appear.

Managing Applicant Statuses (Candidate Statuses)

Applicant statuses (also referred to as candidate statuses) track each applicant's progress through your hiring process, from the moment they apply to the final decision.

As your team reviews candidates, schedules interviews, and makes hiring decisions, keeping statuses up to date ensures everyone has a clear and consistent view of progress.

Statuses are organized into predefined groups (Types), such as New, Interview, Hired, and more. These groups act as categories to help structure your hiring workflow.

From this page, you can create new statuses, update existing ones, adjust their order, or remove statuses that are no longer needed—allowing your workflow to evolve with your hiring process.

To add an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

As your hiring process evolves, you may need to add new statuses to reflect additional steps. Adding a new applicant status lets you better track candidate progress at each stage of your workflow.

1. From ATS Settings: Status, select Applicants.
2. The page will load the Applicant Statuses section. 
3. From the list, find the predefined status group (Type) where you want the status categorized.
   💡 | Tip: Think of each group as a stage in your hiring process, and the statuses within it as the specific steps. For example, under the Interview group, you might add “Phone Screening” and “Final Interview”.
4. On the right side, click the plus (+) icon next to the status group. 
5. A new title box will appear in the list. Input the name of the new status.
6. Once done, select Save to add it as a status, or select Cancel to remove it.

To update an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

If your hiring process changes over time, you may need to adjust your existing statuses. Such as renaming, reordering, or removing those no longer needed. These options allow you to keep your workflow accurate and up to date.

1. From ATS Settings: Status, select Applicants.
2. The page will load the Applicant Statuses section. 
3. From the list, find the existing status group (Type) or custom status you wish to update.
4. On the right side, click the three dots (⋮) icon next to the status. 
5. From the pop-up, four options will appear: Edit, Move Up, Move Down, and Delete. 

To Edit the Name of an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

Renaming a status allows you to align it with your team’s internal terminology without needing to create a new one. This is useful when standard status names don’t fully match your hiring process.

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a status is selected, choose Edit from the pop-up. 
2. The list will update to show the title box that houses the status' existing name, and allow you to enter the new name.
   📌 | Note: Renaming a status does affect candidates currently assigned to it.
3. Once done, select Save to rename the status, or select Cancel to undo the changes.

To Adjust the Order of an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

The order of your statuses should reflect the timeline of your hiring process, from early stages through to final outcomes. Adjusting the order helps ensure the built-in views in the Candidate Dashboard appear in a logical sequence and organizes the status options shown in drop-down menus when assigning a status to a candidate.

You can reorder statuses by using the available button actions (Move Up or Move Down), or by dragging and dropping statuses into place using your cursor.

1. On the left side, drop-and-drag the six dots (⋮⋮) icon associated with a status group (Type) or custom status to adjust the order of the status. 

OR

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a custom status is selected, choose Move Up or Move Down from the pop-up. 
2. Click Move Up or Move Down as many times as needed to adjust the custom status order within a status group.

To Delete an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

If a status is no longer relevant to your hiring process, you can remove it to keep your workflow clean and easy to manage. Before deleting, you’ll need to reassign any candidates currently using that status to avoid disrupting your pipeline.

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a status is selected, choose Delete from the pop-up. 
2. If the status being deleted is associated with candidates, a pop-up will appear for you to re-assign these candidates to a new existing status. Click the drop-down menu and select the applicable status.
3. Once the new status is selected, click Delete & Replace to proceed or click Cancel to exit. 
   ⚠️ | Warning: Once deleted, the status cannot be recovered. Always confirm reassignment before proceeding.
   📌 | Note: Deleting a status may also impact any automations tied to that status in a job posting or automation.

Managing Job Posting Statuses

Job posting statuses are used to manage whether a role is visible to candidates and accepting applications, from initial setup through to when a position is filled.

As your team opens, reviews, and closes roles, keeping job posting statuses up to date ensures candidates have an accurate view of available opportunities and helps your team stay aligned on hiring activity.

Statuses are organized into predefined groups (Types), such as Draft, Published, Paused, and Closed. These groups represent the different states a job posting can be in, while the statuses within them can be customized to reflect your team’s workflow.

From this page, you can create new statuses, update existing ones, adjust their order, or remove statuses that are no longer needed, allowing your hiring process to adapt over time.

To add a Job Posting Status from ATS Settings

As your hiring expands, you may want to create additional statuses to better reflect how your team manages job postings. For example, tracking roles that are under internal review or temporarily on hold.

1. From ATS Settings: Status, select Jobs.
2. The page will load the Job Posting Statuses section. 
3. From the list, find the predefined status group (Type) where you want the status categorized.
   💡 | Tip: Think of each group as a stage in your job posting lifecycle, while the statuses within it represent more specific states. For example, under the Published group, you might add “External Hiring” or “Internal Role”.
4. On the right side, click the plus (+) icon next to the status group. 
5. A new title box will appear in the list. Input the name of the new status.
6. Once done, select Save to add it as a status, or select Cancel to remove it.

