If you apply to enough roles, you will meet the same four application systems again and again: Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby and Workable. Between them they run most of the online roles you will ever see, especially the remote and hybrid ones at startups and tech companies. They are not gatekeepers trying to trick you. They are filing systems for recruiters. But each one has habits, and knowing them saves time and the odd avoidable rejection.
Here is what each system does, who tends to use it, and the small quirks worth knowing before you hit submit.
Greenhouse: structured and question-heavy
Greenhouse is the default at scale-ups and large tech firms. It parses resumes cleanly, so a tidy single-column file comes through intact, but the part that catches people out is the custom questions. Most Greenhouse roles add their own set: "Why this company," "Describe a project," sometimes a short prompt tied to the role.
Treat those questions as the application, not an afterthought. They often feed the recruiter's very first filter, and a thoughtful answer here will beat a stronger resume with empty boxes. Answer every one, keep each answer specific to the role, and never leave a custom field blank because you were in a hurry.
Lever: lighter forms, links matter
Lever is popular with mid-size companies. The forms are lighter than Greenhouse, with fewer required fields, and the system leans on referrals and links. A short, well-structured resume parses cleanly, and the links you include (portfolio, GitHub, a live project) tend to carry real weight, because a recruiter can click straight through to your work.
The lighter form is a small trap. Because it asks for less, it is tempting to apply fast and move on. Use the saved time to make the one or two open fields count, and add the single link that best proves you can do the job.
Ashby: modern, structured, knockout questions
Ashby is the newest of the four and common at fast-growing startups. The forms are modern and good at structured data, which means they are quick to fill when your resume is clean and slow and frustrating when it is not. Expect knockout questions early: work authorization, location, sometimes salary range or notice period.
