3 key takeaways
- Which contact information to include on your resume
- How to format your contact details correctly
- How Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help you pull together a polished and accurate resume
Compared to combing through your professional and personal details or figuring out how to format a resume, listing your contact information on your resume seems like the easy part.
You just jot down your contact info—like your name and professional email address—in the contact information section of your resume and call it a day, right?
Sure, that’s the gist. But while it might sound straightforward, your contact section isn’t a throwaway. Much like the rest of your resume, it deserves some attention to confirm you’re sharing these important details in a way that’s accurate, organized, easy for hiring managers, and a positive reflection of you.
Ready to optimize the contact section of your resume? This article covers everything job seekers need to know about adding contact details to your resume.
Why is contact information important on a resume?
While it might seem basic, your contact information section contains some of the most important information of your resume: your name and the best ways for hiring managers or recruiters to get in touch.
A well-organized and intuitive resume contact section is helpful in your job search because it:
- Makes it easy for potential employers to reach out and update you on the hiring process
- Provides your full name so employers can look for you online (which most recruiters will do)
- Clarifies your current location, which is important for location-specific roles
- Reinforces your professional brand as a polished, detail-oriented candidate
This seemingly unassuming and inconsequential section holds more power than you’d think in your job search.
What contact information should you include on your resume?
Here’s the question you inevitably have next: What counts as contact information? What should you include on your resume?
At a minimum, here are the professional details you need to list on your resume:
Your first and last name
This should be the very first thing on your resume, listed at the top in big, bold letters. If you’re curious about whether to include a middle name or your preferred name, here are the quick answers:
- Include your middle name only if that’s what you go by (for example, “Mary Ann”)
- Include your preferred name as your only name or in quotations or parentheses. Example: Elizabeth (Betsy) Scott
Note: You’ll find more details about each of those circumstances in the FAQ section at the bottom.
Your email address
List an email address that potential employers can use to reach out to you. Make sure it’s a professional email address (now is not the time to use the funny one you set up in college) and is one that you check frequently so that you don’t miss any updates or outreach.
Do: timothyjones@gmail.com
Don’t: bananaman1234@AOL.com
(No offense, AOL.)
There’s some debate over whether or not to hyperlink your email address on your resume. While there’s not a hard and fast rule here, the safest option is to not add a clickable link.
Your phone number
Most employers will use your phone number to get in touch, with a surprising amount using text messages to communicate with job applicants. List your personal cell phone number (you don’t want potential employers calling your current employer) including the area code. If you’re from the U.S. and applying for a job in another country, add the +1 U.S. dial code before your area code.
Your location
Compared to everything else, figuring out how to write addresses on your resume is the trickiest part. Should you include your full mailing address? Or is it risky and unnecessary to list your home address?
Recommended contact information for resume
The general recommendation is to include your city and state (for example, New York, NY), as employers need that information when considering you for location-specific positions.
There’s no reason to include your full mailing address on your resume. If employers need your mailing address at some point in the process, they will ask.
Your street address shares exactly where you live, and you probably don’t want that level of identifying information floating around, increasing your risk of identity theft. So, stick with your city and state on your resume and share your mailing address later in the process, or directly within a secure application.
Those are the must-have contact details. However, there are other optional pieces of contact information you can include as well.
Optional contact information for resume
Your LinkedIn URL
Especially if you have a common name, including the URL to your LinkedIn profile, ensures a hiring manager finds the right person when they look. Pro Tip: Make sure to clean up your link before listing it (for example, www.linkedin.com/in/loganroy rather than www.linkedin.com/in/193i5u3i35ui2o352ou3). You can easily make that adjustment by viewing your profile page and clicking the pencil icon next to “Public profile & URL” on the right side.
Your professional title
Including a professional title with your contact information makes it immediately clear to employers what you do and what role you’re targeting. This doesn’t necessarily need to be your most recent job title. If you’re searching for an email marketing role, then include a resume title like “Email Marketing Professional” with your name and contact info.
Additional social media accounts
If you work in a field like marketing where social media is relevant, including your social media links or handles gives employers more opportunities to learn about you and your expertise.
Your professional website
If you have an online portfolio or personal website, including a link to that with your personal info can give the HR manager more information and help you stand out from the many job seekers that are likely applying for that role.
