Job application form template

A simple application for hourly roles: contact, availability, experience and references, without questions that create legal risk.

Use it on screen

How to use itAsk only for information you need to assess the candidate for the job. Leave out questions about protected characteristics and check local rules on salary history and criminal record questions.

Who fills it inApplicants for hourly or entry-level roles
WhenBefore the first interview
Time neededAbout 5 to 10 minutes on a phone
Keep itSecure file for the federal retention period

Who uses the job application form and when

Many hourly candidates apply on their phones. Keep the form short; ask for detail at the interview.

Several states and cities restrict questions about salary history or criminal records on applications. Review your form for the places you hire.

13 items. Complete it digitally or on paper, whichever your team prefers.

Contact

Name.
Phone and email.
City or ZIP.

Position

Position applied for.
Full-time or part-time.
Earliest start date.
Days and hours available.

Experience

Recent employers, roles and dates.
Relevant skills.
Licenses or certifications required for the job.

References

Two or three references with contact details.

Signature

Statement that information is true.
Signature and date.

Using the job application form well

Keep it to one page.
Make it mobile-friendly.
Review questions for legal risk.
Store applications securely.
Respond to every applicant.

How a team used the job application

A car wash cuts its application from four pages to one, asking only for contact details, availability and recent jobs. Applications double and interviews fill the schedule in a week.

Why it matters

Asking every candidate the same job-related questions makes it easier to show hiring decisions were based on qualifications, not protected traits. Federal EEOC rules generally require employers to keep applications for at least one year, and a standard form makes those records easier to store and search.

A filled-in job application

Name	Marco
Position	Garden center associate
Full-time or part-time	Part-time
Earliest start	May 5
Days and hours available	Friday to Sunday, 8 am to 6 pm
Recent employer	Hardware store, stock associate, 2023 to 2025
Certification required	Forklift certification for loading orders

Sample for Sunbelt Garden Center in Tampa, Florida. The certification line asks only about forklift training because that is the one credential the job needs, and availability is written as days and hours so the manager can match Marco to weekend gaps.

Where a job application goes wrong

Asking for date of birth or graduation year to check age. Ask only whether the applicant meets any legal minimum age for the job.
Using one national form in every location. Check each state and city where you hire, since salary history and criminal record rules vary.
Requiring a full resume for roles that do not need one. Many hourly applicants do not have one ready and will skip your opening.

Edits most teams make to the job application

Teen and student hiringAdd a line for school schedule and check child labor hour limits for applicants under 18.

Driving rolesAsk whether the applicant holds the license class required and get consent before pulling any driving record.

Worth knowingAdd a short line asking how the applicant heard about the job. After a few months it shows which hiring channels are worth paying for.

Questions about the job application form

Which questions should I avoid?

Age, religion, national origin, disability, family status and other protected characteristics.

Can I ask about salary history?

Not in some states and cities.

Can I ask about criminal records?

Some places restrict when you can ask.

How long to keep applications?

Federal rules require keeping them for a period; check.

Can I ask applicants if they are authorized to work in the US?

Yes, you can ask whether they are legally authorized to work in the US and whether they will need visa sponsorship. Do not ask about citizenship or country of birth, and leave document checks for the I-9 after the offer is accepted.

Should the application ask for a Social Security number?

Most employers leave it off, because the number is not needed to decide who to interview and storing it on every application is a data security risk. Collect it with tax and payroll forms after an offer instead.

More for the same job

Related guides and tools

Know who worked when

Use the job application form for the record you need today. To see who clocked in, and when, book a demo of EZTime.

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Disclaimer: This template is general information, not legal advice. Employment rules differ by state and city and change over time. Have a qualified employment attorney or HR professional review it before you use it.