Tracking and follow-ups
The stages of the hiring process: what to do at each one
Between sending your application and getting a final answer, a hiring process goes through several stages, and companies rarely spell them all out. Knowing what the recruiter checks at each stage helps you prepare, read their silences and keep track of where every application stands.
The recruitment process steps at a glance
The order and number of stages vary from one employer to the next: a small business may decide after a single interview, a large organisation may run several rounds. The most common pattern looks like this:
| Stage | What the recruiter checks | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Does the resume meet the job's requirements? | Tailor your resume and cover letter to the job |
| Recruiter call | Motivation, availability, salary, practical conditions | Prepare a short pitch and your conditions |
| Tests or assessments | Technical or practical skills | Ask about the format, practise |
| Interviews | Skills, how you work, fit with the team | Prepare specific examples |
| References | What former managers say about you | Brief your referees |
| Offer | Whether you accept the role and its terms | Read it, negotiate if needed, reply |
Application screening
This is the stage you don't see. A recruiter, or an applicant tracking system, compares applications with the job's requirements. A generic resume struggles here: the job titles, skills and keywords the posting asks for must be easy to find.
What you can do: tailor your resume to each job, make sure it reads well in applicant tracking systems, and only apply when you can explain in two sentences why the role suits you (see is this job right for you?).
Silence is normal at this stage. It means neither yes nor no: applications are often reviewed in batches, sometimes only after the posting's closing date.
The recruiter screening call
A short first conversation by phone or video, often with a recruiter or someone from HR rather than the hiring manager. Its job is to check anything that would stop the process later: motivation, availability, location, salary expectations, sometimes a language.
- Prepare a two-minute introduction: your background, what you are looking for, why this role.
- Know your conditions: salary range, notice period or start date, remote or hybrid work, willingness to relocate.
- Ask about what comes next: the stages, who you will meet, the timeline.
Tests and assessments
Depending on the role: a technical test, a case study, a writing exercise, a personality or aptitude test, a take-home assignment. Ask in advance about the format, how long it takes and what will be assessed. It is a perfectly normal question, and the answer helps you prepare.
If you need an adjustment to take part, such as extra time or an accessible format, say so when you are invited. In the UK, government guidance for employers lists finding out whether someone needs help to take part in a selection test or interview among the few reasons an employer may ask about health or disability.
The interviews
There are often several: with HR, with the hiring manager, sometimes with the team or a senior leader. Each one looks at something different: HR at the consistency of your background and your conditions, the manager at your skills and how you work, the team at day-to-day collaboration.
Prepare specific examples told with the STAR method, reread the job posting you saved when you applied, and note what you told each interviewer. Our guide on how to prepare for a job interview covers common questions and the ones to ask.
After each interview, a short thank-you email the same day is well received. If the date you were given passes with no news, a polite check-in is normal: see following up with a recruiter.
Reference checks
Near the end of the process, the employer may ask to speak to former managers, which is often a good sign. Give references who know your work, and brief them: the role you are going for, what you did together, the points the employer might ask about.
Only give the names of people who have agreed to be contacted, and ask the employer when they plan to call them. You can reasonably ask that your current employer is not contacted until you have an offer.
The job offer and your answer
The offer often comes by phone first, then in writing. Before you accept, check the job title, the salary (annual or hourly, base pay and any bonus), the location, working hours, start date and any probation period. If something doesn't work for you, now is the time to raise it, not after you have signed.
Waiting to hear from another company? Asking for a few days to decide is common; say so simply and give a specific date for your answer.
Rejection, and what to do with it
A rejection can come at any stage, sometimes with no explanation. After an interview, you can ask for feedback with one or two precise questions ("What made the difference?"). Not every recruiter replies, but an answer is worth a lot for your next application.
If the company offers to keep your resume in its talent pool, accept if you are interested in working there, and make a note of it: a new opening there a few months later is a good reason to get back in touch.
Track where each application stands
With several hiring processes running at once, stages, contacts and dates quickly get mixed up. For each application, write down at least:
- The current stage and the date you reached it.
- The stages announced and the timeline the recruiter gave you.
- Your contacts: name, role, what you told them.
- The next action: prepare for a test, follow up on a given date, send references.
A spreadsheet is enough: our job application tracker spreadsheet already has the columns and statuses. For the full method (statuses, weekly routine, response rate), see tracking your job applications.
Your rights during a hiring process
The rules depend on where you live. A few examples from official guidance:
- Personal questions (UK): government guidance tells employers not to ask candidates about protected characteristics, such as whether they are married or in a civil partnership, or whether they have or plan to have children. They can only ask for your date of birth on an application form if you must be a certain age to do the job.
- Health and disability questions (UK): employers can only ask about them for limited reasons, such as requirements of the job that cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, or finding out whether you need help to take part in a test or interview.
- Medical questions before an offer (US): under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the EEOC says an employer may not ask disability-related questions or require a medical exam before making a conditional job offer.
- Your data (UK): anyone can ask an organisation for a copy of the personal information it holds about them (a subject access request), and organisations usually have one month to respond.
Frequently asked questions
How many stages are there in a hiring process?
It depends on the employer and the role: sometimes a single interview, often a resume screen, a recruiter call, one or more interviews, and sometimes a test and reference checks. The simplest way to know is to ask the recruiter about the stages in your first conversation.
How long does a hiring process take?
There is no standard length: it depends on the number of stages, the number of candidates and the employer's availability. Ask for a timeline in your first conversation, write it down, and follow up politely if the date passes.
Can I ask where my application stands?
Yes. A short email that mentions the role and the date of your last contact is normal, especially once the date you were given has passed. Our guide on following up with a recruiter has templates.
What does "your application is under review" mean?
That no decision has been made yet: other candidates may still be interviewing, or the people deciding have not met yet. It is neither a yes nor a no; keep your other applications going in the meantime.
Can an employer ask about my health before offering me the job?
In the US, the EEOC says an employer may not ask disability-related questions or require a medical exam before a conditional job offer. In the UK, government guidance limits such questions to specific reasons, such as whether you need help to take part in a test or interview.