MyWorkdayJobs Troubleshooting Guide for New Accounts and Freezes

Getting stopped by MyWorkdayJobs right when you finally have momentum is frustrating. You find a role, click Apply, and suddenly you’re forced to create yet another account. Or the “Create Account” button does nothing. Or the site works on a laptop but freezes on your phone the moment you try to upload a resume.

This guide explains why Workday often makes you create a new account for each company, what’s really happening behind the “Create Account” loop, and how to fix the most common mobile freezes and upload stalls fast. You’ll also get a practical workflow for keeping your applications organized so you don’t lose track of logins, drafts, and submissions.

If you want one quick mindset shift before we start: many “Workday problems” are not your fault and not even a single, centralized system. They’re the result of separate company-run portals that look identical.

Why MyWorkdayJobs Often Needs a New Account for Every Company

Workday is a platform that companies license and configure. When you apply through MyWorkdayJobs, you’re usually not creating one universal identity that works everywhere. You’re creating an account inside that employer’s Workday “tenant” (their instance of Workday, with their policies and security settings).

The “account per company” reality in plain language

Here’s the simplest way to picture it:

• Workday is the software.

• Each company runs its own Workday site.

• Your candidate account lives inside that company’s site, even if the login screen looks identical to the last one.

That’s why you might apply to three employers and end up with three separate logins, three different password rules, and three different “candidate home” dashboards.

Why it feels inconsistent (and why it is)

You’ll notice it’s not always one account per company. Sometimes you can reuse a login across brands that are part of the same organization, and sometimes you cannot. Common reasons:

• Subsidiaries with separate recruiting configurations: Two brands might share a parent company but run separate recruiting setups.

• Mergers and legacy systems: One part of the organization may still be on an older configuration.

• Security policy differences: Some portals require multi-factor authentication, strict password rotation, or blocked password managers.

• Different candidate email matching rules: One portal might treat name@gmail.com and name+jobs@gmail.com as different identities.

The hidden trap: email variations create accidental “new” accounts

A frequent cause of “Why do I have to create a new account again?” is email formatting.

Examples that can create duplicates:

• Using a plus alias sometimes (alex+applications@gmail.com) and not others (alex@gmail.com).

• Switching between Apple’s Hide My Email, your real iCloud, and Gmail.

• Typing a different version of your name-based email (like alex.smith@ vs alexsmith@).

Takeaway: Pick one email format for all applications and stick to it.

What “Candidate Home” actually means

“Candidate Home” is the dashboard inside a specific company’s Workday portal. It typically stores:

• Draft applications

• Submitted applications

• Resume and attachments you uploaded to that portal

• Email preferences for that employer

So when you think, “My candidate home is missing,” what’s often happening is you are viewing a different company’s portal that has its own separate candidate home.

A realistic scenario

You apply to Company A on your phone. Later you search “MyWorkdayJobs sign in” on your laptop and end up at a generic page or a different company’s portal. You log in successfully but see no application.

What happened?

• Your application is stored under Company A’s Workday portal.

• You are logging into Company B’s portal or a generic gateway.

Fix: Start from the job posting link or the employer’s career site you applied through, then click Sign In. That route usually returns you to the correct tenant.

Practical workflow: keep accounts from spiraling

Use a simple tracking method so you don’t burn hours resetting passwords.

• Create a note titled “Workday Logins” with columns:

  • Company name

  • Careers URL (the portal link)

  • Email used

  • Date applied

  • Status (draft/submitted)

• Always access your dashboard from the company’s job posting link when possible.

• Use one email format consistently, and avoid switching between phone autofill and manual entry.

Section takeaway: Needing separate accounts is normal in Workday because each employer runs a separate portal. Most “missing application” issues are simply logging into the wrong portal or using a slightly different email.

Fix “Create Account” Not Working or Stuck on a Loop

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

When the “Create Account” button does nothing, or you keep getting bounced back to the same screen, it’s usually one of four categories: browser/session issues, blocked scripts, form validation failures, or duplicate identity conflicts.

Fast triage checklist (5 minutes)

Try these in order. Each step is quick and often solves the issue without deeper troubleshooting.

1. Open the application in a private/incognito window.

   • This removes stale cookies and cached scripts.

2. Turn off content blockers for that page.

   • Ad blockers, privacy extensions, and script blockers can stop the button from triggering.

3. Try a different browser.

   • If you’re on Safari, try Chrome. If you’re on Chrome, try Firefox.

4. Switch networks.

   • Move from workplace Wi-Fi to mobile data, or vice versa.

5. Create the account from a desktop if possible.

   • Mobile browsers are more likely to break on complex forms.

