Why are recruitment emails from Lever being marked as spam in Gmail, and how can I fix it?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 27 May 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
7 min read
It can be frustrating when recruitment emails, particularly those sent through a platform like Lever, suddenly start landing in Gmail spam folders, especially when your domain reputation appears high and all standard authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured. You're observing a high open and reply rate, suggesting strong engagement, yet Gmail is the only recipient that flags these messages as spam, and this issue appeared without any changes to your sending habits or content.
This situation is a common challenge for many organizations that rely on third-party applicant tracking systems (ATS) or email service providers (ESPs). While your direct domain reputation might be pristine according to Google Postmaster Tools, other factors can significantly influence how Gmail filters your messages.
The key often lies beyond your immediate sending configuration and delves into the intricate web of shared IP and domain reputations, content factors, and even subtle shifts in recipient behavior. It requires a deeper investigation into the infrastructure that delivers your emails and the signals Gmail interprets.
The impact of tracking domains and shared IP reputation
The impact of tracking domains and shared IP reputation
One of the most common culprits in scenarios like this, particularly when using a platform like Lever, is the use of shared tracking domains for email opens and link clicks. While your primary sending domain (the one your recruitment emails appear to come from) might have excellent standing, the underlying tracking domains or IP addresses used by Lever could be shared among many of their customers. If other Lever users are engaging in poor sending practices, such as sending unsolicited emails or experiencing high spam complaint rates, the reputation of these shared resources can decline. Gmail's filters, seeing emails coming from (or tracked through) these compromised shared domains, may then mistakenly flag your legitimate recruitment messages as spam, even if your specific domain has a good reputation.
To test if the tracking domain is the root cause, you could try sending plain-text emails without any embedded links or images. If these plain-text emails reach the inbox consistently, it strongly suggests that the reputation of the tracking domain, rather than your primary sending domain or content, is the issue. Unfortunately, if your ATS does not offer the option to set up a custom tracking domain, you are reliant on their overall sending reputation for these components.
Understanding shared reputation
When using a shared email platform, your sending reputation is intertwined with that of other users. A sudden drop in deliverability, even with good individual practices, can occur if the platform's overall shared infrastructure is placed on a blacklist or blocklist. This is why choosing a reputable email service provider (ESP) or ATS with strong deliverability management is crucial.
It's important to monitor whether your sending IP or domain (including any subdomains or tracking domains used by Lever) has been listed on any major email blocklists. While Lever handles the technical aspects, understanding their approach to blocklist monitoring is essential.
Even with a seemingly good reputation from Postmaster Tools, Gmail's filtering can be highly dynamic. They assess a wide range of signals beyond just your primary domain's authentication status. The reputation of the underlying sending IPs and any third-party tracking domains associated with your Lever emails plays a significant role. If these shared resources accumulate negative signals due to other users' activities, it can negatively impact your deliverability to Gmail accounts.
Content, recipient engagement, and unsubscription options
Content, recipient engagement, and unsubscription options
While you mentioned that your content hasn't changed, it's worth re-evaluating it through the lens of modern spam filters. Gmail's algorithms are constantly evolving, and what was acceptable a few months ago might now trigger a spam flag. This isn't just about obvious spammy keywords, but also includes factors like image-to-text ratio, the number and type of links, and even subtle formatting choices. For recruitment emails, ensure that the content is highly relevant to the job application, personalized where possible, and avoids any language that could be misconstrued as unsolicited or generic marketing.
Recipient engagement, even if high, needs to be reinforced by positive actions from the recipient. Asking recipients to mark emails as 'not spam' or add your 'From' address to their contacts is a crucial step. However, it takes time for Gmail's algorithms to register these positive signals and adjust their filtering decisions. A single week might not be enough to see a significant shift, especially if the underlying issue with a shared IP or tracking domain is substantial. Consistency and volume in these positive actions are key.
Furthermore, ensuring your emails include clear and easy-to-use unsubscribe options, even for what you consider transactional or expected recruitment messages, is vital. Google and Yahoo's new sender requirements, for instance, heavily emphasize easy one-click unsubscribe mechanisms. While recruitment emails are generally expected, if a candidate no longer wishes to receive them and finds it difficult to opt out, they might resort to marking your email as spam, which significantly harms your sender reputation and can lead to your emails being added to a blacklist (or blocklist).
Content optimization
Personalization: Tailor emails to the candidate and specific job application to avoid generic messaging.
Link quality: Ensure all links point to reputable domains and are directly relevant. Avoid excessive linking.