To update a Job Posting Status from ATS Settings

As your hiring process evolves, you may need to adjust the statuses of your existing job postings. Such as renaming, reordering, or removing those no longer needed. These options help keep your workflow accurate and aligned with how your team manages roles.

1. From ATS Settings: Status, select Jobs.
2. The page will load the Job Posting Statuses section. 
3. From the list, find the existing status group (Type) or custom status you wish to update.
4. On the right side, click the three dots (⋮) icon next to the status. 
5. From the pop-up, four options will appear: Edit, Move Up, Move Down, and Delete. 

To Edit the Name of a Job Posting Status from ATS Settings

Renaming a status lets you align it with your team’s internal terminology without creating a new one. This is useful when standard status names don’t fully reflect how your team manages job postings.

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a status is selected, choose Edit from the pop-up. 
2. The list will update to show the title box that houses the status' existing name, and allow you to enter the new name.
   📌 | Note: Renaming a status does affect the job posting currently assigned to it.
3. Once done, select Save to rename the status, or select Cancel to undo the changes.

To Adjust the Order of a Job Posting Status from ATS Settings

The order of your job posting statuses should reflect the lifecycle of your roles, from initial setup through to closure. Adjusting the order helps organize how statuses appear when updating a job posting, making it easier for your team to select the correct status as roles move through each stage.

You can reorder statuses by using the available button actions (Move Up or Move Down), or by dragging and dropping statuses into place using your cursor.

1. On the left side, drop-and-drag the six dots (⋮⋮) icon associated with a status group (Type) or custom status to adjust the order of the status. 

OR

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a custom status is selected, choose Move Up or Move Down from the pop-up. 
2. Click Move Up or Move Down as many times as needed to adjust the custom status order within a status group.

To Delete an Applicant Status from ATS Settings

If a status is no longer relevant to your hiring process, you can remove it to keep your workflow clean and easy to manage. Before deleting, you’ll need to reassign any job postings currently using that status.

1. Once the three dots (⋮) icon associated with a status is selected, choose Delete from the pop-up. 
2. If the status being deleted is associated with a job posting, a pop-up will appear for you to re-assign this posting to a new existing status. Click the drop-down menu and select the applicable status.
3. Once the new status is selected, click Delete & Replace to proceed or click Cancel to exit. 
   ⚠️ | Warning: Once deleted, the status cannot be recovered. Always confirm reassignment before proceeding.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job & Candidate Statuses?

Have questions about managing job or candidate statuses? Whether you’re setting up your hiring workflow, adjusting statuses, or trying to understand how they appear across the platform, this section provides quick answers to help you manage statuses with confidence.

💡| Tip: Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact our Support Team at support@pushoperations.com or use our AI bot, Astra, for quick assistance!
 

Q: What’s the difference between Applicant Statuses and Job Posting Statuses?
A: Applicant statuses (also referred to as candidate statuses) track where a candidate is in your hiring process, such as Interview or Hired. Job posting statuses, on the other hand, control whether a job is visible and accepting applications, such as Published or Closed.

Q: Why are my statuses grouped into categories like New, Interview, or Hired?
A: Statuses are organized into predefined groups (Types) to structure your hiring workflow. These groups represent broader stages, while the statuses within them reflect the specific steps your team follows.

Q: Can I create a status outside of these predefined status groups?
A: No. All statuses must be created within an existing group. This ensures your statuses are organized correctly and appear in the appropriate stage across the platform.

Q: What happens when I reorder statuses?
A: The updated order is saved automatically and reflected across the platform. When you return to the Candidate Dashboard or Job Dashboard, your statuses will appear in the new order.

This also applies when using status drop-down menus, making it easier to filter candidates or update job and candidate statuses in line with your hiring workflow.

Q: If I rename a status, will it affect existing candidates or job postings?
A:  Yes. Renaming a status will update the label wherever it appears across the platform, including for any candidates or job postings currently assigned to it.

If you want to separate new usage from existing records, we recommend creating a new status instead. You can then update the old status name to something like “No longer used” to maintain historical accuracy while guiding your team toward the correct status moving forward.

Q: Can I delete a status that’s currently in use?
A: Yes, but you’ll be required to reassign any affected candidates or job postings to another status before the deletion is completed.

Q: Can I have multiple statuses within the same stage?
A: Yes. You can create multiple statuses within a group (Type) to reflect more detailed steps. For example, under the Interview stage, you might include Phone Screen, In-Person Interview, and Final Interview.

Additional Information

Need further help? Contact our Support Team at support@pushoperations.com or utilize our AI bot, Astra, for quick assistance.