Reasons to Omit Address from Your Resume

Black people, remove your address from your resume. Some of the behind-the-scenes stuff I have seen in hiring is genuinely wild, including HR reps openly admitting that they google candidates’ addresses to factor rent and local expenses into compensation offers. Let that sit. Not role scope. Not impact. Not experience. Rent. They frame it like practicality. Like smart business. What it actually is is a workaround for underpaying people while feeling justified about it. Your cost of living is not a proxy for your value. And an employer deciding what you deserve based on where you live is not fairness. It is control. This hits Black people harder because geography has always been used as a stand-in for race, class, and access. Zip codes are not neutral. Neighborhoods are not neutral. Anyone pretending otherwise is lying to themselves or to you. That information is irrelevant to your ability to do the job. The only reason to look it up is to anchor the offer lower and call it reasonable. So protect yourself. Your resume does not need your full address. City and state are optional. In most cases, they are unnecessary. You are not obligated to hand employers extra context they can use against you. If a company needs your rent to decide your worth, the problem is not your expectations. It is their ethics. Stay Dangerous.

⛏️ "Your Resume: A Goldmine for Scammers and Identity Thieves" 🏧 Sending out your resume might seem like a routine part of job searching, but have you ever stopped to think about the personal information you’re sharing? As someone who’s been an AWOL-chasing MP, a private investigator, and a bounty hunter, I’ve seen firsthand how much can be uncovered with just a few data points, and a resume often provides far more than most people realize. Think about it. Your resume typically includes: Your full legal name City and state where you live Phone number and email address Employment history with dates and locations Degrees earned, universities attended, and sometimes even the year This is a treasure trove of information for a nefarious actor. With these details, someone can easily begin piecing together your life. From past job locations, I can figure out where you’ve lived. With university information, I can potentially find your graduation year and narrow down age demographics. Once I’ve gathered this, I’m just a few clicks away from accessing public records or databases to pull your birth certificate. And from there? A copy of your Social Security card isn’t far behind. Armed with this information, a scammer could: Open lines of credit in your name. Steal your identity and even your home. Access your criminal history or personal background. Impersonate you online, potentially damaging your reputation. If this sounds alarming, it should be. Your resume, while a powerful tool in landing your next job, can also expose you to significant risk if it falls into the wrong hands. How to Protect Yourself: Remove your physical address and limit location details to just the city/state. Use a professional email not tied to your personal accounts. Leave off graduation years or dates unless explicitly required. Be cautious about sharing your resume on public job boards or with unknown recruiters. In today’s digital world, protecting your personal information is just as important as finding the right job. Don’t let a piece of paper make you a target!

When I say LinkedIn is full of misinformation, this is what I mean. Let me be blunt: I’ve worked in recruiting for years. I know what I’m talking about. Unlike the person who posted that nonsense, I’ve actually done the work. So let me repeat something I’ve said before, loud enough for the people in the back, the folks who missed it the first time, and those who still think I’m wrong: Do NOT put your zip code or full home address on your resume. City and state? Yes, that’s fine. But your zip code? Absolutely not. Here’s why: recruiters and hiring managers, especially in cities with deep segregation like Milwaukee (my hometown), absolutely make biased assumptions based on where you live. Your zip code can be used as a proxy for your race, income level, or perceived background. This is not hypothetical. This is real. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it. And no, NO recruiter is scrolling resumes, thinking, “Wow, this person’s zip code is near our office! Let me call them!” That’s just not how any of this works. This is why posts like the one I saw are more than just wrong, they’re dangerous. They're clickbait, plain and simple. And they spread bad advice under the guise of expertise. Protect yourself. Your resume should highlight your skills, your experience, and your value, not your street address. Stop giving out more information than you need to. Keep it lean, professional, and bias-proof wherever possible.

Resume Tip #3 - Contact Information To include your address or omit it, that is the question. ❓️ Before the digital age, which wasnt that long ago, applications were completed on paper forms and submitted in person or via mail. Therefore phone number and mailing address were the forms of communication. In my early working years I remember receiving a questionaire to fill out via mail that I then had to mail back. 📫 Now resumes and applications are submitted online. Even communication from recruiters and managers are primarily email and phone secondary to schedule interviews. Im sure you've received lots of automated "Thank you for your submission, a recruiter will review your..." you know the rest emails. That being said, do you include the address or not and why you might opt out. The reason to opt out is due to implicit bias. "Implicit bias involves unconscious attitudes, stereotypes, and beliefs that unintentionally affect understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases are often deeply rooted and operate outside of conscious awareness, influencing perceptions and behaviors, even when they conflict with consciously held beliefs." (www.apa.org) What are some examples of how your address can lead to implicit bias? 1. You dont live in the city you're applying in. Let's say you live an hour away from the location you are applying to. Is there a track record of new hires quitting after 3-6 months of a long commute? Will your commute lead to an unfavorable opinion? Ask yourself if the address will benefit your resume or has any potential to unknowingly work against your favor. Maybe you live 2 minutes from the hospital. That could look very beneficial in contrast to the previous scenario. 🚗 2. You want to maintain your privacy. Safety is important and in this digital age, maybe you dont want your physical address listed. 🔍 3. Neighborhood. The neighborhood you live in has the potential to lead to implicit bias as well, good or bad. 🏡 In summary, listing location can lead to assumptions made about your socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and willingness to commute. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons and look for potential implicit bias triggers when making your decision. There's no right or wrong answer here. Its also acceptable to only list City and State but keep point #1 in mind. When it comes to emails, keep it professional people. Create an email account using your name and use it just for applications. Stay away from using your pets, nicknames, cutesy stuff, etc. Don't forget to turn on the alerts so you get notified right away if your being contacted for an interview. Comment below if you have any questions or comments. Feel free to repost and Share with friends. Come back Monday for Objective statements!

🚫 Stop Including Your Date of Birth and Home Address on Your CV! In both my recruitment company and my career coaching sessions, I often see candidates including personal details like their date of birth and home address on their resumes. While this was common practice in the past, it's no longer necessary and can even be detrimental to your job search. Here are some reasons why: 🔒 Privacy and Security: Including your home address and date of birth can expose you to identity theft and privacy breaches. Protect your personal information by leaving these details off your resume. 🚫 Age Discrimination: Your age is irrelevant to your ability to perform a job. By not including your date of birth, you minimise the risk of unconscious bias and age discrimination during the hiring process. 🌍 Location Irrelevance: With remote work becoming more common, your exact home address is less relevant to employers. Indicating your general location (e.g., city or region) is sufficient. ✨ Focus on Skills and Experience: Employers are interested in your skills, experience and qualifications. Use the space on your CV to highlight these aspects rather than personal details which do not add value to your application. Your resume is your first impression to potential employers so keep it professional, relevant and secure! If you need further guidance on crafting a standout resume, please write RESUME in the comments. #CV #CareerAdvice #JobSearch #ResumeTips **************************************************** Hi, I am Nicola Steel, Founder of JJP Talent Solutions and Nicola Steel Career Coaching. I have 25 years' experience in tech recruitment across 2 hemispheres! Besides my family 👨👩👧👧 and exploring the world 🌏, my passion centres on placing the power in people and having a positive impact on everyone that I interact with. I help grow tech teams in purpose driven companies and help people have more rewarding careers in tech.