Is it necessary to include your address on your CV?

mrocd2014

Reply 1

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

Original post by mrocd2014

I was always told to.

Reply 2

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by mrocd2014

It's expected and some employers may worry about it not being there.

Reply 3

mrocd2014

Ok thanks for the replies :smile:

Reply 4

Antzlck

I'd put it on there but it's not very important. For that reason I wouldn't put it right at the top of the CV underneath your name as you see on most CVs, I'd put it right at the bottom.

Reply 5

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Antzlck

I'd put it on there but it's not very important. For that reason I wouldn't put it right at the top of the CV underneath your name as you see on most CVs, I'd put it right at the bottom.

Original post by J-SP

I'd disagree with this.

If you're going to do it put it at the top of the first page with your other contact details. It will be expected to be there in most instances. I've never seen an address at the bottom.

Although this shows there is never a set formula for these things.

Posted from TSR Mobile

It is actually a very good idea to put your address at the bottom of a CV rather than the top. In practical terms, it is a useful indicator of the end of the CV - it gives the page an feeling of completion, name top centre, address bottom centre.

However, there is a subtler but more important reason - addresses can carry influences that you don't want to expose yourself to. Unlike a telephone number or an email address a physical address can often have associations that are personal, and judgemental, you don't want/need to expose your application to the biases of the reader right at the start of the CV . For example 24, Acacia Avenue, Bedford, BD4 9GH - might seem bland enough to you, but your reader may be going Oooh, Acacia Avenue, there's posh/suburban bland, or Bedford? My f'ing nightmare of a maths teacher came from there..... You can imagine that other addresses might create different/stronger opinions The Manor House, Dalrymple Underwood, Oxfordshire or Flat 2b, Mandela Towers, Grimsby. I'm playing to cliches there, but everyone gets the underlying assumptions of those 2 addresses and goes places that aren't necessarily fair, true or relevant to the assessment of the CV.

It might seem like a very subtle thing, but with 100 applications per post and employers finding it increasingly difficult to differentiate between applicants, potentially taking your CV readers off-track right at the start of your CV is something it's best to avoid. The best start is Name, gloss over technical contact details, University, degree, grade, rest of academics, relevant experience ....

Leave the address to the end, by which time your CV reader has formed an image of you and your application based on relevant material, and your irrelevant address has less impact.

Reply 6

Antzlck

Original post by threeportdrift

...

I'll confess, I stole that advice from you!! You gave me some pointers with my CV a few years back when I was a student (thank you!) and I've advised others since using a similar style. I'm very happy in my job so not actively in the job market but I may seek your advice again this year to give my CV an update and rework :biggrin:

Reply 7

k9markiii

Original post by J-SP

Original post by Antzlck

Original post by mrocd2014

My name, phone number and email address are at the top and my address is like a footer in bold at the bottom of the page. I'd keep it all on one line and separate it with commas to save space.

Reply 8

Antzlck

Original post by k9markiii

My name, phone number and email address are at the top and my address is like a footer in bold at the bottom of the page. I'd keep it all on one line and separate it with commas to save space.

Mine is the same. It really does make sense. The argument of doing things with your CV simply because everyone else doesn't seem right to me. A lot of people also put 'References available on request' on their CV and I'm sure some hiring managers have come to expect that line, it shouldn't be there.