Should You List Your Address on Your Resume
- The Benefits of Including Your Address on Job Applications
- Situations When Including Your Address is Particularly Important
- How to List Your Address on Your Resume
- Common Concerns About Including Address Information for Resumes
- Resume Contact Information Tips
- Additional Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions About Address on Resume Best Practices
Providing accurate contact information is an important part of your resume, but is it still expected to include an address on your resume? This guide covers the address vs. no address on your resume debate and provides examples of how and when to incorporate your location in your application package.
The Benefits of Including Your Address on Job Applications
Demonstrates local presence
Including your address on your resume can be helpful when you’re applying for a local position that requires on-site or hybrid work. It’s also crucial for roles that require local knowledge, such as a city magazine editor or taxi driver.
Helps with applicant tracking systems
If a company is prioritizing applicants from a certain area or time zone, the applicant tracking system (ATS) the hiring manager is using may sort and prioritize applicants based on location. Having your address on your resume ensures the ATS can identify you as a top match and increases your chances of getting an interview.
Enhances professionalism
A professional resume leaves a positive first impression on the hiring manager, and part of that is providing a complete profile. While a hiring manager is likely to contact you by email or phone in today’s hiring world, including an address on your resume — even if it’s just a city and state — looks more polished.
Indicates willingness to commute
Employees are increasingly looking for remote or hybrid opportunities as a way to prioritize work-life balance. Showing that you’re local by including an address on your resume can demonstrate an ability and willingness to commute.
Assists with background checks
Many companies do a background check on potential employees before making an offer, and in some industries, such as K-12 education, it may even be required. Including a complete address on your resume makes it easier for the employer to verify your identity and ensure you meet the requirements for an offer.
Situations When Including Your Address is Particularly Important
- Applying for local jobs: Employers often prefer candidates who live nearby because they have an understanding of the local market and are generally more willing to commute or work on-site, which may be required for hands-on positions in the construction or health care fields. Putting your address on a resume for local jobs can help you stand out.
- Applying for positions requiring security clearances: If the position requires a certain level of security clearance, you may need to provide a full address to verify your identity and background. Including it on your resume may help you get through the hiring process more quickly.
- Applying for positions that use location to determine salary: Another reason why to put your address on a resume is that some employers determine salary by location, offering more money to those who live in areas with a higher cost of living.
How to List Your Address on Your Resume
Use a standard resume address format
Format your address and other contact information clearly and consistently across your resume, cover letter, and other application documents.
Full address:
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
Place your address in the header
The header is a convenient place to include your address so that it’s clear but doesn’t take up valuable space on your resume. Keep the font size and style consistent with the rest of your resume. Here are some examples:
Consider a partial address
Listing only your city and state protects your privacy while still giving hiring managers the information they need, and it takes up less space on the document.
City and state only:
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
Common Concerns About Including Address Information for Resumes
- Applying for remote jobs: If you’re applying for a remote position, your address isn’t likely to be relevant unless the hiring manager indicates the company can only hire applicants from certain states or countries. In some cases, checking that you can legally work in the country is enough.
- Concerns about long commutes: If you live far from the office, including your address on your resume could lead a hiring manager to think you aren’t serious about the position. It’s best to leave your address off and discuss this issue in the interview.
- Concerns about privacy and security: Providing your full address to someone you don’t know can be disconcerting, and with the prevalence of job scams, it’s smart to be protective of your information. Consider including just your city and state until you are in the interview stage and can verify that the position is real.
Resume Contact Information Tips
- Tailor your approach based on the job application: It may make sense to include a full address for some job applications while only providing a city and state for others. Adjust your address and how much information you include for each job.
- Keep your information updated: Make sure your address is up-to-date, especially if you’re dusting off an old resume for a new job search. Having the correct contact information is key to ensuring a hiring manager can follow up with you.
- Ensure consistency across job applications: Spend a few minutes double-checking that your resume, cover letter, and online profiles, such as LinkedIn, all have the same location information. Discrepancies here can be confusing to hiring managers.
Additional Resources
- Best Resume Formats
- How To Build A Professional Resume (Plus Examples and Templates)
- What Does the Best Resume Look Like?
Frequently Asked Questions About Address on Resume Best Practices
Putting your address on your resume can help you get a local job that requires commuting to the office and make it easier to pass a background check quickly. However, many people have some privacy concerns with putting an address on a resume, and in some cases, it could lower your chances of getting an offer if the hiring manager believes you live too far away or aren’t willing to commute.
While it’s possible to use a P.O. box on your resume, it’s generally not recommended unless there is a reason that the company would be sending you something through the physical mail. Having a P.O. box in place of an address could flag your resume as spam or otherwise undermine your application. If you’re worried about including your full address, just list your city and state.
A hiring manager is likely to question a candidate who isn’t local but is applying for an on-site or hybrid position. If you’re willing to relocate, indicate this on your resume with an asterisk (*) by your address and a corresponding footnote that indicates you’re willing to move. You can also include a note about relocating in your cover letter, and it’s something to mention in the interview if the hiring manager doesn’t bring it up.
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