Depending on your applicant workflow, you may want to set a Default Status for any new applicant records. This can be done by any user with Database Administrator permissions.
To set the default status, go to Delivery > Workflows in PICSWeb Configuration and open the Applicant Statuses tab.
Select Applicant Workflow Settings and choose a status from the Default Status drop-down menu. Select Save to confirm your choice. As long as this status is Live, new applicants will automatically have that status set upon creation.
For more information, take a look at the full help page for Applicant Statuses in Workflow Configuration.
Keywords: Applicant workflow, custom status, initial applicant status