How will you feel when your well-crafted résumé disappears into a black hole? 

You know what? Just one mistake could be the culprit. It is your address, according to job search coach Ashley Watkins Thomas.

You can be prematurely disqualified from the race because of your address. Ashley warns that you can cause red flags for recruiters by omitting an address, especially when you are filing for on-site roles. It will ultimately suggest you are hiding your actual location and it will lead to doubts about your suitability for the role.

If you are applying for remote roles, your country of residence is sufficient. However, for hybrid or on-site roles, a local address is crucial.

If you are open to relocation, do not use a non-local address, according to career development coach Jessica Hernandez as it will get you excluded from searches for local candidates.

You can use a friend’s address or a UPS box at your desired location, according to Jessica. However, Watkins Thomas recommends honesty about your location, as it could qualify you for relocation benefits.

To signal your readiness to relocate, include a statement like “Willing to relocate by July 2024” at the top of your résumé. Reinforce this in your cover letter.

Avoid listing your full street address unless required. Recruiters can make assumptions about your socioeconomic status based on this. Also, avoid listing more than one address, as it can clutter your résumé and signal your inexperience.