Should You Put Your Address on Your Resume in 2024?
Once upon a time, your resume needed to include a comprehensive set of information so employers could contact you by phone, email, or mail, depending on the capabilities of their systems. However, because the job search has become almost entirely digital, the way employers contact you has changed, so your resume should adapt.
What does that mean as it relates to including your full address? Should you put your address on your resume? The short answer is, “It depends.” In this article, we’ll show you how to include your location on a resume the right way.
Address or location
The main question is whether to include your full address or simply have your location on your resume. For the most part, you’ll only need your location. There are quite a few reasons why you would not want to include your full address on your resume. Here are the main five.
1. Privacy concerns
Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen and filter resumes. This software scans your resume for keywords and information that is relevant to the position. Depending on what the employer has set up, the ATS may send your resume on to the next stage of the application process, recommend your resume as a good match, or reject your resume from further consideration.
Some companies filter out resumes with a complete mailing address because your address is personal identification information (PII). The laws behind PII are pretty complex, but the bottom line is that companies don’t want to be in any situation where they could breach privacy or reveal sensitive personal information.
For this reason, you should only include your city, state, and zip code on your resume when you submit it online.
Expert Tip
Make sure you include your zip code. Some ATS (like Taleo, a popular option) allow hiring managers and recruiters to query the system for resumes within a radius of a zip code. If your zip code isn’t on your resume, your resume won’t be provided to the hiring manager if that query is performed.
If you’re in Canada, use your city, province, and postal code. Refer to our Canada resume guide for an example.
2. It opens you up for discrimination
Though it’s illegal, discrimination still occurs at every stage of the job search process. Similar to why you should never include your photo on a resume, your address can potentially be used to draw conclusions about you and your lifestyle. These conjectures are mitigated by using simply your city, state, and zip code.
Again, this type of discrimination is illegal. But, as you know, some neighborhoods come with assumptions about the people who live there. Avoid the risk by omitting your exact street address.
3. There is no need
Another reason you want to leave your street address from your resume is simple: it’s just not needed. If you consider the space on your resume as valuable resume real estate, you know that those extra characters might need to be used somewhere else to describe an achievement from your career. Those accomplishments are more important than letting the hiring manager know where you live.
The only time companies would require your full street address is when you accept a job offer. Sometimes, a job description will specify that they need your home address, but these are usually positions like federal jobs. The vast majority of jobs will NOT require your exact location in the job application phase.
4. Calculating commute time
Some career experts recommend including your full address for many different reasons. One common reason is that some companies may favor hiring someone who has a shorter commute time, so if you’re close by you should say so.
However, the consensus is that your commute time can be reasonably calculated based on your city, state, and zip code. So, again, including your full address shouldn’t be an issue with calculating your commute.
5. Safety and your personal comfort zone
You also have to consider the sheer number of scam job descriptions out there. Even sites like Indeed have protocols for reporting these types of job postings. In some instances, the inclusion of your city, state, and zip code may be too much information in the wrong hands. Practice a bit of discernment when applying to new positions. Do some research on the company to make sure it actually exists and has job openings. Better yet, try to find the job opening on the company’s website to ensure your safety.
If you’re posting your resume to an online job board, you can’t tell who will be able to view it. Because of this, you should exclude your address for those specific listings. Additionally, if you’re submitting your resume to some type of forum seeking general feedback, remember to remove your address and location. You don’t need random strangers on the Internet knowing where you are.
Region vs location
There are some instances when you shouldn’t include any address at all. Some remote positions will not require an address from you during the application process, so there is often no need to include it. Look to the job description for requirements, such as preferred time zones or locations. Use that information to judge how specific you should be on your resume. For example:
Eastern time zone
Located in New York
US-based
How to include your address on a resume
You should include only your city, state, and zip code on a resume. It should go in the top section of your resume right below your name.
Here is an example of how to format your city, state, and zip code:
Name
City, State, Zip | 111.222.3333 | name@gmail.com | LinkedIn URL
TITLE OF JOB TARGET
Mobile Products/Applications | Media Buying | Interpersonal Communications | Advertising Strategies | Marketing & Sales Plans | Exponential Revenue Growth | Solutions Focused Collaboration
An optimistic and energetic sales leader with 20+ years of experience building strategic relationships and conquering revenue goals in rapidly evolving markets. Engaging leadership style bolstered by a dynamic mindset and talent for disruptive marketing techniques, brand development, media/agency management, and team leadership. Conceptualize, develop, and deliver creative advertising and media strategies that support future growth objectives and the core mission of the organization. Excellent time management, multitasking, planning, and prioritization skills.
Should you include your address if you’re relocating?
You should still include your current city, state, and zip code even if you’re relocating. If you have a place secured and are absolutely certain about moving, you can include your new city, state, and zip code.
You can also include the city you’re relocating to along with the month and year.
Example:
First, Middle Initial, Last Name
Relocating to Boston 7/2024 | email@email.com | (111) 222-3333 | LinkedIn URL
Resume Title **Change to match job target**
Results-driven and motivated customer service enthusiast with extensive training in hospitality principles in high-pressure, fast-paced environments. Ethical professional skilled in creative problem solving, training and developing customer-facing teams, and promoting brand loyalty. Detail-oriented with exceptional instincts for meeting high expectations and delivering service standards. Dually-talented stage producer and actor with a contagious love of fine arts.
What else should go in a resume contact information?
Here are some more tips to keep in mind for the contact information section of your resume:
Make sure your email is professional. No hiring manager wants to see an email like “Packers123@gmail.com.” Use a combination of your first and last name. (JaneSmith@gmail.com).
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date if you’re adding it. When you do add the URL, make sure you shorten it. The instructions for this are here in our post on
You don’t need to include labels such as “Address” or “Phone.” It’s clear to the hiring manager which is which.
In addition to not needing labels for your contact methods, you should never, ever include icons, emojis, or other images on your resume. These little pictures are included on many resume templates but do not perform well in those ATS scans we mentioned above.
Avoid a common mistake – win an interview
The bottom line is that you can (and should) omit your full mailing address from a resume. It’s unnecessary and opens you up to privacy and discrimination concerns. Only put your city, state, and zip code as part of your contact information. Don’t let this common mistake hold your resume back from landing that interview!
Good luck with your job search!
To make sure your resume parses correctly, you can try out our free resume review service and learn what an employer sees.
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Written by
Marsha Hebert, Professional Resume Writer
Marsha is a resume writer with a strong background in marketing and writing. After completing a Business Marketing degree, she discovered that she could combine her passion for writing with a natural talent for marketing. For more than 10 years, Marsha has helped companies and individuals market themselves. Read more advice from Marsha on ZipJob's blog.
