With remote work opportunities becoming increasingly popular, it can be tough to decide if you should put your home address on your resume. This practice may have been commonplace 10 years ago, but is it still what recruiters are looking for today?

Adding your home address can be beneficial to show employers you are local and available for in-person interviews, but providing just a city and state is becoming more common and is preferred for remote and out-of-country applications.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of including your home address on your resume and a few common alternatives you might prefer.

Pros and cons of including your home address on your resume

Pros

• Makes it easier for employers to verify your location
• Shows the recruiter you are available in-person
• Shows you are a local candidate and don’t need to relocate for the position
• Allows recruiters to determine your potential commute time

Cons

• Not necessary for most applications, especially remote work
• Can take up valuable space on your resume
• Could lead to bias based on your geographical location
• Could compromise your privacy or lead to identity theft if shared online or with a large audience

Should you put your home address on your resume?

No, these days you do not need to include your full home address on your resume. Unless the application specifically requests it you are better off just stating your city and state/country. This provides your employer with general location information to help with recruitment but does not compromise your safety and security.

If you’re wondering what else, like your home address, 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.

Why employers might want to see your home address

Some employers may need your home address for specific recruitment tasks, such as:

• Background checks
• To determine your ability to work in the country
• Criminal record checks (if required for your industry)
• For their Application Tracking System

When is it mandatory to provide an address?

Certain applications require a street address, including:

• Applying for government or public service work
• When relocation costs are relevant
• If the work is location specific, such as if knowledge of an area or in-person meetings are required

When is it ok to leave your address off your resume?

• If applying on a third-party website, it’s good practice to omit your home address for privacy and security reasons
• When applying out-of-country
• When you are moving soon, to ensure your contact details aren’t out-of-date

Can you use a fake home address?

This is not recommended. Any form of lying on your resume is a poor first impression and providing a false address will only impugn your character if you’re found out in a lie.

Where to include your home address on your resume

Your address should appear in your resume header, with your other primary contact information, such as name, phone number, and email address.

For example, here is a resume that includes the applicant’s address in the header using the city, state format.

Formatting options for your address

Here are some of the most common formatting options:

City, State

The most common format and widely used across various industries.

Here is an example of a header using the city, state format.

City, State, Zip Code

This is a good alternative to the above if you are applying locally.

See how this applicant uses the city, state, zip code format in their resume header.

City, Country

This style is useful for out-of-country and remote job applications.

This applicant uses the city, country format in their two column resume here.

Area or Region

This format is great for local applications.

For example, this applicant uses both their general area address and a LinkedIn profile in their header.

Any of the above, plus “Open To Remote”

This is a good way to indicate location flexibility.

This resume uses the city, state format and Open to Remote for their address.

How to write your home address depending on your type of residence

Residential vs permanent address

If you have two addresses, opt for the address where you reside most often. If you’re applying for a location-specific job, choose the location that best fulfills the job requirements, or that is closest to your employer.

If you are currently living at a temporary address, you can list both permanent and temporary addresses, indicating which is which, or opt for just your permanent address.

If you are relocating

If you are in the process of relocating, it is acceptable to write that you are “relocating to X”. Include a date for your relocation or simply put the city or area you will be moving to shortly.

For example:

Relocating to San Francisco, CA | P: +1 215 2778870 | [email protected]

Relocating to San Francisco by 05/23 | P: +1 215 2778870 | [email protected]

Including a PO Box

If your home address includes a PO Box, it is not necessary to include this on your resume. If your employer requires a postal address, they will ask for it specifically. You can also consider using a PO Box as an alternative to a street address.

If you live in an apartment complex

If you live in an apartment building, it is not necessary to include your apartment number, complex name, or street address. Opt for just City and State, or region. Only use a complex name if applying locally.

Alternatives to putting your home address on your resume

Use a general location: City and State

General locations are the best alternative to using your full street address. They take up less space while still providing the appropriate information. This is fast becoming the most popular option in most industries.

Use a general area or district

If applying locally, when distance or specific location is relevant, consider using a general area or district name. Be sure it is a name your employer will recognize and isn’t too specific or long-winded.

A good example: Creekside, Whistler, BC

A bad example: Gondola Way, Creekside, Whistler Blackcomb Mountain Resort, Whistler, BC.

Use your email address

This is common practice when applying for out-of-country or remote work, as email will likely be your primary avenue of communication. Ensure your email communications are professional and send the right message by researching email networking templates before you apply.

Use a virtual address

If you have a website or an online portfolio, you can use these as a virtual address. This is best for remote-job  applications.

Use your LinkedIn profile as your address

LinkedIn is quickly emerging as the go-to tool for recruiters and a great place to find your next job. Many recruiters expect a LinkedIn profile these days and providing one in place of your physical address is common in creative and freelance industries.

If you plan to use your LinkedIn profile as your address, give our LinkedIn Review tool a try to ensure your profile is optimized for the work you’re seeking and receive tailored feedback on improving your visibility.

Specific advice for local, remote, and overseas applications

Applying locally vs further afield

You can use small town or district names if applying locally, but stick to large cities if applying from afar. For example: If you live in Vancouver and are applying for a job in Vancouver, you can use “North Vancouver” or “Burnaby”, but for jobs elsewhere, stick to simply “Vancouver”.

North America vs Europe

When applying for work in North America, it is common to only state City and State for your address.

Whereas in Europe, it is still best practice to include your full address and zip code.

Applying overseas

When applying overseas, it is customary to include your nearest city (preferably a large city the recruiter will have heard of) and your country of residence, so recruiters are aware of your current time zone.

Applying for remote work

When Applying for remote work, City and State, or City and Country is most common. You can also include the phrase “Open To Remote” next to your address, to indicate this. You may also choose to omit your address entirely for remote applications to avoid any potential geographical bias.