Filling out your contact information at the top of your resume may seem like the easiest step in the resume writing process, but you should never downplay the importance of it.

Yes, there are the obvious reasons (1) the hiring manager needs to know your name, (2) the hiring manager needs to know how to contact you, but your contact information is saying more about you than you think.

Email address

It is common advice nowadays to be sure to include a professional email address on your resume. However, you’d be surprised how many resumes we receive with email addresses such as [email protected]. You might be a cool guy, but it’s not appropriate for your hiring manager to know that.

Your email address also hints to your technical proficiency.

If you are using an uncommon or slightly obsolete server, you may seem like you’re not with the times. We recommend Gmail as an email server that is recognized by all hiring managers, and generally favoured by most people.

Phone number

First step – only include ONE phone number on your resume, and make sure it’s a personal phone number.

That means no home phone numbers, unless that’s the only number that you can be reached at.

The reason for this is that you don’t want your three-year-old daughter to answer the phone when the hiring manager calls. On the same note, you also don’t want your 87-year-old grandfather to answer that phone call. YOU should be answering the call, or your voice-mail.

Therefore, the best number to include is a mobile phone number. Work numbers are not professional because you shouldn’t be directing phone calls for new opportunities to your existing place of employment.

Also, if you’re applying for a role in a different area code, purchase a phone number with the local area code to show the hiring manager that you are in the process of relocating to that area.

Address

Your address doesn’t say much about you, other than where you’re located. For those of you who are relocating to a new city, or targeting opportunities in a different city – this is important.

When you are not currently located close to the place of employment, hiring managers will not consider you a serious candidate.

You have to show the hiring manager that you did not apply to this role by mistake, but that you are serious about relocating. We recommend including the address of a relative or friend in the area to give the illusion that you are already in the process of relocating.

Social Media

It is not common practice to link your Twitter handle or Facebook profile to your resume, however that does not mean that social media is out of the question. Again, this is where you can show off your technical proficiency.

A great addition to your contact information is your LinkedIn profile URL.

However, only include your URL if your profile is updated. Do not send the hiring manager to a profile that lacks information or is not complete.

Another possible addition would be a Skype ID. This notifies the hiring manager that you are comfortable conducting a preliminary interview over Skype, which is becoming a new trend in the job search industry.


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