Why Shouldnt You Include Your Full Street Address On Your Resume
The best practice in the U.S. is to omit your full address from your resume, says Muse career coach Emily Liou, former recruiter and founder of Cultivitae. Since the job application process no longer involves sending and receiving things by mail, theres little reason companies need to know your full address before hiring you. Even if its a job that requires a background check , that will be done later in the hiring process, long after the step where youd submit a resume.
There are a few reasons to leave your full address off a resume:
There are a few exceptions where it may make sense to include your full street address on your resume. If youre applying to jobs outside of the U.S. and Canada, your full address is often a requirement, Liou says. Some federal government jobs will also require a mailing address on your resume . And for some jobsa local delivery job, a community advocate, or a school crossing guard, for exampleliving in the neighborhood might work in your favor, Girson says.
If Youre Not Relocating Do You Need Your Address On Your Resume
Technically, no. Its not like anyone ever sends written correspondence by mail anymore so there is no actual need for someone to have your full address sitting on your resume.
That being said, recruiters do want to know where you are and they often want to make sure youre local. That means youll be able to make it into the office for in-person interviews and that they wont have to pay to relocate you if you get an offer.
If youre not relocating, you should be indicating your location on your resume header in some way, even if its not a complete address. Two examples are below.
As you can see you can either put your full address or you can just put your city and state. As a local candidate, I do recommend one of these options.
Consider Resume Applicant Tracking Systems
Always remember that you need to craft your resume to make yourself attractive to the specific company where youre applying. This means that you need to include as many of the keywords as possible from the job description, including your location, if thats listed.
This is because many companies use automated screening programs to cut down on the number of unqualified applications making their way to human eyes. These programs scan for keywords, which means if youre missing any of the major ones theyre looking for, you might not make it through.
Sometimes these programs also look for your contact information so that they can create a profile for you, and if they dont find it, they may mark your application as incomplete and reject it.
To avoid this, consider adding at least your city, state, and ZIP code to your resume, especially if youre applying for a position at a large organization, as these are more likely to use these screening systems. If youre emailing your resume to a hiring manager, however, you probably wont have to worry about this as much.
If you decide you dont want to put your full street address on your resume but want to provide at least some indication of where youre located, here are some examples of what you can say instead:
-
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design, 2015University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Your Address Is Long And Affects The Resume Layout
Try to have your resume as brief as possible. Writing your full address on your resume may take up valuable space you can use to explain other information that applies to your application. Alternatively, if the employer has requested you include your address but it’s too long, consider placing it somewhere else in your resume, like at the end in an extended “contact details” section.
Including Your Address On A Resume
Traditionally, job applicants are expected to include their contact information, including their addresses, on their resumes.
Since few people send snail mail during the interview process, though, this practice can seem outdated. Not only that, but it takes up valuable space on your resume.
On the other hand, if you leave your address off, it can raise a red flag for hiring managers and the automated programs they use to initially sort through the applications they receive. Many of them expect an address, so the lack of one can make them think youre trying to hide something, even if you arent.
Because of the pros and cons on each side of this issue, its best to make your decision based on the factors surrounding each job application.
One of the major arguments against putting your address on your resume is that it puts an unnecessary amount of personal information into the public arena. Because of this, you should always make sure you are sending your resume to someone trustworthy before you decide to include your detailed contact information.
If you smell something fishy about the job listing youre applying for, spend some time looking up reviews about the company, verify any contact information you were given, and search the organizations name followed by fraud or scam to make sure there havent been any previous problems.
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Help Yourself To Get Hired
When you are deciding that should you put your address on your resume, then you need to keep in mind that your main motivation for writing a resume is to get employed. You have to make your resume so easy that your recruiter decides to schedule an interview for you and offer you the work.
Note: Highlight your relevant attributes for the individual job profile, put some efforts to write your qualifications that match with your job profile, and adjust your resume that has your experiences, which can be noticed by the hiring manager.
Resume Contact Information Example :
Click on the following link to view all of our resume samples and see the many ways you can format your name and address on a resume.