The most common root causes (and what to do)

1) You actually already have an account, but the portal won’t match it cleanly

Workday portals typically match candidate accounts by email. If you previously created an account and now you’re in a partial or conflicting state, “Create Account” may appear to fail.

What to do:

• Click Sign In instead of Create Account.

• Use Forgot Password using the exact email you believe you used.

• Search your inbox for messages from that employer’s recruiting system, then confirm the email address used.

If you have multiple emails, test them one at a time. Don’t create new accounts until you confirm the old one is unreachable.

2) A required field is failing validation, but the UI doesn’t show it

Some Workday forms fail silently when a field is invalid.

Common gotchas:

• Password doesn’t meet complexity (length, special characters, or prohibited words).

• Phone number format mismatch (country code required).

• Address fields that don’t accept certain characters.

• Name fields with extra spaces, commas, or emoji copied from autofill.

What to do:

• Re-type (don’t paste) email, name, and password.

• Remove special characters from address lines.

• Use a simple password pattern that meets complexity (long, mixed case, numbers, one symbol).

3) Cookies or local storage are corrupted

Workday relies heavily on session data. A corrupted session can make buttons unresponsive.

What to do:

• Clear site data for that specific domain in your browser settings.

• Then reload and try again.

If you don’t want to clear everything, an incognito window is the fastest substitute.

4) Script blocked or page not fully loaded

If the form’s JavaScript doesn’t load, buttons may appear but do nothing.

What to do:

• Disable extensions for that session.

• Avoid “reader mode.”

• Wait for all elements to load before clicking.

A step-by-step rescue plan that works in most cases

If you want a reliable sequence you can reuse across companies:

1. Copy the job link and open it in an incognito window.

2. Before doing anything, confirm the URL is the employer’s Workday portal (not a random login gateway).

3. Try Sign In and then Forgot Password first.

4. If you must create an account:

   • Manually type your email and name.

   • Create a password that clearly meets complexity.

   • Fill phone number in a standard format.

5. If it still fails, switch browsers.

6. If it still fails, switch device (desktop is best for account creation).

When it’s not you: the portal may be down or misconfigured

Some Workday portals break during maintenance windows or after configuration changes. If it fails across multiple browsers and devices, it may be on the employer side.

What to do:

• Save screenshots of the error or stuck state.

• Use the employer’s career site contact method if available.

• Apply through an alternate posting (sometimes the same role is posted on a different page instance).

Section takeaway: “Create Account” issues usually come from session problems, blocked scripts, silent validation errors, or an existing account conflict. Use incognito, try Sign In first, re-type key fields, and switch browsers before starting over.

Fix Mobile Freezes and Resume Upload Stalls

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

Mobile issues are especially common in Workday candidate flows because the application process mixes heavy forms, file uploads, and multi-step navigation. A phone can handle it, but small browser differences can cause freezes.

Common mobile symptoms

• Page scroll locks up after you tap “Upload Resume.”

• Spinner loops forever after selecting a PDF.

• You tap “Next” and nothing happens.

• The keyboard covers a required field and you can’t proceed.

Why it happens

Most mobile freezes come from a combination of:

• Large file upload handling (especially PDFs with images)

• Memory limits on mobile browsers

• Weak network during upload

• Autofill inserting hidden characters

• The portal timing out while the upload is in progress

The fastest fixes (do these first)

1. Switch from in-app browser to a real browser If you opened the job link in Gmail, LinkedIn, or another app, it may use an in-app browser.

   Fix:

   • Copy the link and open it in Safari or Chrome directly.

2. Use a smaller resume file Large PDFs or scanned image resumes can stall uploads.

   Fix:

   • Export a clean PDF (text-based) under a few MB.

   • Avoid embedded images and fancy backgrounds.

3. Try uploading from Files, not Photos On iPhone especially, choosing from the wrong picker can create permission hiccups.

   Fix:

   • Save your resume in the Files app and upload from there.

4. Turn off autofill for that form session Autofill can insert hidden spaces or characters into email and phone fields.

   Fix:

   • Manually type email, phone, and name.

5. Use mobile data (or stable Wi-Fi), not both Network switching during upload can break the session.

   Fix:

   • Choose one network and stay on it until submission.

If the resume upload keeps freezing: two reliable workarounds

Workaround A: complete the application without uploading, then add later

Some portals allow you to proceed with minimal data and attach documents later.

Steps:

1. Look for an option like “Continue without uploading”, “Paste resume”, or “Use existing resume”.

2. Complete required fields and submit.

3. Return to Candidate Home later on a desktop to attach documents if needed.

This is especially useful when you’re applying on the go and just need to get the application in.

