How to Fill Out a Lever Job Application (Field-by-Field Guide)
Lever is one of the most common applicant tracking systems at startups and scale-ups. Its application form is a single page — short compared to Workday or Taleo — which means every field you do fill carries weight. Here's what each field is for and how to fill it without hurting your chances.
The form, field by field
- 1
Confirm you are on the apply page
Lever job pages live at jobs.lever.co/<company>. The description page has an "Apply for this job" button; the actual form is at the same URL ending in /apply.
- 2
Full name
Use your real, consistent professional name — the same one that appears on your resume and LinkedIn. Mismatched names across documents create needless doubt.
- 3
Email
Use the address you actually check daily. Replies to Lever applications come by email, often from an @hire.lever.co or company address that can land in Promotions — check all tabs after applying.
- 4
Phone
Include country code if you are applying internationally (e.g. +52, +55, +91). Recruiters do call, especially for later stages.
- 5
Current company (Org)
One line, current or most recent employer. Freelancers: your own studio name or "Independent / Freelance" is perfectly fine — leaving it blank looks like an oversight.
- 6
Links: LinkedIn, GitHub, Portfolio
Lever has dedicated URL fields. Fill every one that applies to your profession — for engineers GitHub matters, for designers the portfolio link is often the first thing opened. Test each link in an incognito window first.
- 7
Resume upload
Upload a PDF. Lever parses it, but the recruiter sees the original file — so clean single-column formatting beats clever design. Name the file professionally: firstname-lastname-resume.pdf.
- 8
Cover letter / additional information
This textarea is where most applications win or lose. Reference the specific role and something concrete from the job post; lead with your most relevant shipped work. Three short paragraphs beat a page of boilerplate.
- 9
Custom questions
Companies add role-specific questions (salary expectations, timezone, start date, visa status). Answer every one — skipped questions are visible to the recruiter as blanks. Be direct; these are usually used as structured filters.
- 10
Review and submit
Lever does not let you edit an application after submission. Re-read everything — especially links and the cover letter — before clicking Submit application.
Mistakes that get applications rejected
- ✕Submitting a Word document with broken formatting instead of a PDF.
- ✕Leaving the cover-letter field empty on roles that clearly expect one.
- ✕Pasting a generic letter that never mentions the company or the role.
- ✕Broken or private portfolio/LinkedIn links (always test in incognito).
- ✕Skipping "optional" custom questions — recruiters see the blanks.
- ✕Salary-expectation answers wildly out of the posted range without explanation.
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Try the AI application assistant →Frequently asked questions
Can I edit my Lever application after submitting?
No. Lever has no candidate portal for edits. If you made a significant mistake, the practical fix is emailing the recruiter or applying again with a note — but avoid duplicate applications for minor typos.
Does Lever automatically reject applications?
Lever itself does not auto-reject, but companies use its structured custom questions (visa status, salary, location) as knock-out filters. Honest, direct answers to those questions matter more than keyword-stuffing.
Should I write the cover letter field in Lever?
Yes, when present. Lever forms are short, so the free-text field is one of the few places you can differentiate. Two or three specific sentences about why you fit this role beat a full page of generic prose.
What resume format works best with Lever?
A single-column PDF with standard fonts. Lever shows recruiters the original file, so visual clarity matters as much as parseability.