Need help formatting your resume for success? TopResume’s expert writers can help.
Amanda Augustine is a certified professional career coach and resume writer and the resident career expert for Talent Inc.’s suite of brands: TopResume, TopCV, and TopInterview. On a regular basis, she answers user questions like the one above. Have a question? Take a look at her career advice or ask a question on her Quora page.
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Your Location Is Far From The Company
Most companies prefer to hire individuals that are located near the company, and the hiring manager may consider localized candidates first. It might prevent your application from being reviewed if your address is far from the company. The hiring manager might wrongly assume that the commute to work is too burdensome for you. If you are sure that you can adequately address these concerns, you can exclude the full details of your address on your resume.
Personal Advantage: Database Searches
Data that is provided to the recruiter typically will pass through an ATS of which will record key pieces of information and allow for a data profile to be created of all applicants. This can become of benefit for you down the line if you havent been offered a job straight away. Recruiters will use this database to search for previous applicants with key traits that may be suitable for a different job. In this way, it keeps the conversation between you and the recruiter open indefinitely.
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To Understand How Your Location May Change The Job Offer
Depending on your location, the employer might want to change certain stipulations in your offer. For example, they may want to include language about working remote or details about commuting if you live far away.
While some employers may look for and use your address in a few different ways, it is sensitive information that you should provide if and when you feel comfortable. The only time employers absolutely need your physical address is during the final stages of the offer process. This is to complete the necessary paperwork to ensure you are legally in their systems so you can move forward. It is acceptable to keep your address private until this stage.
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Where You Live Matters To Potential Employers And Could Make
“Should I put my address on my resume?” is a question many job seekers ask when preparing their resume for a job search. While you’ve no doubt heard people emphasize the importance of “location, location, location” in any number of situations, the answer here is not so straightforward, with both pros and cons associated with including this personal information. Weigh these considerations before deciding whether or not to put your address on a professional resume.
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It Makes It Easier For Hiring Managers To Complete The Hiring Process
Although employers can send job proposals via email, some companies prefer to use your address to send the invitation via mail. Businesses may also conduct legal background checks, collect information for payroll and verify your identity using your address with your permission. Including your address can make it easier for the HR department to verify this information before reaching out with a job offer or interview.
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Should You Include Your Full Address On A Resume
Caitlin Proctor, CPRW
6 min read
Once upon a time, your resume needed to include a comprehensive set of information so employers could contact you by phone, email, or mail. However, the way an employer actually contacts you has changed so your resume should adapt.
As the job search is increasingly digital, you do not need to include your full address on your resume in 2021. In fact, it is usually a mistake to put your full address on your resume.
Weâll show you how to include your location on a resume the right way.
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What To Include In Your Resume
Now that you know what not to include in your resume, take a second look at your resume to make sure it includes all the right elements to effectively tell your story and market your qualifications and work experience. Click on the following link to learn what 11 pieces of information every professional should include in a resume.
Not sure if your resume includes any of these mistakes? Let us help! Take advantage of TopResume’s free critique today!
Crazy Fonts And Colors
When choosing your resume font, stick to ones that are considered easy to read and wont confuse the ATS systems: Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Tahoma, Book Antiqua or Franklin Gothic. If youre in a creative position, save the creative designs for your online portfolio. Employers still need a version of your resume that can be easily uploaded, parsed and stored in their online tracking system.
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Case Study: Adams It Resume
Moving into sales in IT, Adam included a general location when applying to Software AG. This showed the recruiter he was within vicinity of their offices and that his commute would be minimal much like in Ramseys case.
With the Enhancv resume builder, you can craft a resume that blows all other applicants out of the water. From design options to bullet and section suggestions and content writing tips, were here to help you land your dream job!
Required Vs Optional Address Information
If youre applying for a job with the federal government, your home address is required information. Many other government and civil service jobs also require a permanent address.
For jobs where local residency is a requirement, an address will be expected on your resume.
Some employers may specify where they want applicants to live when they post a job opening. For example: Must live in Metro New York area or Must live in North Carolina. If the job posting specifies a location, make it easy for the recruiter to learn where you live by including your address on your resume.
