With the subject of pronouns becoming a hot topic in the professional world, it might feel like now is the right time to add your personal pronouns to your resume. But is including gender pronouns on a resume the new normal, or is it still too big a risk? Here, we discuss whether you should add pronouns to your resume and how it might affect your candidacy.

Should I put pronouns on my resume?

The short answer is: It’s up to you. Including pronouns on your resume, email signature, or elsewhere in the professional space is your decision to make. Here are some of the pros and cons of adding preferred pronouns to your resume:

Reasons to include personal pronouns on your resume

• It can help avoid misgendering — and not just if you’re trans or nonbinary. People with ambiguous or gender-neutral names can also benefit from listing pronouns on a resume.
• It can make you feel more comfortable with the hiring process. By stating your pronouns upfront, you can also avoid the need to have in-person conversations about pronouns once you get to the interview stage.
• It can help you filter for inclusive workplaces — any company that takes issue with you listing pronouns on your resume is probably not one you particularly want to work for.
• It can help normalize the practice of including pronouns in workplace discussions and lead to greater awareness and inclusivity.

Reasons not to include gender pronouns on your resume

• It risks discrimination, subconscious or otherwise. While overt discrimination on the basis of gender identity is illegal, it can still happen, which may or may not be a risk you’re willing to take.
• You’re not comfortable openly sharing your pronouns. You’re under no obligation to come out, especially at work.
• You’re still unsure, not ready to commit to specific pronouns, or your pronouns change regularly.

Ultimately, the choice of whether to list pronouns on your resume is a completely personal decision and is fine either way.

If you’re wondering what else, like personal pronouns, should or shouldn’t be included on your resume, upload it to the tool below — it’ll scan your resume and give you detailed feedback on what to remove or add into your resume.

Related: When To Use Pronouns in Your Resume Accomplishments

How to list your pronouns on your resume

There are a few different ways you can indicate your pronouns throughout the hiring process, including:

• In your resume header
• On the job application
• During later hiring stages

Here’s what each of those options can look like.

List pronouns in your resume header

The simplest way to include your pronouns is in your resume itself. Your pronouns should go in the header section at the top of your resume, below your name but above your contact details.

Include pronouns in your LinkedIn profile

You can display your pronouns on your LinkedIn profile by:

1. Selecting Me > View Profile
2. Clicking on the Edit button on the top right hand side.
3. Scrolling down to the Pronouns section and choosing your preferred pronouns.
4. Clicking the Save button.

Other places to list your pronouns in your job application

Write pronouns in your cover letter

You can also include your pronouns in your cover letter, if you’ve written one. These can go at the bottom of your cover letter, either beside your name or below your signature.

Put pronouns in your email signature

A simple, low-key way to indicate your pronouns is to include them in your email signature. The best place to include them is right beside your name. Your email signature can also include the name you usually go by if it differs from your full legal name.

Indicate pronouns in your job application

If there’s a field for gender or title — for example, Ms., Mr., or Mx. — on the job application, you can indicate your pronouns there.

More inclusive job applications may provide opportunities to declare your pronouns, gender identity, or preferred title

• In your cover letter
• In your email signature
• On your LinkedIn profile

Address pronouns during the hiring process

Whether you choose to put pronouns on your resume or not, you may want to indicate your pronouns later in the hiring process, either during the interview stage or onboarding. You can do this in person or via email and at any time — it’s always okay to change or come out about your pronouns, even if you’ve been at a job for a while.

FAQs

What are personal pronouns?

Personal pronouns — also known as preferred pronouns, gender pronouns, or simply pronouns — refer to the way we address other people to indicate their gender, like she, he, or they.

What are some common pronouns?

Some of the most common pronouns are she/her, he/him, they/their, and zie/hir. Some people go by multiple sets of pronouns (for example, she/they), and some go by neopronouns that are less common but gaining traction.