You do not have to put your address in a CV in the UK if you want to protect your privacy, and it won’t affect your application’s success. Find out more.
If you’re writing your CV, you may be wondering what kind of contact information you need to provide. Usually, you put your contact details at the very top of your CV (your name, email address, phone number etc) so that an employer can contact you about the next stage in the application process.
Providing your address used to be a standard thing, but guidance has changed. It is now advised that you DON’T put your address in your CV. Now this doesn’t mean that you can’t, but it is suggested that you leave it out to protect your privacy.
Should you include your address in your CV or not?
Providing your address isn’t necessary (unless requested for a specific and relevant reason). It has nothing to do with who you are and if you’re a good fit for the job, and it won’t stop anything from happening as normal when applying.
However, location can sometimes be an important factor for employers as those who live closer are less likely to get tired of long commutes to work or have trouble with traffic. Even if you don’t disclose your location in your CV, it may come up in an interview as an employer may want to know how long you will need to travel each day and if you’ll need support with it.
Therefore, you might want to consider just providing the name of your town, especially if you’re thinking of relocating, as a way of letting your prospective employer know without revealing too much about your exact location.
An employer doesn’t need your address until you sign your employment contract because that’s when it’s required for their records. So ultimately, it’s up to you. Check who you’re providing your information to when applying for jobs, and if you feel comfortable and would like to, you can include it.
Important: if you don’t provide your address, make sure your other contact details are correct and up to date so that they can get in touch!
So what contact details DO you need to put in your CV?
You simply need to provide your full name, your current (and professionally named) email address, and your telephone number. This means they can contact you to let you know if you have been given an interview, and eventually whether you got the job.
What else do you NOT put in your CV?
While we’re discussing what does and doesn’t need to be in your CV, here are some more pieces of personal information that you do NOT need to disclose (again, unless it has been requested for a necessary reason).
You do not need to provide your:
- Age
- Race
- Gender
- Nationality
- Sexual orientation
- Religion
- Disability
- Marital status
- Driving license, passport, or national insurance number (these are all methods used to prove your identity so you’ll likely need to provide one once you’ve accepted the position, but you don’t need to provide them now. Some jobs require driving licenses if it’s a part of the job, so all you need to do is let them know you have one.)
Some of these things may come up eventually, especially if you have needs for religious purposes or adjustments because you have a disability (which your employer is obligated to provide). But none of these things relate to your ability to do your job, so they don’t need to be disclosed at this stage and you don’t have to tell them.
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