Template · Recruiting and hiring
Employment application form
In short
An employment application form collects the same job-related information from every applicant: contact details, position and availability, work authorization, work history, education, skills, references and a signed attestation. This printable template leaves out questions that create legal risk, such as date of birth, salary history and early criminal history questions.
Application for Employment template
Application for Employment
Please complete every section that applies to you. You may attach a resume, but please still complete the work history section. [Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete this application or take part in the hiring process, contact [Name] at [email or phone].
Applicant information
- Legal first name
- Legal last name
- Preferred name (optional)
- Street address
- City, state, ZIP code
- Mobile phone
- Email address
- May we contact you by text message about your application?
- YesNo
Position and availability
- Position(s) applied for
- Location(s) you are applying to
- Employment type wanted
- Full-timePart-timeTemporary / seasonalAny
- Date you can start
- Days and shifts you are available to work
- Are you able to work weekends or overtime if required for the position?
- YesNoSometimes
- Desired pay (optional)
- How did you hear about this job?
- Job boardCompany careers siteEmployee referralSocial mediaJob fair or eventStaffing agencyOther
- If referred, name of the employee who referred you
Eligibility
- Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?
- YesNo
- Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status?
- YesNo
- Are you at least 18 years of age? (If under 18, a work permit may be required.)
- YesNo
- If the job requires a license or certification, do you hold it? (list type, issuing state and expiry)
- Have you previously worked for or applied to [Company Name]? If yes, when and where?
Work history (most recent first; include the last 3 positions or 7 years)
- Employer 1: name, city and state
- Employer 1: job title
- Employer 1: start and end dates (month/year)
- Employer 1: main duties
- Employer 1: reason for leaving
- Employer 1: may we contact this employer?
- YesNoYes, after an offer
- Employer 2: name, city and state
- Employer 2: job title
- Employer 2: start and end dates (month/year)
- Employer 2: main duties
- Employer 2: reason for leaving
- Employer 2: may we contact this employer?
- YesNo
- Employer 3: name, city and state
- Employer 3: job title
- Employer 3: start and end dates (month/year)
- Employer 3: main duties
- Employer 3: reason for leaving
- Employer 3: may we contact this employer?
- YesNo
- Explanation of any gaps in employment you would like us to know about (optional)
Education and training
- High school or equivalent (name, city, completed yes/no)
- College, university or trade school (name, area of study, degree or certificate)
- Other training, certifications or apprenticeships
Skills
- Job-related skills, equipment or software you can use
- Languages you speak, read or write (if relevant to the job)
- Military service relevant to the job (branch, dates, skills; optional)
References (not related to you)
- Reference 1: name, relationship, phone or email
- Reference 2: name, relationship, phone or email
- Reference 3: name, relationship, phone or email
Applicant statement
I certify that the information on this application and any attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that false or misleading information, or omission of material facts, may result in my application being rejected or, if I am hired, in discipline up to and including termination.
I authorize [Company Name] to contact the employers and references I have listed, except where I have indicated otherwise, about my employment history and qualifications. Any background check will be conducted only after separate written disclosure and authorization, as required by law.
I understand that this application is not a contract of employment. If hired, my employment will be at will, meaning that either I or [Company Name] may end it at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless a written agreement signed by an authorized officer says otherwise, or applicable law provides otherwise.
Signature
- Applicant signature
- Date
For office use only
- Date received
- Requisition number
- Reviewed by
- Outcome
- InterviewHoldNot selectedWithdrawn
How to use this template
- Replace [Company Name] and the accommodation contact, and remove any section that is not relevant to the roles you hire for.
- Check state and city laws for the locations you hire in; delete or adjust questions on criminal history, salary history and age where required.
- Use one version for all applicants to the same job so every candidate is assessed on the same information.
- Collect background check consent on a separate, standalone form after an offer or at the stage your state requires, not on this application.
- Store completed applications securely and separately from any voluntary EEO self-identification data.
- Keep applications for at least one year from the hiring decision, longer if you are a federal contractor or a charge has been filed.
Why use an application form when you already have resumes
Resumes are marketing documents in a hundred formats. An application form gets the same facts from everyone in the same order: dates, titles, availability, eligibility and a signed statement that the information is true. That consistency makes screening faster and fairer, and the signed attestation gives you grounds to act if someone lies about a license or job history.