Preferred name
You could also include your preferred name, middle name or initial, or any professional credentials you’ve achieved.
What not to include in your contact information section
While there are plenty of things you need to include, there’s also some information that you absolutely should not list in this section (or anywhere else on your document):
A fax number
Faxes aren’t necessary or common during the hiring process (or in general).
Multiple email addresses or phone numbers
This is a good way to confuse recruiters about which one to use to reach you.
Sensitive information like your social security number
Much like listing your address, this can increase your chances of identity theft. Never include this in your resume.
How to list contact information on resumes
Now that you know what to include, where should you put it? All of the contact information on resumes goes in a specific resume section called the resume header. This is the topmost section of your document, where most recruiters will look for your important details.
Here are a few resume formatting tips to keep in mind as you lay out your resume header:
- Make your name the biggest and boldest text on your document so it stands out from everything else.
- Separate your contact info with bullets, separate lines, or other dividers so the information doesn’t run together.
- Include your target professional title, either in your header or directly underneath.
Listing your contact information is even easier when you use Teal’s Resume Builder. Enter your details into the “contact information” section and then use the checkboxes to select which contact information should appear on your resume.
Within the “design” section, you can click through the different templates to find the best resume format for you and adjust how your resume header appears on your document.
Here’s what your contact information should look like when it’s polished up and ready to go:
Pro Tip: When you write your cover letter, you can use the same header with all the same details at the top of your cover letter. That way, your career documents match and look like a branded package. Plus, it’s helpful if your resume and cover letter become separated. If you need some inspiration, check out these short cover letter examples.
Common mistakes to avoid when listing contact information on a resume
This section is pretty self-explanatory. However, there are a few common mistakes you should watch out for as you pull together your contact info. Here are a few contact information “don’ts” to keep in mind:
- Don’t list unprofessional or inactive email addresses
- Don’t include unnecessary information like your mailing address or fax numbers
- Don’t list your contact details in hard-to-find spots, like at the bottom of your resume
- Don’t forget to clean up your social media profiles before including them on your resume
- Don’t neglect to double-check all of your contact information to fix any typos or errors
Make your resume contact information clear with Teal
Adding your contact information to your resume is probably the easiest and fastest part of the entire resume process. But it’s still important to do it right and make sure your details are displayed clearly and prominently at the top of your document (where most recruiters will look for them).
Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help. Just input your contact information, choose your favorite resume format, and you’re well on your way to creating a resume that impresses the hiring manager and gets you one step closer to landing the job.
Ready to build a better resume? Get started with the Teal Resume Builder for free today.
Hailey Hudson also contributed to this piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I put my social media handles on my resume?
It’s smart to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, as that’s the one most commonly used in the job search. However, if you’re in a field that’s relevant to social media (like marketing), you can include your handles or other social media accounts as well. Just remember to make sure they’re cleaned up and work-appropriate before including them with a job application.
Should I put my address on my resume?
Your resume should list your city and state. Beyond that, there’s no reason to include your full mailing address on your resume.
Employers don’t typically need to send anything through physical mail during the application process. Therefore, companies only need your full address at the end of the hiring process when they’re getting close to making an offer. Don’t worry—they’ll ask for it if and when they need it.
How do I include my preferred name or nickname on my resume?
Perhaps you have a nickname that’s different from your legal name. It’s completely okay to list your preferred name on your resume. The only time it’s crucial to use your legal name is for procedures like background checks or when you’re completing your insurance paperwork.
That said, if you’re worried, you can include both of your names at the top of your resume by listing it in parentheses or quotation marks.
Should I include professional acronyms?
If you’ve obtained professional credentials that are relevant to your career goals—whether you’re a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a designated Project Management Professional (PMP), or something else—it’s worth including those with your name at the top of the document.
However, make sure to also spell out the acronyms elsewhere on your resume, like in your “education” section or a specific “certifications” section. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) might be set up to only pick up on the full name and not the abbreviation, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Should I include a middle name or middle initial on my resume?
You don’t have to! In fact, including that can add confusion. It’s only worth including if you typically go by your full name (for example, you’re always called “Mary Ann” and not “Mary”).
