Should You Put an Address on Your Resume? Here Are Reasons to Consider

Should I include my address on my resume? This is a question you might have asked yourself and people around you when writing your resume and never get a straight answer. It is a legitimate question. People argue for and against it. But it all comes down to what job you’re applying for and how comfortable you are with this sensitive information being available to others.

So the debate about whether or not to put an address on a resume or how to do it goes on. And we put together this article to help you make a decision that will land you an interview.

Traditionally, an address was a must on the CV. In the pre-Internet era, employers chiefly contacted applicants through physical mail. But nowadays, the address has lost its relevance in the early stage of the hiring process as most companies and businesses manage their hiring process online and the applicant tracking system (ATS) is widely used. Job applicants are left to wonder where the address should be mentioned on a resume or how they should present their addresses on the resume. 

This guide will show you if you should put your address on your resume, how to write your address in the CV and the dos and don’ts when including your location in your resume.

There are pros and cons of including your address on the resume. Carefully read the job description of the position you are applying for and determine if including your address in the resume will better your chance of standing out. 

Although some might think having a physical address on your resume will make you appear not in tune with the time and place, there can be benefits to doing so.

The following are 5 circumstances when including your address on the resume can help your case:

• The address is required on the resume by the employer
  Some employers require the applicant’s address to be included in the resume, and that is usually mentioned in the job description.
• You’re relocating to a new area
  Sometimes you might want to apply for a job that is not in the city where you live. Indicating your plan to relocate can help dissolve worries the employer might have in this case.
• Your location helps you stand out
  The hiring manager might be looking for job seekers who are close to the business. Showing that by putting your address on the resume works to your advantage.  
• You have enough space on your resume for the address
  Some job applicants don’t have their addresses on their resumes simply because there is not enough space as a one-page resume is favored and a single page can only contain so much. If you have the extra space and feel comfortable with sharing it, why not?
• Providing your address on the resume allows employers to run background checks on the applicants more easily
  Around 94% of companies do background checks on potential hires, Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) revealed. Including your address on the CV makes it easier for them to do so. It’s always a good thing to make the hiring team’s job easier. After all, they are the ones who decide to hire you or not.

Similarly, there are advantages to be gained when you don’t include your address on the resume. If one of the following is your case, adding your address on a resume is not ideal. 

• You have security concerns
  As important as getting a job might be, it isn't worth risking your personal safety for. If you have any concerns regarding your safety, then don’t mention your address on your resume. A well-written resume is still a well-written resume, even without an address. But do make sure you provide your email and phone number so that the hiring team can contact you so that the hiring team could reach you.
• You don’t feel comfortable sharing your address on the resume/CV
  There are a wide variety of reasons why you don’t feel comfortable sharing your privacy and address on the resume. You don’t have to put an address on a resume. Addresses on the resume are usually not needed. The company would naturally want to know your address if they decide to hire you, but that’s not until the final stage of the hiring process.
• You don’t have enough space on the resume for your address
  Since the hiring team and you will be communicating mostly online, a resume without a physical address is not that big of a deal. You can squeeze some other more relevant details regarding your expertise and experience on your resume when you leave your address off.
• You are applying for a remote position
  Working remotely means that your location doesn’t matter much to the employer. In this case, you don’t need to mention your address on the resume.
• You are worried that you might face bias because of your location
  Sometimes a ZIP code of a region that some consider undesirable might induce bias. Although employment discrimination is prohibited by law, it is hard to prove that you have been discriminated against based on the socioeconomic status your address on the resume might lead some to assume.
  In addition, some employers might be looking for people who do not need to commute long distances for the job. The reason is that long commutes have a harmful effect on an employee’s productivity and health. Listing your address on your resume in these situations could potentially hurt your chances of being invited for an interview, or even disqualify you.

There are different address formats with which you can use to indicate your location in your resume.

Check out some examples of putting your address on the resume!

Example 1: Write down the full address on the resume

Example 2: Indicate your location in the resume with city and state/country only

Example 3: Include only your ZIP code in the resume to show your location

Example 4: State that you are relocating

Whether you should put your address on the resume is a serious question and warrants careful consideration. Hence, think about the following before you decide if you want to do it.

✨ Weigh the pros and cons thoroughly before deciding if you are going to include your address on the resume

There are both reasons for and against including addresses on resumes. It really depends on the specific job you are applying for. So before rushing to any decision, carefully consider the pros and cons of adding the address on your resume.

✨ Use a horizontal resume header and write your address in one line

An address on the resume can sometimes benefit you, but it shouldn’t take up too much space when your professional experiences and relevant skills can better help you land an interview. So pay special attention to the font size and the way your address looks on your resume. Make it easy for the hiring team to read your address but also keep it simple and clear.

✨ Include a ZIP code to make your resume ATS-friendly

Applicant tracking systems, or ATS, are tools or software that some employers use to manage applicants and their resumes. The ATS analyses the job applicant’s resume and scans for certain keywords, for example, address on the CV. With a ZIP code, your address on the resume can be more easily picked up by the ATS.