Formatting: Maintain a clean, professional layout. Avoid overly complex HTML or too many images without sufficient text.
Recipient engagement
Instructions: Proactively inform candidates to check their spam folder and mark your emails as 'not spam' or add your address to their contacts, especially for the initial communication.
Expectation setting: Clearly communicate expected follow-up times for job applications.
Tracking domain impact
Shared reputation: If Lever uses shared tracking domains, their reputation can be affected by other customers' sending habits.
Vendor limitations: If a custom tracking domain isn't an option, you're at the mercy of Lever's overall domain health.
Compliance & signals
Unsubscribe options: Implement clear, easy-to-find unsubscribe links, even for non-marketing emails, to reduce spam complaints.
Feedback loops: Utilize feedback loops to quickly identify and remove users who mark your emails as spam.
Proactive monitoring and long-term deliverability strategies
Proactive monitoring and long-term deliverability strategies
Even with correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations, deliverability is an ongoing effort. While Postmaster Tools provides valuable insights, it's a reactive tool that shows you what has already happened. Proactive monitoring involves regularly checking for any email blocklist (or blacklist) listings for all associated domains and IPs. This includes your primary sending domain, any subdomains, and critically, the domains and IPs used by Lever for sending and tracking on your behalf. A sudden listing on a frequently used DNSBL can explain a sudden shift in Gmail's filtering.
Understanding and adhering to Gmail's specific sender guidelines is also paramount. Google frequently updates its policies, and these updates can impact even seemingly compliant senders. Recruiters sending emails in volume should particularly pay attention to these guidelines to ensure their messages are perceived as legitimate and desired, not as spam. This includes maintaining a low spam complaint rate and ensuring a high percentage of recipients engage positively with your emails.
Finally, consistent list hygiene is a non-negotiable part of maintaining good deliverability. While recruitment emails are typically sent to specific, interested candidates, it's still possible for inactive or invalid email addresses to accumulate over time. Sending to non-existent addresses can lead to bounces, while sending to unengaged recipients (those who never open or click) can negatively impact your sender reputation. Regularly cleaning your recipient list, even for a low volume of emails, helps maintain a healthy sending environment and signals to ISPs like Gmail that your emails are valued.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Actively encourage recipients to mark your emails as 'not spam' and add your 'From' address to their contacts, as this directly influences Gmail's filtering.
Regularly review your email content for any subtle changes that might trigger spam filters, including link quality and formatting.
Utilize Google Postmaster Tools for domain reputation monitoring, and also consider independent tools for blocklist checks on all sending and tracking domains.
Implement easy-to-use, one-click unsubscribe options even for recruitment correspondence to prevent spam complaints.
Common pitfalls
Overlooking the reputation of shared tracking domains or IP addresses used by third-party platforms like Lever, which can be affected by other customers' poor sending practices.
Expecting immediate changes in deliverability after recipients mark emails as 'not spam,' as it takes time for algorithms to learn and adjust.
Neglecting to clean up unengaged or inactive contacts, even in small volume lists, which can still negatively impact overall sender reputation.
Failing to adapt to evolving sender guidelines from major mailbox providers like Google, which can introduce new compliance requirements.
Expert tips
Test sending plain-text emails without any links or images to determine if the issue is tied to tracking domains.
Educate candidates during the application process to check spam folders for your emails and add your address to their safe senders list.
If your ATS doesn't offer custom tracking domains, consider whether the benefit outweighs the potential deliverability risks from shared reputation issues.
Set up DMARC reporting to gain deeper insights into authentication failures and email delivery paths, helping diagnose unexpected spam placement.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they found their emails landing in spam because they were linking to a domain that had reputation problems, so it's worth checking all links.
2022-08-31 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that shared tracking domains and image domains across customers on platforms like Lever can affect email deliverability if other customers send spam.
2022-09-01 - Email Geeks
Ensuring your recruitment emails reach the inbox
Ensuring your recruitment emails reach the inbox
Resolving recruitment emails landing in spam, particularly from a platform like Lever, involves looking beyond the obvious. While your direct domain reputation and authentication are strong, the unseen factors of shared IP and tracking domain reputation, coupled with Gmail's dynamic filtering, can be at play. It's a complex interaction of technical configuration, content relevance, and ongoing recipient engagement signals.
By understanding the potential impact of third-party tracking domains, refining your email content, actively guiding recipients to mark your emails as 'not spam,' and maintaining vigilance with proactive monitoring, you can significantly improve your chances of getting those critical recruitment messages into the inbox. Deliverability is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and adaptation to evolving email landscapes.
