Have you applied to an array of job positions but never heard back from the employers? Well, this may have happened often, right? You console yourself with thoughts like, “Maybe I was over-qualified”, or “Maybe I wasn't a good fit," or “Maybe they already selected someone by the time my resume was received” and so on. But here is a thought! You might be missing the real reason for the rejection and that is none other than your resume! Yes, you read it right! There is every possibility that your resume might have failed to impress them!
Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for any given job opening. It is quite obvious that they don’t have enough time and resources to closely review every resume that they receive. They spend approximately 6 seconds to decide if the applicant is a good fit/no fit for the position. A professionally written resume can have a make or break impact in your job search process.
A job winning resume is a resume that customizes your profile according to the job position you are applying you for. A professionally written resume ensures that your credentials are represented in the best possible format, without any errors or mistakes. You may have heard, “less means more”.
The same goes true with the content in your resume. Too much information also spoils the essence of a good resume. So, it becomes very important that you know what should and what should not be included in your resume. One question that people often get confused with is about adding their full address to the Resume.
Should My Resume Include My Full Address?
Well, that’s a tricky question! The answer to this question depends upon the distance of your residence from the job location. Yes, the hiring managers see your address as your area of commute. In case your area of residence is near to the actual job location, you can include your full address but in case your address is at a distance of an hour or more, you should never include your full address in your resume.
This is because, the prospective employers very well know and understand the stress that comes along with a long commute. Research suggests that people with an hour or more commute needs to make an additional 40 % more than the people who live close to the job and can walk to work.
As it is, people with long commutes remain more stressed and often eventually quit. This places the recruiters back to square 1 as they need to re-enter the entire hiring process, costing them additional time and money both. No wonder recruiters consider the commute!
So, you need to be very careful when mentioning your full address on your resume. The address on your resume is a crucial section that can help the hiring manager decide if your resume should find its way to ‘maybe’ section or a “not fit” section.
What To Do If You Are Living Too Far From the Job Location?
If hiring managers find that you are living too far from the job location, they are going to reject your resume and will keep it in the pile of ‘not fit’ applicants. So, in this case what should you do? Well, in such cases, don’t put your full address on your resume; instead put only the city location of your most recent employer. Or, you can just opt to move closer to the job and specifically mention in the resume, “ready to relocate”.
This strategy will definitely give the would-be-employer enough information that although you are not local, you are willing to relocate. This will also convey how sincere you are about your job and what importance your career holds in your life.