The traditional rules for including location details on a professional resume have become outdated as the job market evolves. The rise of remote work opportunities, increased reliance on Applicant Tracking Systems, and growing concerns over personal data privacy have complicated the simple act of stating where you live. Understanding current best practices is necessary for ensuring your application is seen by recruiters and processed correctly by automated systems.
The Modern Standard for Location on a Resume
For applicants pursuing traditional, in-office positions within their current geographic area, the standard practice is to provide a concise and easily digestible location format. Recruiters no longer expect or require a full street address, which is unnecessary for initial screening and poses a security risk for the applicant. The primary goal is to communicate your general proximity to the workplace.
The preferred and widely accepted format is simply the “City, State” abbreviation, such as “Dallas, TX” or “San Jose, CA.” This format provides immediate context to a hiring manager about the feasibility of your commute or local status. An alternative is to use the “City, Zip Code” format, which offers slightly more specificity without revealing too much personal information.
Adopting this standardized format ensures that your location information is clear for human readers while also being easily parsable by automated software used by employers. This concise approach respects the limited space available on a professional document, keeping the focus on your professional achievements and skills.
Where Location Information Should Be Placed
The physical placement of your location information is important for immediate visibility. This detail should reside within the contact information block, positioned prominently at the very top of the resume header. It sits logically alongside your full name, professional phone number, and email address.
This placement ensures that the location detail is one of the first pieces of information a recruiter sees when scanning the document. Placing it in the header allows recruiters to quickly determine geographic fit without having to search through the entire document. A well-organized header contributes to a professional presentation and streamlines the initial screening process.
Handling Location in Special Circumstances
Applying for Remote-Only Roles
When applying for roles explicitly advertised as fully remote, the location field requires a different approach to reflect the job’s nature. Instead of listing your current city, you can replace it with the single word “Remote” to signal your understanding of the position’s structure. If the company is hiring across the entire country, using a term like “Nationwide” or “US-Based” can also be appropriate. However, if the remote job listing specifies a state restriction, you must use your current location or the accepted state to avoid immediate disqualification.
When You Are Actively Relocating
Job seekers preparing to move to a new area should clearly indicate their intent to avoid confusion and premature rejection. The best strategy involves listing the target city and state followed by a brief, explicit note explaining the timeline. For example, you might write “Denver, CO (Relocating September 2025)” or “Targeting Seattle, WA.” This signals commitment to the new region and provides a clear expectation for the hiring manager regarding availability for interviews or a start date.
When Privacy is a Primary Concern
If applicants have concerns about sharing their location, even in the concise City, State format, they can reduce the specificity while still providing a general geographic context. Using only a zip code, without the city name, offers privacy while still providing the company with an approximate region for salary or cost-of-living estimation. Alternatively, you can use a broader metropolitan area description, such as “Greater Boston Area,” if your city name is not widely recognized.
How Location Affects Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
The structure and placement of location details are influenced by how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) process incoming resumes. These automated systems parse and categorize applications based on specific data fields, including location. An ATS uses pre-set filters to screen candidates who do not meet geographic requirements, often before a human recruiter sees the document.
A standardized format, such as “City, State,” is predictable for ATS algorithms. If you use non-standard phrasing or bury the location deep within the text, the ATS may fail to extract the data correctly, leading to a parsing error. This error can result in your application being automatically filtered out, especially if the job required candidates to be within a specific radius of the office.
Placing the location in the header, separate from the main body of text, further aids the ATS in identifying the contact block accurately. Using a clean, standard format in the expected location prevents the system from misinterpreting your data and incorrectly disqualifying your candidacy.
Common Location Mistakes to Avoid
Job seekers frequently make several avoidable errors when presenting their geographic information. One mistake is including a full street address, which is an outdated practice that wastes valuable space and exposes unnecessary personal data. No employer needs your exact house number during the initial application phase.
Another error involves using overly vague or regional terms that lack specific meaning for a recruiter or an ATS. Phrases like “The West Coast,” “Mid-Atlantic Region,” or “Tri-State Area” are too ambiguous and do not help the employer determine proximity to a specific office location.
A third oversight is forgetting to update the location field after a move or a decision to pursue opportunities in a different market. Submitting a resume with an outdated city or state can lead to confusion and delay in the screening process. Regularly verifying that your location reflects your current or intended status ensures consistency.