Some job postings specify that only candidates who provide a resume and cover letter will be considered. If your resume is lacking information, such as your address, that the hiring manager expects to see, you may be knocked out of contention for the job before you even get a chance to interview.
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When Youre Relocating
When youre relocating for a job as an out-of-town candidate, its important to do your best to get your resume noticed. If you dont list your physical address but your employment history shows that all the positions youve held are hundreds of miles away from the hiring companys location, the employer will wonder about your missing address.
If you dont have an address you can use at the new location, it can be a better strategy to mention the fact that youre relocating in your cover letter. Another option is to include relocating as part of your address. For example, write Relocating to Tampa, Florida instead of your home address in a different state.
What If Im Relocating
When applying to jobs out-of-state or in a different country, its best to confront this directly. While many have applied for jobs and lied about their current location, I wouldnt recommend doing so. Simply state in your resume header that you are planning to relocate to X location.
For example, if applying to a job in Ohio from California, your resume header should state Planning to relocate to Ohio. This provides the recruiter with all the information they need to make an informed decision on whether or not to pursue your application.
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What If You Dont Live Near The Company
If youre applying from outside of the area, but are open to relocating, Liou still recommends including the city and state of the company on your resume, along with Relocating to or similar language.
Leaving off your location completely in this case is risky since recruiters will be able to get an idea of where you live regardless. If we look at their education and last workplace to notice they are out of state it might raise suspicion, Liou says. Not having any location listed can be a red flag for recruiters because they dont know whether an applicant realizes the job is not in their area or if theyre willing to relocate, Liou says. These objections can be eliminated by putting that statement right at the top. Without any location on your resume, you may also get left out of any ATS searches the recruiter or hiring manager might use to narrow down the pool.
If youre not looking to relocate and want to see if the job can be done remotely, you should be up front about it in your cover letter.
Do I Need To Include An Address On My Rsum
This article was published more than 7 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.
THE QUESTION
Although I have lived in Toronto for over 10 years and I am seeking employment in the city, for family reasons I have temporarily decamped to Montreal.
I currently travel back and forth, and taking up a position in Toronto would not pose any problems, but I no longer have a permanent address in the Greater Toronto Area.
I could include a line in my cover letter assuring potential employers that they wouldn’t incur relocation costs, but given that they spend so little time on each résumé, I thought you might have a better, perhaps more innovative suggestion.
THE ANSWER
While it is customary to include an address on your résumé, you may be surprised to hear that, in this day and age, the absence of one won’t send off alarm bells for most recruiters or hiring managers.
In fact, for privacy reasons, some candidates choose not to put their address on their résumé. If your name, phone number and e-mail address are at the top of your résumé for easy contact, that will suffice.
If you do want to disclose the fact that you are moving back to Toronto, make sure to share in your cover letter a specific timeline for your move and, as you noted, that you are not expecting the employer to cover relocation fees. You can also put this information below your contact information. Also let potential employers know that you are available for in-person interviews if required.
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How To Write An Address On A Resume
Once you have decided to include your address on a resume, the next most important step is formatting the address correctly.
First and foremost, you must place the address in the correct area of your resume.
Typically, this will be within the contact information section that follows directly after your name.
Privacy Concerns About Should I Put My Address On My Resume
Privacy is the primary concern while submitting your personal details through online means or email to the employer. However, there are various methods by which anyone can steal your identity, and a resume is not an exceptional one. Most of the complaints of identity theft involve credit card frauds, bank frauds, benefits/government frauds, and utility and phone frauds.
Note: If you do not have any issue regarding address on resume, try to avoid including the information such as your driving license number, date of birth, social security number, and other details. None of this information is relevant for your job interview therefore, do not includes these details in your resume so that you do not get trapped in any unnecessary frauds by including these details.
There might be two exceptions, too: First, you are giving a resume with the details of marital status, date of birth, and much more to several countries in the Middle East or Europe, as this information is required for them. Second, jobs like federal require their social security numbers last four digits on their resume.
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