This simple address mistake one in three make on their CV could instantly rule you out of job running

Jobseekers risk being overlooked for a role they've applied for if they fail to put address or location details on their CV, findings claim. Adding a living location on a CV is vital for employers, especially in jobs where commute distance or hybrid working requirements matter, recruitment firm Intelligent People said. It said removing location information completely from a CV could mean 'jobseekers are overlooked for suitable roles', particularly if artificial intelligence tools are used as part of the search for the right candidate. Intelligent People asked 70,000 potential job candidates on its database about what sort of address or location details should be included on a CV.Privacy concerns appeared to be a key driver behind many people's decision to include only sparse or no location details on their CVs. Nearly two in five of people surveyed said they do not add any address or location details on their CV. Watch out: Failing to include any sort of location or address details on your CV could harm your chances of getting certain jobs, findings claimMore than half said mentioning a town, county or general location on a CV was sufficient. Eight per cent said they believed just a postcode was adequate. Only 3 per cent of respondents said they believed a full home address was still needed on a CV.Intelligent People said the majority of UK recruitment firms now rely on Applicant Tracking Systems, CRM databases, and AI-powered candidate search tools to identify and match candidates to roles. These systems use location data as a primary filter, particularly for hybrid roles, partially in an office and partially at home, which now represent a significant proportion of job postings in Britain.Experts at the firm said: 'If your CV has no location data, you simply won’t surface in those searches – even for roles you’re perfectly qualified for.'According to Intelligent People, when a hiring manager or recruiter searches for candidates within a 30-mile commute radius of their office, the tech system used queries location fields. A CV that simply says 'London' or 'Manchester' – without a postcode or more specific area, often fails to match because the system cannot calculate commute distance from a city name alone, the experts said. Chris Mason, co-founder of Intelligent People, said: 'The full home address on a CV is effectively dead, but location absolutely isn’t. 'If you remove your location completely, there’s a real risk you become invisible for roles you could be perfect for, or get contacted about jobs that simply aren’t practical.' Just under one million young people in Britain are not in education, employment or training – or 'Neet' – according to data published in August.The latest data from the Office for National Statistics suggested that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were Neet between April and June. That is about one in eight people in that age group.The final instalment of a major report by former minister Alan Milburn is expected to set out recommendations for tackling the problem in the coming weeks.How to protect your privacy while ensuring your CV gets noticed - Do not use your full address on your CV as this is no longer standard practice and raises unnecessary privacy concerns.- Do include your nearest train station or tube stop. This gives prospective employers enough geographic context to assess commute viability without revealing where you live.- Use a nearby postcode if you prefer. A local pub, gym or community centre postcode gives hiring firms' technology systems the data they need to place you geographically, without pinpointing your home address.- Avoid vague city names alone. 'London' or 'Birmingham' is not enough for modern search filters, especially for hybrid roles where commute distance matters.- Always state your working preferences clearly. Adding a line like 'Open to hybrid roles within 45 minutes of central London' gives employers useful context and helps technology systems used for hiring categorise you correctly.SAVE MONEY, MAKE MONEYUp to £250 cashbackUp to £250 cashback2.5% cashback when investing at least £2004.61% cash Isa4.61% cash IsaTrading 212: 1.01% fixed 12-month bonus£200 Sipp cashback£200 Sipp cashbackFund a pension with at least £20,000Up to £150 cashbackUp to £150 cashbackOpen a savings account with at least £5,000Welcome bonusWelcome bonusGet up to £200 when you invest £100Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Terms and conditions apply on all offers.