Shortlisted

How this word actually lands

“Shortlisted” is perfectly valid British English and is widely used in recruitment. Indian learners sometimes use it very frequently because recruitment websites and interview conversations make the word particularly visible, but there is nothing wrong with it itself. A British recruiter might say, “You've been shortlisted for interview,” or “We've shortlisted five candidates.” Notice that the word normally describes a stage in a selection process rather than meaning that you have already got the job. If someone says, “I was shortlisted,” you still need to attend the next stage. In an interview, “I was shortlisted for the position” is completely natural. There is therefore no need to replace this word simply because it is common in Indian professional English.