Should I put my address on my CV?

With limited space on your CV, everything you include must work towards that ideal job you’re aiming for. Putting your address on your CV might seem like a small decision, but the devil is in the details.

To make the best decision for the job you’re applying for, you’ll need to understand the questions running through a hiring manager’s mind as they look at your CV. Luckily, we’ve guided a host of professionals through the job search process. Now we’re here to help you navigate this question.

This blog post will cover:

• The advantages and disadvantages of putting your address on your CV?
• When you should consider including your address on your CV
• Where you should list your address on your CV
• Alternatives to listing your address on your CV

Do you need your address on your CV?

There are many reasons why including your address on your CV may have been useful in the past. However, for most job types, the hiring manager will just need to know your general location instead of your precise street address. 

Before the birth of the internet and email communication, snail mail was the main way an employer used to communicate with a prospective employee. Today a combination of emails and phone calls has replaced almost all of this communication in most industries. 

As remote and hybrid work has become increasingly popular, the need for an employer to know your residential address in the early stages of the application process has pretty much disappeared.

Today, the general rule of thumb is to include your address on your CV only when it is explicitly asked for by the employer. In all other cases, you’ll want to consider how to list your location on your CV. More specifically, think about what you have to gain or to lose in each individual case.

Pros and cons of putting your location in your CV content

Since including your physical address is rarely a necessity, let’s consider some pros and cons of listing your location on your CV. Every job application is different. So keep these in mind when you’re choosing the best solution for you for each iteration of your CV.

Advantages of sharing your location on your CV

Confirming your local knowledge 

If local knowledge is relevant to the role then employers may want to make sure that you’re from the area. It should be sufficient to mention your town or city. If you live in a big city, you may choose to mention your neighbourhood.

Showing your reliability

When competition for a position is strong, it’s not impossible that a manager’s hiring decision is partially based on a candidate’s location. To prevent the risk of late arrivals due to commuting problems, employers may opt for the person who lives closer. 

Simplifying the HR admin

Including your address on your CV from the get-go could make certain bureaucratic processes within HR more straightforward. However, it’s quite easy for your employer to ask you for your residential address later down the line if you are offered the job.

Disadvantages of sharing your location on your CV

Giving away your lengthy commute

In the same way that you could land a role because you live nearby, if you would have a long commute you may want to avoid including your address in your CV’s content. This will prevent it from becoming a factor in a hiring manager’s decision.

Risking location bias

You may run the risk of hiring bias if you include your full address. Employers could use it as a means of inferring your social class or even educational background. Including your city only will help your experience and skills speak for themselves.

Risking privacy concerns

Your full address is sensitive information. You wouldn’t share it with a stranger on the street, so it’s natural to not want to share it with a potential employer or a job search site.  If the location is relevant to the role, including your town or city will be sufficient for most employers. 

Remote work and adding your address on your CV

Unless a specific language is required, or time zones could affect your work patterns, it’s not so important to include your location on your CV for a remote job. We advise that you double-check the requirements stated in the job posting to decide whether or not you list your general location.

However, the choice to include your address could also change if the job is hybrid. While hybrid roles offer some remote work, you’ll also be required to head into the workplace now and then. When choosing how to list your location on your CV for a hybrid job, we suggest using the same discretion as you would for an in-person job.

If you still think you’d be a great fit for a hybrid role despite not being based as close as they would like, don’t be afraid to take the initiative and reach out to the hiring manager. They will be able to give you a clear answer about whether your application will still be considered and will probably appreciate your enthusiasm. 

Alternatives to listing your address

While sharing your address is unlikely to be necessary, most job seekers will probably decide that listing their location in some form is important. The level of detail you include about your location, on the other hand, is flexible.

Here are some ideas on the wording you could include in your CV header to share your location in a way that meets your needs:

• The first part of your postcode
• Your town or city name
• Your neighbourhood if you live in a big city
• “Willing to relocate”
• “Currently relocating to [insert city name here]”

How to add your location to your CV

Once you’ve taken all of these considerations into account, you should be in a good place to decide how you will - or will not - list your location on your CV. 

We recommend including your location in the first section of your CV format: the CV header. This is the part of your CV that sits at the very top of the first page, along with your other contact details.

Here’s a checklist you can consider when tweaking your location on each version of your CV.

Key Takeaways

1. Your full address is rarely necessary on a modern CV.
2. Identify how useful it is to list your location for each individual job application.
3. Emphasise your willingness to relocate if you think your location could impact your success in a job application.
4. The keywords that the ATS software scans for may include the job’s location. Read the job description carefully before deciding how to include this keyword before submitting your job application.