Address on resumé: Yes or no?
You’re finalising your job application and wondering, Should I put my address on my resumé? The answer depends on the job you’re applying for and what information the hiring company needs to know.
In this guide, we cover the topic of putting your address on your resumé, including the pros and cons, when to avoid giving it, and alternative options to including your full address.
What is an address on a resumé?
An address on a resumé refers to putting your physical house address on a job application. This can include your full address – street address, city, state and postcode – or the suburb or city you live in. Adding an address on a resumé stems from a time when employers would mail interview acknowledgments and rejections by post. Now that most communication is done via phone and email, the postal address is no longer a necessity.
Why employers may want to see an address on your resumé
Should you put your address on your resumé? It depends on a few things: whether the job advertisement requires it, how comfortable you are with sharing your address, if you think it will help your application, and if it’s relevant. Knowing why hiring managers may need your address will help you decide if you should put it on your application. Here are a few reasons they may request it.
1. It is (or once was) standard practice
Previously, adding your address to your resumé was something everyone did. It showed you were local to the job and familiar with the area, and was often used by the company to request an interview with a formal letter. Some hiring managers may still expect to see an address on a resumé, especially in government, construction or hospitality. Research what’s standard in your industry, to know if it’s expected to put your home address on resumé applications.
2. It helps filter applicants
Many companies will use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to help them narrow down applicants for a job, especially larger organisations. The hiring manager will tell the ATS what words or details a resumé needs to include to progress to the next stage. If this is the case, including your suburb or your full address will get your application filtered into or out of a shortlist, depending on if it matches.
3. Employers know how long your commute will be
Hiring managers often use your address to get an idea of how long your commute may be or if you’d need to relocate. Employees will typically stay in jobs longer if they have an easier commute, so being a local may help increase your chances of getting an interview. If you’re open to relocating and the employer is offering relocation support, it’s recommended to include your address so they can assess your suitability upfront.
4. To avoid unwanted surprises
Adding your address on resumé applications can help prevent confusion down the track. For example, the company may be looking for someone with extensive local knowledge, so will prioritise applicants with a local address above those with no address. It’s possible that for some high-security jobs an employer would want to know where applicants are based before providing more information about the role.
Cons of including your home address on a resumé
While there are some benefits to including your home address on a resumé, there are also some drawbacks to providing it. Your address may impact your chances at being considered for a role for the following reasons.
Hiring bias
Adding your home address, postcode or suburb to your resumé can leave you open to unconscious bias. Unconscious bias is when someone makes a judgement about you based on preconceived ideas and stereotypes, in this case, to do with whether you live in a high-income or low-income suburb. Under Fair Work regulations, you’re protected from discrimination, and hiring managers should only be using your experience and skills to assess if you’re right for the job.
Distance from your home to the work location may be considered
Employers may assume you don’t want to relocate or will get tired of a long commute, so may put your application to the side if they think you live too far away. If this is a concern and you need to include your address, mention in your cover letter that you’re looking to relocate, especially if you’re applying for jobs in distant locations.
Privacy concerns
Adding your full address to your resumé can be a privacy risk, especially if it’s being submitted online. You want to ensure you’re only uploading or sending your resumé to a trusted source, and using secure job platforms like SEEK.com.au, to minimise the risk of identity theft or misuse of your personal information.
Unnecessary information
Some information simply isn’t relevant to how you perform your job. These days, the majority of companies will contact you via phone or email, so this is all the information you need to provide, unless explicitly asked. Including your physical address without a reason is just taking up space you could use for more important information like awards, skills, qualifications, etc.
How to write an address on a resumé
If you’re going to put where you live or your suburb on your application, you should know how to write an address on a resumé so that it looks professional.
Example of a contact information section
Your address should be included in the same section as your other contact information, such as your phone number and email address. For example:
Phone: 0400 111 222
Email address: [email protected]
Address: 123 Smith St, Brisbane QLD 4000
Keeping all your contact details together in one place will make it easy to know how to reach you, while looking neat and professional.
