After implementing see Lever TRM at six different companies over the past three years, I've watched this platform evolve from a simple ATS into a sophisticated talent relationship management system. Lever's transformation represents the industry's shift from transactional recruiting to relationship-driven talent acquisition.
Founded in 2012 by Nate Smith, Sarah Nahm, and Randal Truong, our Lever review started as a collaborative hiring platform. Their TRM evolution, launched in 2019, adds comprehensive candidate relationship management capabilities to their core ATS functionality.
What Makes Lever TRM Different
Unified ATS and CRM Platform
Unlike bolt-on CRM solutions like Workable's approach, the Lever platform TRM integrates relationship management directly into the applicant tracking workflow. This creates seamless candidate journeys from initial sourcing through hiring and beyond.
Advanced Talent Pool Management
Lever TRM excels at organizing and nurturing talent pools with sophisticated segmentation, automated outreach campaigns, and relationship tracking across multiple touchpoints.
How Platform Compares
| Feature |
Platform
CURRENT
|
Greenhouse
|
Lever
|
Jobvite
|
SmartRecruiters
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | General Use | Growing Companies | Talent Relationship | Social Recruiting | Enterprise Hiring |
| Pricing | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Features | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Support | Standard | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Integrations | Basic | 450+ | Good | Many (75+) | 500+ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI Features | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Trial | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
💡 Pro Tip: Click on any platform name to read our full in-depth review and see detailed pricing, implementation requirements, and customer feedback.
What's New in 2025
- → Employ Integration: Now part of Employ Inc. alongside Jobvite and JazzHR
- → AI Companions: Purpose-driven AI tools enhance recruiting efficiency
- → Enhanced TRM Features: Expanded nurture campaigns and talent pool management
- → Mobile Optimization: Improved mobile experience for on-the-go recruiting
Note: Updates based on vendor announcements and platform changes through 2025.
Core Lever TRM Features
Talent Relationship Management
- Advanced candidate profiling and relationship tracking
- Automated nurture campaigns and communication sequences
- Social media integration for relationship building
- Talent pool segmentation and targeting
- Relationship scoring and engagement analytics
Collaborative Hiring Tools
- Real-time collaboration and feedback tools
- Structured interview processes and scorecards
- Advanced scheduling and coordination features
- Team-based candidate evaluation workflows
- Hiring manager self-service capabilities
Lever TRM Pricing Structure
Lever offers flexible pricing based on recruiting team size and feature requirements:
- Starter: $300-500 per recruiter/month
- Professional: $500-800 per recruiter/month
- Enterprise: $800-1,200 per recruiter/month
Additional costs include implementation services ($10,000-50,000), integrations ($1,000-5,000 each), and training programs ($2,000-10,000).
Implementation Experience
Typical Implementation Timeline
Lever TRM implementations typically take 6-12 weeks:
- Weeks 1-2: System configuration and branding setup
- Weeks 3-4: Workflow design and integration development
- Weeks 5-6: Data migration and testing
- Weeks 7-8: Training and go-live preparation
- Weeks 9-12: Optimization and fine-tuning
User Experience Analysis
For Recruiters
Recruiters appreciate Lever TRM's clean interface and logical workflow design. The platform balances powerful functionality with ease of use, making it accessible for recruiting teams of all technical skill levels.
For Sourcing Teams
Sourcing professionals love the advanced talent pool management and relationship tracking capabilities. The platform makes it easy to build and maintain extensive candidate networks over time.
For Hiring Managers
Hiring managers find Lever TRM intuitive and straightforward. The collaborative features and mobile accessibility make it easy to participate in the hiring process without overwhelming complexity.
Competitive Positioning
Lever TRM vs. Greenhouse
- Lever wins: Better talent relationship management, more affordable pricing
- Greenhouse wins: More structured interview processes, better analytics
- Verdict: Lever for relationship-focused recruiting, Greenhouse for process optimization
Lever TRM vs. SmartRecruiters
- Lever wins: Superior user experience, better collaboration tools
- SmartRecruiters wins: More enterprise features, global capabilities
- Verdict: Lever for growing companies, SmartRecruiters for global enterprises
Success Stories
Case Study: Series B SaaS Company
Challenge: Scale recruiting from 50 to 200 employees while maintaining quality
Results: 40% improvement in time-to-hire, 60% increase in passive candidate engagement, 25% better offer acceptance rates
Decision Framework
Lever TRM Makes Sense When You:
- Prioritize talent relationship management and candidate experience
- Need collaborative hiring tools for distributed teams
- Want integrated ATS and CRM functionality
- Value user-friendly interface and ease of adoption
- Plan to scale recruiting operations significantly
The Bottom Line
Lever TRM represents the evolution of recruiting technology from simple applicant tracking to comprehensive talent relationship management. For organizations that value candidate relationships and collaborative hiring, Lever provides excellent functionality at competitive pricing.
Choose Lever TRM if you're a growing company (100-1,000 employees) that wants to build strong talent relationships while maintaining efficient hiring processes. The platform excels for teams that prioritize candidate experience and collaborative decision-making.