Workaround B: apply from desktop for the upload-heavy steps

If the mobile portal freezes consistently, split the process:

1. On mobile, create the account and save the application as a draft if possible.

2. On desktop, sign in and finish the upload and final submission.

Real-world scenario: the “spinner of doom” on resume upload

You select your resume, the spinner appears, and it never ends.

Likely causes:

• File is too large or has complex elements.

• The portal timed out mid-upload.

• Your network briefly dropped.

Quick rescue plan:

1. Cancel the upload and refresh the page.

2. Switch to a simplified PDF resume.

3. Reopen the application in a fresh tab (or incognito).

4. Upload once, then wait without switching apps.

Don’t let technical issues turn into application mistakes

When people get frustrated, they rush, and that can lead to avoidable problems:

• Creating duplicate accounts

• Submitting without key fields

• Uploading the wrong file version

• Leaving drafts unfinished

If you’re worried that the system is filtering you out after you submit, it helps to know what can trigger automated rejection beyond the tech issues. This related guide is a good companion when you’re ready: Instant ATS Rejection 15 Reasons You’re Auto-Declined Fast.

Section takeaway: Most mobile freezes are caused by in-app browsers, upload size, permissions, or unstable connections. Use a real browser, shrink your resume PDF, and finish upload-heavy steps on desktop when needed.

A Simple System to Apply Faster Without Workday Headaches

Troubleshooting is useful, but the bigger win is building an application routine that makes Workday friction less costly. This section gives you a repeatable system that reduces repeated account creation, prevents lost drafts, and helps you avoid wasting time on roles that aren’t real.

Step 1: Standardize your “candidate identity”

Pick one identity and keep it consistent across applications:

• One email address (no plus aliases unless you always use them)

• One phone number format

• One resume file name and versioning system

Example naming:

• FirstLast_Resume.pdf

• FirstLast_Resume_SalesOps.pdf

Avoid:

• resume_final_final2.pdf

Why it helps: Consistency reduces duplicate account creation and makes password recovery easier.

Step 2: Build a 10-minute pre-apply checklist

Before you click Apply, do these checks so you don’t waste effort:

• Confirm the job is posted on the company’s official career site.

• Save the job link.

• Screenshot the job title and requisition ID.

• Decide which resume version matches the role.

If you suspect a posting might not be active or might be a placeholder, use a verification approach first. This checklist helps you filter faster: Ghost Job Postings Checklist to Verify Any Role Fast.

Why it helps: If a portal is glitchy, you still have the details you need to follow up or reapply correctly.

Step 3: Use “draft strategy” to protect your time

Workday portals often save drafts, but sessions can time out. Draft strategy means you deliberately stop at a stable point.

Recommended approach:

1. Create the account and confirm email if required.

2. Fill basic profile fields.

3. Save as draft before uploading documents if mobile is unstable.

4. Finish on desktop.

Why it helps: You stop losing progress to timeouts and frozen uploads.

Step 4: Keep an application tracker that prevents loops

You don’t need a fancy spreadsheet, but you do need one place to track:

• Company and role

• Portal URL

• Email used

• Password reset status

• Submission date

• Follow-up date

This prevents the common loop of “I think I applied already” and “Which account did I use?”

Step 5: Know when to stop fighting the portal

If you’ve tried:

• Incognito

• Another browser

• Another device

• Another network

…and it still fails, it’s reasonable to assume the portal is misbehaving. At that point, shift to controlled follow-up:

• Save screenshots of the broken step.

• Contact recruiting support if the company provides it.

• If you have a recruiter contact, send a short note with the role title and requisition ID.

Step 6: Protect your attention with a “two-window rule”

This is a small behavioral trick that reduces errors:

• Window 1: job posting and requirements

• Window 2: application form

You can copy exact wording, avoid missing requirements, and reduce back-navigation that sometimes breaks sessions.

Final checklist you can reuse

• Use the same email format every time

• Start from the employer’s posting link to hit the right portal

• Try Sign In and Forgot Password before creating a new account

• Use incognito when Create Account doesn’t respond

• Avoid in-app browsers on mobile

• Upload a small, clean PDF resume

• Save drafts and finish on desktop if needed

• Track portal URL and login for each company

Call to action

If MyWorkdayJobs keeps slowing you down, don’t let the friction steal your momentum. Use the steps above to get unstuck quickly, then focus on what actually moves applications forward: applying to real roles, matching your resume to the job, and avoiding common ATS pitfalls. Start with the two companion checklists linked above and build a workflow you can repeat every time.

All images in this article are from Pexels: Photo 1 by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels. Photo 2 by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels. Thank you to these talented photographers for making their work freely available.