What do application statuses like "In review" or "Not selected" mean?

They are general labels the employer chooses, and their exact meaning differs between companies. Treat them as rough signals, not detailed updates.

Typical meanings:

• "Submitted" or "Received": your application arrived.
• "In review" or "Under consideration": not yet decided; it may stay here for weeks.
• "Interview" or "Assessment": you have moved forward; check your email.
• "Not selected", "Closed" or "No longer under consideration": the employer has decided not to proceed.

Some employers never update statuses, so check your email and spam folder too.

A few practical points:

• A status can stay the same even while recruiters are reviewing applications, so do not read too much into it.
• Interview invitations usually arrive by email or phone, not only as a status change.
• A "Not selected" status may appear weeks after the role was filled, simply because the employer closed the advert in bulk.

Keep applying elsewhere while you wait, and treat any status change as information, not a verdict on your worth.