Question Proposed on LinkedIn: Do you think it is necessary for a candidate’s address to be on a resume?

Others’ Responses:

– NO…In today’s digital world of recruitment, ‘contact info’ is about a unique identifier for database queries AND getting in touch with the person… neither of which requires an actual address–email, cell# and LinkedIn Profile link is more than enough.Besides, actual address could lead to geographic discrimination!

– I don’t think so. I have heard from some managers that they disqualify applicants whose addresses on resumes are from areas that are considered too far away from the work location. The resumes are disqualified if the commute time is considered too long. The assumption may be that weather would create problems in getting in to work or the commute may add to the employee’s stress level.

– I think if it’s to the Candidate’s benefit than it should be included.

– Town and post code is fine. No need to give full details if the candidate prefers not to.

– Only thought to add to what’s been said already is that recruiters will search their systems by geography to find local candidates first (or exclusively if they don’t want to relocate). Adding city and state as Peter suggests can help (although I concede it can also hurt). I’ve worked with candidates who are targeting a new location and don’t need relocation support, so instead of using a friend or family member address, adding just the target city and state (versus current address) is a good option. You’d have to synch your LinkedIn profile and any other online presence sites of course to avoid discrepancies. If you don’t add a geography on the other hand, you won’t appear in database search results, so it works both ways. Hope that helps Carol.

– City, state and zip code are fine. As I tell my clients, no one is going to be ringing your doorbell, or sending you any hard copy mail (at least until you’re hired). All they need to do is be able to “contact” you, and for that one cell phone number and one email address are more than enough. Besides, as I always tell clients, I want employers to know how to get in touch with me, but I don’t want people to know where to FIND me. What if a careless recruiter leaves my resume lying around on his/her desk in plain sight for any passerby to see? Yes, it’s worth being a little paranoid, today.Candidates also MUST have customized LinkedIn public profile URLs on their resumes. No LI identity? You don’t exist professionally, as far as most potential employers are concerned…

– I like all thoughts. The customer oriented conclusion is: the recruiter needs to know how to contact our clients and in which area they want to work (and where not!).

– No, unless it is just city and state. I’ve done recruiting and talent management in addition to career coaching. Your contact information is what we’re seeking.

– I think that the decision is totally up to the candidate. If the address will help, then, use it, but otherwise the city, state, zip code, email address and telephone number are just fine for contact information.

– I can sit on both sides of the fence here – Identifying the location of the candidate is important to most HR Managers – commutes these days can result in massive problems and I discourage my clients from applying for roles to far afield unless they are willing to relocate. It does add to their stress levels as mentioned above and when I was in Corporate HR I had to many ‘victims’ of commuter issues, and ultimately refused to interview candidates whose commute was in my opinion too far. Draconian maybe, but I still have the wounds…… That said I know we are in the business of helping clients find the right role but I think we owe it to them to make sure they think through the whole package – rewards and commute.

– I suggest not to include address on a resume. I have read that by including your snail mail address on your resume could age you. and prevent you from getting called in for an interview. My recommendations to my clients is to include phone number, email address and their LinkedIn link on their resume and if it would create an advantage to show home address that can be included in the cover letter.Anne is correct that many employers will not call you if they think commuting will be a problem. That is another reason not to include your address because you will be put in the NO CALL pile without any chance to explain why it will not be a problem for you to get to work on time. I do make sure My clients understand the pressure of commuting before they apply for the position. However with our GO trains systems most people can get anywhere in a little more than an hour.

– It might be of some interest to you that here in Poland, Europe there is some sort of an unwritten code saying that when a candidate includes their address it can be interpreted as their reluctance to get a job farther outside from where they are based. This is not a common knowledge yet so we generally advise our candidates not to, but we observe some professions known for their geographical immobility in Poland (accountatnts, factory workers) will always do, because they neither want to move nor commute.In specific cases, disclosing an address in the neighbourhood of the target company, especially if it is located in some more remote part of the country might be of some marketing value. In other cases cell phone and email, recently LinkedIn address, becomes a standard approach.

– Yes.

– I don’t think a one rule fits all approach works here. Geographic discrimination is real but it can be used to one’s advantage. Lets take for example the job located less than 5 minutes from where the applicant lives. In that case including the address may be a positive. If you live more than an hour away, perhaps the address isn’t an advantage and shouldn’t be included. If you’re applying for a role a significant distance away that requires relocation leave it off.Incidentally, where I live, if you have to travel more than an hour each way to get to work that’s too far. Applicants don’t want jobs that far away and recruiters either consciously or unconsciously often give preference to applicants who work closer, hence the reality of geographic discrimination.

– I am against it. It shows how far you may have to drive to get there which may be a negative and can be unsafe in this new world.

– I live in New Jersey and commuting can be difficult, so choose a commute that is reasonable to make EVERY day. If you are applying for a position to which you must commute and you’re within an acceptable commute (from the interviewer’s perspective) then leave your address – I let the client decide about street address or not. If you are slightly outside of what may be perceived as a reasonable commute and you are willing to make the commute EVERY day, then leave the address off.

– Including an address could lead to economic profiling and geographic discrimination, plus some job-seekers may feel safer not including an address. I typically encourage folks to include a city, state, and zip code.

– Privacy is an issue, but location is an obvious factor. If the candidate is keen to commute or re-locate, say so, and why ! I do know recruiters who put “no address” candidates to the bottom of the list, so it cuts both ways.

My Response:

– At least list all available numbers and emails as well as your city/state so the people can tell where you are located (generally) and how to get a hold of you. If you are remote from where you wish to work, incorporate that into your summary of the resume/cover letter (i.e., “Dedicated project manager seeking to leverage background into a c-suite management role with a progressive organization in Utah.”).