A good job applicant will always include their contact information on their resume. It’s simply common sense and a good way to set yourself apart from other candidates. When you include your contact information on your resume, it not only allows the employer to contact you directly, but it also makes it much easier to arrange interviews with prospective employers. It makes everything so much easier for you, the professional job seeker. But did you know that including your contact information can actually benefit you more than it would a less qualified candidate?
Including your contact information on your resume is a fantastic opportunity to sell yourself. The first impression your cover letter makes on an interviewer or potential employer is through the resume itself. The resume should make the hiring manager wants to call you. A well-presented, professional resume puts the individual in the proper light before they even start reading the contents. A badly written resume can convey a whole lot of negative energy which is the very opposite of what an employer is looking for.
In addition to your contact information, there are other important components of your resume that should be highlighted. Highlight your strengths, identify your personal career goals, and display any awards or certifications you may have earned. This information should be used as an avenue by which to sell yourself to the prospective employer. A cover letter is your opportunity to sell yourself to the person reading your resume. Therefore, your cover letter should be strong, concise, and captivating.
One mistake job-seekers make is including their contact information on one page of their resume. Yes, the employer may need to call you, but putting your information all over your resume is not a good idea. The employer needs to be able to glance through your entire resume and still be able to quickly determine whether or not you’re the one for them.
Employers also want to know who you are, and that you have all of your pertinent business contact information with you at all times. Consider a scenario where you receive an email or phone call from a potential employer. If you don’t have all of the information included on your resume to hand to that person, it could make you appear unprofessional. If the person doesn’t ask for your information right away, it’s okay to simply put them on hold while speaking with another colleague, or forward the phone number or address to someone else. You never want to communicate to a potential employer that you don’t know who they are or where they live.
When writing your resume, don’t include your street address. While it’s certainly not required, many hiring managers won’t take the time to fact-check this information. Be sure to include your city of residence and state of residence (if you currently reside in the United States). Although your street address is likely to be included in the first paragraph of your contact information, your potential employer may wish to read further into your resume to find out more about you before making any commitments.
As mentioned earlier, keeping your resume headings professional but concise is essential. To keep the contact information organized and easy to read, use a single type of block letter with two or three solid paragraphs. Using larger type will make the resume appear larger and will help you stay on-topic. A good rule of thumb for avoiding a resume looking disorganized is to place your contact information in blocks of four or five. This will help you see which sections you’re dealing with (your name, address, phone number, email address, etc.)
Your cover letter is your way of introducing yourself to your potential employer. In order to get the best results with your cover letter, it’s important that you take the necessary time to address all of your key contact information. By following these simple tips, you will ensure that your resume and cover letter will reflect your professionalism and catch the attention of the right candidate.
