I bet you never thought of this but did you know the address on your resume can lead to you being discriminated against for employment?
As a Job Counselor working with adults 55-years-old and above, one of the first things I tell them after reviewing their resume is to REMOVE THEIR ADDRESS.
Putting your address on your resume is a good way to be discriminated against when it comes to being considered for a job you've applied for. Why? Because an employer may have a preconceived notion about where you live and how that might impact their Company.
Say it ain't so Joe!
Oh, but it is. They call it Economic Profiling: Let's say you live in or very close to an area that is known for having a high crime rate and you're applying for a bank job. That potential employer may fear that you will bring a certain "element" to their business because of that street address. You could be applying for ANY job for that matter and an employer may exclude simply because of your geography.
When you include your street address on your resume, employers can use online search engines (like zillow.com) to determine the value of your property, the median income in your neighborhood or how much you paid for your home. If you live in a lower income area, companies can assume that you will accept a lower salary offer. The same holds true if you live in an a very upscale community. They might overlook you thinking they can’t afford your salary requirements. The other point is if you live in a lower income area, they may not believe you may not be a good fit for their so-called "company image."
Another reason you shouldn't put your address on your resume: The employer may think it's too far for you to commute, especially if you have to rely on others to get you to and from work.
The bottom line is that you control your contact information. All a potential employer needs is your phone number, city, and state, and email address. As for me I don't even put the city and state---just my name, phone number and email address. I figure if I pass the resume test, you'll know how to contact me.
Good luck and happy job hunting!
