When it comes to putting a resume together, most of us were taught to put our full name and contact information at the top of the page, including our home address. But the way we work has evolved over time, so it makes sense that we adjust our resumes to keep up with the times as well. And according to some career experts, there’s no longer a need to include your entire home address on the document. Here’s what you need to know.
Why you don’t need to put your address on your resume
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Chances are, you won’t receive word that you’ve been selected or rejected for a position via a letter sent through the mail. In all likelihood, you’ll get an email or phone call with the news, or called back in for a meeting (or “final interview”) where your potential employer offers you the position, and you negotiate the terms.
There are also safety risks associated with putting your full home address on your resume, according to Amanda Augustine, a career expert at TopResume.
“You don’t need everybody in the world knowing exactly where you’re living,” Augustine told CNBC Make It in a recent interview. “A lot of people consider it a security concern, either for identity theft or because you don’t want someone showing up at your house.”
What to include on your resume about your location
So if you’re not including your full home address on your resume, what should go at the top? Ultimately, it comes down to the type of job you’re applying for. If it’s entirely remote, you should mention your time zone, and, depending on the position, specify that you’re U.S.-based (if applicable). To get more specific, you can add your state and/or city if you’d like.
For traditional in-person roles—or those that used to be, but now have adopted a hybrid model—putting your city and state on your resume should be sufficient. This lets the potential employer know that you live within commuting distance, without giving away unnecessary identifying information.