Example 1: Writing your full address on a resumé
The format for your address should follow that of a typical letter: street address, suburb, state and postcode. To make it look professional, it should be on two lines, with the street address on one line, and the suburb, state and postcode on the next line. This layout is considered more traditional and it’s becoming more common to see addresses in a single line.
Traditional layout:
123 Smith St,
Brisbane, QLD 4000
Modern layout:
123 Smith St, Brisbane QLD 4000
Example 2: Writing just the city, state and postcode
If you’re not comfortable putting your full address on your resumé, leaving off your street address is a good option. This gives you some level of privacy while still providing an indication of where you live.
For example:
Sydney, NSW 2000
Example 3: Writing only the city, state or area
One of the most common ways for people to include their address is to only add a city, state or area. You could list your suburb, city, or region, such as:
- Greater Wollongong
- Margaret River
- Palmerston, Darwin
- Coomera, Gold Coast
- Central Coast, NSW
This layout is a good choice if you feel you should include your general location but don’t want to give your exact address.
Example 4: Writing an intention for relocation
One of the most common reasons people list their location on their resumé is because they’re relocating. If you’re relocating or willing to relocate, ensure you mention this in your professional summary and your cover letter.
Professional summary example:
Carpenter of more than a decade, relocating from Victoria to Townsville. Looking for an opportunity to apply my expertise to prestige home builds.
What else should go in a resumé’s contact information?
Aside from your address, there are other important personal details to include in your resumé. You might wish to omit your address, but the following are essential.
Full name
You should always include your full name, or at least your first name (or nickname) and surname on your resumé. In fact, your name should be the standout feature of your personal details section. The best way to make your name stand out is by increasing the font size and using a bold font.
Email address
If there’s one address you should include on your resumé, it’s an email address. When adding your email address, ensure it looks professional, such as your first and last name at your chosen domain provider, such as [email protected]. Avoid using email addresses that are joke names or anything that is overly long and complicated. After applying for a job, you should check your emails, including your junk folder, at least once a day to ensure you’re not missing anything important.
Phone Number
Most hiring managers will call people for a phone screening interview as part of their hiring process. They may also call to confirm details on your application or to arrange an interview. This is why it’s important to check your number is listed correctly and to ensure you have a professional voicemail set up that you frequently check for messages. If you’re applying for jobs overseas, ensure you include your country code to make it as easy as possible for hirers to get in touch with you.
The answer to ‘do you need to put your address on a resumé?’ is in most cases no. Listing your suburb or region is more than enough. But you should include your email address and phone number and double-check they are correct. While you may have a standard resumé that you use for all applications, it’s best to tweak your resumé to match the job criteria for each individual role, including if an employer has requested a physical address.
FAQs
Should I put my address on my resumé?
There’s no need to put your full postal address on your resumé. However, you can include your suburb or the region you live in, to show you’re local to the job.
Can you abbreviate an address on a resumé?
Abbreviating your address on your resumé can help ensure it takes up as little space as possible. For example, you may put ‘St’ instead of ‘Street’ or ‘S’ instead of ‘South’.
Where do you put your email address on a resumé?
You should put your email address at the top of your resumé with your other contact details. It should be very easy for the hiring manager to find your email address or phone number to contact you.
Should I put my phone number on my resumé?
Yes, you should always include your phone number at the top of your resumé with your contact details. This way, the hiring manager can call to discuss the job or organise an interview.
Is it necessary to include a full address on my resumé?
No, it’s not necessary to include a full address on your resumé. You should reserve your resumé for only the most relevant information to the job advertisement.
How can I protect my privacy when including contact information?
To protect your privacy when including contact information on a resumé or job application, ensure you are only using secure job search platforms, like SEEK.com.au. Avoid including personal information, such as your full address (unless specifically required), credit card information, date of birth, etc.
