Do you have to put your home address on your CV?

No, you are not being discriminated against because of your home address. Stop being silly.

Reply 3

kiss_me_now9

16

You're not being discriminated against, that's illegal.

If you're really bothered, take your address off your C.V. They won't care. They will assume you will move or are living away from the current area for the time being.

Reply 4

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

I am applying for jobs in London despite not living there, and I am being discriminated against because of my home address (i.e. the employer knows I live too far away).

Surely I don't need to reveal my home address until they offer me employment? I could always lie about my home address or be really vague if they ask for it in an interview?

I only put my email address and contact number on my CV... prospective employers don't need to know your home address. :dontknow:

I think the home address might be a hangover from when people would have posted their CVs to companies. (Could be wrong about that though)

Reply 5

OP

Original post by kiss_me_now9

You're not being discriminated against, that's illegal.

If you're really bothered, take your address off your C.V. They won't care. They will assume you will move or are living away from the current area for the time being.

Well I apply for shop jobs in London and the same kind of jobs in my local town, yet never get the interviews for the London ones. That's OBVIOUSLY because they know I will need to travel 90 minutes each morning, when they could just employ someone from the local area.

FWIW, I say on my CV and cover letters that I am trying to relocate, yet I still get rejected.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

I only put my email address and contact number on my CV... prospective employers don't need to know your home address. :dontknow:

I think the home address might be a hangover from when people would have posted their CVs to companies. (Could be wrong about that though)

Good point. I will remove my home address from the CV and see if I get any better job offers.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Duncan2012

No, you are not being discriminated against because of your home address. Stop being silly.

So if I lived in Manchester and applied for a job in McDonald's in Brighton, would they give me an interview or not? And if not, why not?

Reply 8

Original post by kiss_me_now9

You're not being discriminated against, that's illegal.

If you're really bothered, take your address off your C.V. They won't care. They will assume you will move or are living away from the current area for the time being.

It is perfectly in order (and legal) to choose not to interview or not make an offer on the basis of where someone lives. The employer may not wish to incur relocation costs or may believe the commute distance is not realistically achievable.

I (as a person who has recruited hundreds) would look strongly askance at an application that fails to give basic information like home address. The candidate who does that is likely to be hiding something.

Reply 9

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

So if I lived in Manchester and applied for a job in McDonald's in Brighton, would they give me an interview or not? And if not, why not?

Assuming you meet all the other criteria, they should. If they had any concerns about your ability to make it to work on time that would be for you to answer at interview.

How are you mentioning the relocating? If it comes across as you're wanting to move but can't then that's giving them information they don't need at this stage and which might work against you.

Take all references to your address and attempts at relocating off your cv and covering letter, but just make sure that you are able to get to any interview/job on time.

Reply 10

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

So if I lived in Manchester and applied for a job in McDonald's in Brighton, would they give me an interview or not? And if not, why not?

If you did that with the serious intention of getting the job you would need to make it clear in the covering letter that you would intend to get accommodation local to the job and not be seeking relocation costs from the employer.

Reply 11

Original post by Duncan2012

Assuming you meet all the other criteria, they should.

Nonsense!

If it comes across as you're wanting to move but can't then that's giving them information they don't need at this stage and which might work against you.

If I made the mistake of interviewing a candidate who, it turned out, had concealed information of this nature until the interview I would not be a happy bunny and would definitely not be inclined to offer that candidate the job.

Reply 12

Original post by Good bloke

Nonsense!

If I made the mistake of interviewing a candidate who, it turned out, had concealed information of this nature until the interview I would not be a happy bunny and would definitely not be inclined to offer that candidate the job.

Note I said 'should', not 'will'.

In my industry people interview for jobs away from their home location all the time. It's common and assumed that people are able to relocate in time. If one candidate has a problem moving (it does happen) then you go to the next person on the list. It's not difficult. Yes I am involved in hiring.

Reply 13

OP

OK all good points here, but

Omitting my address from the CV is one thing, but what about when I fill in an application form and need to put my address in? What then?

I would love to work in a shop in London, such as WHSmith, M&S, Boots etc, but those kind of jobs always need application forms to be filled out, rather than CVs.

So home address cannot be omitted really or lied about?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 14

Original post by Duncan2012

In my industry people interview for jobs away from their home location all the time.

And how many fast food restaurants do you think will be happy to pay a relocation package to a burger-flipper, or trust that a 90 minute commute each way won't disrupt shifts?

Reply 15

Original post by Good bloke

And how many fast food restaurants do you think will be happy to pay a relocation package to a burger-flipper, or trust that a 90 minute commute each way won't disrupt shifts?

We're not talking about relocation packages here - we both know that wouldn't happen.

If someone came to me with a credible and workable plan to get to work then I'd be prepared to listen. If it works, great. If not, that's what the probation period is for.

I'm surprised there are no jobs closer to home, OP, although without knowing your circumstances it's hard to offer any constructive advice. And no, don't lie on an application form. Do you have any friends in London who you could stay with and use their address as a short-term solution until you get something more permanent? Good luck!

Reply 16

Original post by Duncan2012

If someone came to me with a credible and workable plan to get to work then I'd be prepared to listen. If it works, great. If not, that's what the probation period is for.

We are talking about high turn-over, low paid shift jobs here. You'd hope to have recruited before the distant candidate would get to the station, and you'd certainly look askance at a 90 minute commute. The worker would be off before you could say "knife" at the hint of another job closer to home, would never be reliable at turning up on time and wouldn't be able to do a late shift because public transport would shut down too early for them to stay at work long enough.

Reply 17

economist2

You should just apply for jobs close to your home.Favourable for both parties...

Reply 18

Original post by Good bloke

We are talking about high turn-over, low paid shift jobs here. You'd hope to have recruited before the distant candidate would get to the station, and you'd certainly look askance at a 90 minute commute. The worker would be off before you could say "knife" at the hint of another job closer to home, would never be reliable at turning up on time and wouldn't be able to do a late shift because public transport would shut down too early for them to stay at work long enough.

Agreed it's not ideal for the employer in those type of jobs, but some employees will make it work if jobs are that scarce back home. A probation period covers the employer's back if the terms are sufficiently robust.

Reply 19

OP