For hourly and high-volume roles, many candidates do not have a current resume at all. An application that takes ten minutes on a phone will bring in far more of them than "upload your CV". Pair it with a short applicant screening form for role-specific knockout questions so the application itself stays general and reusable.
What to leave out, and why
A lot of older printable application forms still carry questions that are now illegal in some places or simply risky everywhere:
- Date of birth or graduation years. These invite age discrimination claims under the ADEA. Ask only whether the applicant meets a legal minimum age.
- Criminal history. Many states and cities have "ban the box" laws that bar criminal history questions on the application. The ban the box glossary entry explains how these laws work. Where allowed, ask later in the process and follow the EEOC's guidance on individualized assessment.
- Salary history. A growing list of states and cities ban asking about it. Ask for desired pay instead.
- Marital status, children, religion, national origin, disability or health. Not job-related and protected under federal or state law.
- Photos. Keep them off the application.
Rules vary by state, county and city, and some apply only to employers above a size threshold. If you hire in many places, build the form to the strictest rule you are subject to rather than maintaining many versions.
Background checks, references and the FCRA
If you use a third-party background screening company in the US, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a clear disclosure in a document that consists solely of the disclosure, plus written authorization. Burying that consent in the application's fine print is one of the most common causes of FCRA class actions. Use a separate background check authorization form instead.
The statement in this template asks permission to contact listed employers and references, which you do yourself. That is different from a consumer report prepared by a screening company.
Paper, PDF or online
A printable application still has a place: walk-in applicants at a store or plant, job fairs, and candidates who prefer paper. But for most employers the bulk of applicants come through a phone, and a long online form costs applicants. A common pattern is to drop off when the application runs past 10 to 15 minutes or asks people to retype their resume into fields.
For high-volume hiring, keep the online version to what you need to decide whether to talk to someone: contact details, availability, eligibility and the last two jobs. Collect full work history and references later for candidates who move forward. A mobile-first apply flow with an optional resume upload usually lifts completion without losing anything you actually use. If you prefer to build your own, a configurable online form builder lets you keep the paper and digital versions identical.
Record-keeping
Under EEOC rules, private employers generally keep applications and other hiring records for one year from the date of the hiring decision; federal contractors covered by the veterans' (VEVRAA) or disability (Section 503) rules keep them for two years if they have 150 or more employees and a contract of at least $200,000 (VEVRAA) or $150,000 (Section 503). If a discrimination charge is filed, keep all related records until it is resolved. Some states require longer retention.
Store voluntary EEO self-identification data separately from the application so it is not seen by the people making selection decisions. Limit access to applications to those involved in hiring, and protect Social Security numbers, which should not be collected on the application in the first place.
Common mistakes
- Using a template downloaded years ago that still asks about age, arrests or salary history.
- Asking for a Social Security number on the application. Collect it at hire for payroll and Form I-9 purposes.
- Putting FCRA consent inside the application.
- Requiring a full application from every applicant before any human contact, which slows high-volume funnels.
- Not keeping a record of which version of the form an applicant completed.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a job application form template?
Contact details, position and availability, work authorization, minimum age confirmation, work history, education, job-related skills, references and a signed statement certifying the information is true. Leave out questions about age, salary history, protected characteristics and, in many places, criminal history.
Is there a printable job application I can use for free?
Yes. The template on this page can be printed as is or copied into a document and adjusted. Replace the placeholders, add your accommodation contact and check the criminal history and salary history rules in the locations you hire in.
Can an employment application ask about criminal history?
It depends on where you hire. Many states and cities prohibit criminal history questions on the initial application for private employers, and federal law restricts them for federal agencies and contractors. Where allowed, many employers still wait until after a conditional offer.
How long do employers have to keep employment applications?
Under EEOC rules, generally one year from the hiring decision for private employers, and two years for larger federal contractors covered by the veterans' or disability rules. If a charge or lawsuit is filed, keep all related records until it is fully resolved. Some states require longer.
Should I use an employment application template PDF or an online form?
Use both if you get walk-in or event applicants, but make the online form the default. Keep the online version short enough to finish on a phone in about 10 minutes, and collect detailed history later for candidates who move forward.