Does Lever read PDF resumes?

Yes — Lever reads text-based PDFs (the kind exported from Word, Google Docs, or LaTeX). What fails is a scanned or image-based PDF where the text is stored as a picture. When in doubt, a .docx is the lowest-risk choice.

What resume format works best for Lever?

A single-column, reverse-chronological resume with standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), contact info in the body, no tables or graphics, saved as a text-based .docx or PDF.

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ATS guide · Lever

Lever resume parsing — how it reads your resume, and how to pass

Lever is an ATS + talent CRM (owned by Employ Inc.) with a mid-market sweet spot.

Lever's parser has one habit worth knowing: it tends to silently drop content in a second column or sidebar. If your skills live in a pretty sidebar, Lever may simply not see them. Format for a single column and spell out your acronyms, and you'll show up in recruiter searches.

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How Lever parses a resume

What the parser does well, and what trips it up — so you format for how it actually reads.

Accepts .docx, PDF, RTF, HTML and OpenOffice files.

Its biggest weakness is dropping sidebar / second-column content — a skills sidebar can disappear from the parsed profile entirely. Tables parse poorly and contact info in headers/footers is unreliable.

For recruiter search it stems word endings (so 'collaborate' and 'collaborating' match) but does not expand acronyms — so include both the spelled-out term and the acronym.

Will Lever auto-reject you?

Lever does not auto-reject or auto-score on job-description keywords; humans review and score candidates.

How to format a resume for Lever

Three concrete fixes that make the biggest difference in this system.

Use a single column with no sidebars or tables — this is the highest-impact fix for Lever.

Write skills as 'Search Engine Optimization (SEO)' so both the full term and the acronym are searchable.

Keep contact info in the body and submit a text-based file.

Who uses Lever

Employers widely reported to run Lever for recruiting. (Vendors change over time — treat this as a guide, not a live roster.)

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