How to write contact information on your CV.

It is essential to include your contact information on your CV, it is common practise to add your contact details at the very top of your CV.

By providing correct and concise contact details, you make it easy for recruiters to get in touch about that all-important interview invitation.

What should be included in the ‘Contact Details’ section?

The following sections should be included as part of this CV section.

Name.

The recruiter only needs to know your first and last names. 

• Treat this as the title of the document. It should be in a larger, bolder font than the rest. 
• There’s no need to include your middle name unless you use it in daily life. 
• If you typically shorten your first name, then feel free to use this on your CV. Ensure that this short form is reflected in any social media accounts you provide.

Job Title.

If you include this, it should appear directly under your name. 

• Only add a job title if you have a specific professional identity, which is unlikely to change, e.g., Geologist, Senior Midwife, Project Manager, which matches the position you’re applying for.
• If you have a more varied or fluid professional identity or seek to change careers, don’t include a job title, as this could be confusing to recruiters.

Location.

You’re not expected to provide your full home address. Summarise your location by listing the town and the country/region. If you’re a resident in a different country to the employer, include that information too.

For example, when applying for a position with a UK-based employer:

• Altrincham, Cheshire
• Reigate, Surrey
• Ojen, Malaga, Spain

Mobile.

Although most recruiters will contact you by email, some may choose to call you directly. This is to clarify specific points or obtain additional details before deciding whether to invite you for an interview.

• If you have more than one mobile, give the details of the one you use most regularly.
• Keep it with you, fully charged, so that you won’t miss a call. 
• Recruiters won’t spend time trying to contact candidates who don’t pick up or whose phone is switched off.

Email.

Email is how recruiters will get in contact with you, typically.

• If you have multiple emails, provide the one you check most often.
• Reply to a recruiter’s email within a couple of hours or by the end of the working day.
• If this isn’t possible, ensure they have your reply in their inbox first thing the next morning.
• To create the right impression, ensure the name of your email is professional. You may use fun and creative words with friends and family (e.g., partygirl73@*mail.com), but these are unlikely to impress a recruiter.
• There are plenty of free emails to choose from. If possible, your email should be in a format such as: firstnamelastname@****.com or firstname.lastname@****.com

Social Media.

 Most recruiters will now search online to find out more about a candidate.

• Include your LinkedIn profile if you have one. Ensure it matches the information on your CV. Ask colleagues, past and present, to write references for you, highlighting your area of expertise.
• Facebook/Instagram. Only include these if you mainly use them for professional purposes.

What shouldn’t I include?

Specific details were often included in the past but are no longer needed or considered appropriate.

The contact details section of your CV should be, at most, four or five lines to help your recruiter know who you are and how to contact you quickly.