Today’s post is going to tackle a logistical question about resumes that I get asked quite a bit:

Should you put your address on your resume? What if you’re job searching in another city and looking to relocate?

Let’s tackle this one from both angles, first what the answer is in general and then how that changes for those who are job searching in a different location than where they live.

If you’re not relocating, do you need your address on your resume?

Technically, no. It’s not like anyone ever sends written correspondence by mail anymore so there is no actual need for someone to have your full address sitting on your resume.

That being said, recruiters do want to know where you are and they often want to make sure you’re local. That means you’ll be able to make it into the office for in-person interviews and that they won’t have to pay to relocate you if you get an offer.

If you’re not relocating, you should be indicating your location on your resume header in some way, even if it’s not a complete address. Two examples are below.

As you can see you can either put your full address or you can just put your city and state. As a local candidate, I do recommend one of these options. 

If you are relocating, should you put your real address on your resume?

Now for the more complicated question about addresses on resumes when you’re moving. As discussed, there can be a bias in favor of local candidates and against out of state ones.

This makes people wonder if they should lie about their location, put a friend’s address on the resume, etc.

I definitely do not recommend this approach. If you land an interview, the best case scenario, you’re going to either have to explain that you lied on your resume about your address (a big deal-breaker) or somehow keep up the charade that you actually live in the area, which can be extremely costly and inconvenient.

I have a simple fix for this that will get you the best of both worlds: the ability to be honest while still giving your reader the indication that you’ll be just as convenient to hire as a local candidate. 

By putting your current address, you’re letting them know that you probably won’t be able to swing in for an in-person interview tomorrow at noon, but the 2nd line is the key.

By saying you’re already planning on relocating in the near future, you’re letting them know that this is part of your plan. Keep in mind that the timeframe you choose should be in the coming months and not too far away. I like using seasons because they allow for a level of vagueness that still sounds like it’s coming up quickly.

Companies aren’t going to wait 6 months or more for you to move. Most are looking to hire ASAP.

Just to clarify, putting this on your resume doesn’t mean you have to move without a job but it does show a level of commitment to getting to that area that recruiters will be happy to see.

Important note: If you take this approach and your job search takes a few months, remember to adjust the time period!

What about on a job application? Do I need to put my real address?

Resumes give flexibility for some additional clarification but applications do not. Lying on applications is a big no in my book so on an official job app you should be putting your actual address.

If you are worried about being automatically screened out by an applicant tracking system, take matters into your own hands by networking effectively within the company.

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Hope this post helped you tackle this common question! If you’re currently kicking off a job search, check out our Conquer Your Job Search course here.