Auto-apply to jobs in the United States
Last updated 4 min read
To auto-apply to jobs in the United States, you need a one or two-page résumé without a photo, honest answers to the two standard work authorisation questions, and a salary expectation in annual US dollars. Applysent finds US roles that fit your filters, tailors your résumé to each one and fills in the employer's own application form, either after you approve it or automatically on autopilot.
What a US résumé should look like
US employers expect a résumé, not a long CV. One page is normal for early-career candidates and two pages for experienced ones. Lead with a short summary, then work history in reverse order with achievement-focused bullets, then education and skills.
Leave out personal details that are standard elsewhere. A US résumé has no photo, no date of birth, no marital status and no nationality. Federal and state anti-discrimination laws mean many employers prefer not to see this information at all, and some recruiters set aside résumés that include a photo.
- Contact line: name, city and state, phone, email, LinkedIn or portfolio link.
- Dates as month and year. Gaps can be explained briefly; you don't need to hide them.
- Spell it the US way for US roles ("organization", "analyze") if the posting does.
Which questions do US application forms ask?
Most US forms on employer hiring systems ask a similar core set. Knowing them in advance means you answer once, carefully, instead of rushing through them on every form.
| Question | What it means | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? | Whether you can work for this employer without a new visa being filed | Yes if you're a citizen, green card holder or hold a work-authorised status |
| Will you now or in the future require sponsorship? | Whether you'll need an employer-sponsored visa such as H-1B, now or later | Answer for the future too: if your current status expires, the honest answer is usually yes |
| Desired salary | Usually annual base pay in USD | Give a number or range based on the posted range where there is one |
| Voluntary self-identification (EEO) | Gender, race and ethnicity, veteran and disability status | Optional. You can choose "I don't wish to answer" |
The sponsorship question is where many applications are filtered out automatically, so it matters more than it looks. Our guide on work authorisation and sponsorship questions goes through the wording in detail.
Voluntary self-identification questions are kept separate from the application that hiring managers review. Declining to answer doesn't affect your application.
Work authorisation in the US: the basics
Every US employer must verify a new hire's identity and work eligibility using Form I-9 after an offer, and many also use E-Verify. The application form questions are a pre-screen for that check.
If you need a visa, the employer usually has to file a petition on your behalf. That is the sponsorship the form is asking about. The official source for visa categories and work authorisation is US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at uscis.gov. Treat this page as general orientation, not legal advice.
Salary on US forms
US pay is quoted as annual base salary in dollars for salaried roles and hourly for hourly ones. Several states and cities, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require employers to include a pay range in job postings. That makes it easier to set a realistic expectation, and some states and cities also stop employers asking about your salary history.
When a form asks for "desired salary", a figure inside the posted range is the safest answer. See salary expectations on application forms for how to handle ranges and free-text salary boxes.
Which hiring systems do US employers use?
Third-party technology tracking shows Greenhouse, Workable and Lever are used by thousands of US companies, and BambooHR, JazzHR and Paylocity are especially common among smaller US employers. Paylocity forms, for example, ask directly whether you are authorised to work in the US.
Applysent applies today on Lever, Workable, Greenhouse, Workday, JazzHR, Ashby, SmartRecruiters, Recruitee, Oracle Recruiting Cloud and Teamtailor. BambooHR and Paylocity are coming soon. Applysent does not apply through LinkedIn Easy Apply or Indeed; it uses the employer's own form.
How to set up Applysent for US jobs
- Location: choose United States, then add the cities or metro areas you'd commute to, or leave cities empty if you only want remote roles.
- Remote: pick remote if you want US-wide remote roles. Many "remote" US postings are limited to certain states for tax and payroll reasons, so read the location line.
- Salary floor: set it in USD. Roles below it, or without pay listed in USD, are skipped.
- Sponsorship: if you need a visa, turn on the sponsorship filter so Applysent focuses on roles more likely to support it.
- Right to work: answer authorisation, sponsorship and notice period once in onboarding. Applysent reuses those answers on every form, so they stay consistent.
Start in review mode. You see each tailored résumé and every answer before anything is sent, then switch to autopilot once you trust the matches.
If you're planning volume, how many jobs you should apply to covers realistic weekly targets.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put a photo on a US résumé?
No. US résumés don't include photos, date of birth or marital status, and some employers prefer not to receive them.
How should I answer the sponsorship question if I'm on OPT or a temporary visa?
The question usually covers the future as well as now. If you will need a visa petition to keep working, the honest answer is normally yes. Check your situation with USCIS or an immigration adviser.
Can Applysent apply to remote US jobs from outside the US?
It can apply to any role inside your filters, but many US remote roles require you to live and be authorised to work in the US. Answer the authorisation questions truthfully and use the location filter to stay within roles you can take.
Do I have to fill in the EEO questions?
No. Voluntary self-identification is optional, and "I don't wish to answer" is always an accepted choice.
Does Applysent apply through Indeed or LinkedIn in the US?
No. Applysent applies on employers' own hiring system forms, such as Lever and Workable, wherever the employer lists the job.
Let Applysent send the applications. You take the interviews.
Applysent finds jobs that fit your résumé, tailors it to each one, fills in the employer's application form, submits it and keeps a receipt.
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