Should You Include Your Full Address On a Resume (Updated 2020)

Should You Include Your Full Address On a Resume (Updated 2020) A common mistake job seekers make is putting their full address on a resume. An address was required before email existed because it was a primary method of communication and handling documents. It just isnt necessary anymore and it should be avoided. Well show you how to include your location on a resume the right way. Why You Shouldnt Include Your Full Street Address On a Resume There are a few reasons why you should not include your full address on a resume: 1. Privacy Issues Many companies use whats called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen and filter resumes. This software screens your resume for keywords and information that is relevant to the position. It sends the resumes it feels are qualified to the hiring manager and the rest are rejected. Some companiesfilter resumes with a complete mailing address because your address ispersonal identification information (PII). The laws behind PII are pretty complex, but to get to the point, companies dont want to be in any situation where they breach privacy or reveal sensitive personal information. For this reason, you should onlyinclude your city/state/zip-code. Make sure you include your zip-code. Many popular ATS like Taleo may reject a resume without a zip-code. 2. There is No Need Another reason you want to leave your street address off your resume is simple its just not needed.An address was usually required before email existed because it was a primary method of communication. Most communication today is done via email and phone so listing your full street address is not necessary. The only time where companies would require your full street address is when you accept a job offer. Other Expert Views Excluding Your Address Some career experts recommend excluding your full address and zip-code for many different reasons. One common reason is that some companies may favor hiring someone who has a shorter commute time. While you should never include your full street address on a resume the issue with this theory is that you still need to include your City/State/Zip-code which will pretty much give away your commute time anyway. How to Include Your Address On a Resume You should be including only your City/State/Zip-code on a resume. It should go in the header section of your resume right below your name. Here is an example of how to include your City/State/Zip-code: Should You Include Your Address If Youre Relocating? You should still include your current City/State/Zip even if youre relocating. If you have a place secured and are absolutely certain about moving, you can include your new City/State/Zip. You can also include the city youre relocating to along with the month and year. (We wrote a good post here on how to mention relocation on a resume and cover letter) Example: If youre willing to relocate, youre just going to have to write Willing to relocate. This should also be included in the cover letter. Here are some more tips to keep in mind for the header section: You dont need to include labels such as Address or Phone. Its clear to the hiring manager which is which.Make sure your email is professional. No hiring manager wants to see an email like acer12gai.c. Use a combination of your first and last name. (aemhgao).Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date if youre adding it. When you do add the URL, make sure you shortenit. The instructions for this are here in our post on Including a LinkedIn URLon your resume. So remember that youcould and should omit yourfull mailing address from a resume.Only your city/state/zip-code. Dont let this common mistake hold your resume back from landing that interview! Good luck with your job search!