SINGAPORE: A woman recently shared on social media an intriguing piece of job-hunting advice her partner received from a career coach.
In a post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, on Sunday (Dec 8), she described how the coach recommended that her partner simplify his resume by listing his address as just “Singapore” rather than including details like the street name or postal code.
The coach warned that if he included those specifics, he ‘would be judged.’ “He then asked the person to elaborate, but he refused and said to just leave out details,” the woman said.
“To be clear, it was not overly specific, to begin with—just the street address and zip code, although I realize that zip codes in SG are specific enough that you can, in our case, narrow down the condo/apartment if you searched for it.”
Curious about the rationale behind the advice, the woman turned to the Reddit community to ask whether there were any positive or negative biases associated with where someone lives.
“What could this mean? And do you agree that it’s best to leave out details? Would it not look suspicious to just put ‘Singapore’?” the woman asked.
“Housing in Singapore reveals a lot about one’s socioeconomic status…”
In the comments, several Singaporean Redditors were puzzled as to why her partner even included his address on the resume, pointing out that it’s unnecessary for job applications.
One Redditor said, “It’s private info. Don’t put your address into your resume.”
Another commented, “Don’t put your address on your CV. And your gender, religion, political beliefs, nothing personal about you should be on your CV.”
Others suggested that while the career coach might not have fully explained it, the advice was likely aimed at helping eliminate any potential disadvantages on the resume.
One Redditor wrote, “Wonder if the general intent behind this advice is to leave out personal details (unless specifically requested) to avoid potential bias/distractions too early in the process, for whatever reasons. So that the focus stays on your skills/experience relevant to the role.”
Some also agreed with the coach that her partner might be judged if he included his address.
One Redditor explained:
“Housing in Singapore reveals a lot about one’s socioeconomic status. You’re correct that the postal code can reveal the apartment block where one lives, and whether it’s a condominium, executive HDB near an MRT station or rental flat, proves what they or their family can afford.
It’s possible that hirers assume residents of poorer neighbourhoods are uncouth or those from richer districts are snobby. While trivial, there are various stereotypes of each neighbourhood.
Most are memes and jokes, like Yishun being the Florida of Singapore, but it’s not worth the risk if an unprofessional recruiter used them to colour their judgement.”
Do you need to include your address on your resume?
According to Resume Genius, a website that gives out free career advice, adding your address on your resume is no longer necessary.
In the past, it made sense because employers would send job offers, interview details, or other correspondence through physical mail, so having a mailing address was essential.
However, with the rise of digital communication, the way hiring processes work has completely changed. Today, nearly all communication between employers and candidates happens through email, phone calls, or online job portals.
Still, some experts believe that you should still put in your address if you believe this will increase your chances of being hired, e.g., if you live close to the office or are currently in the same country.
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
