Start With Reachability, Not Decoration
The header is a handoff system, not a branding exercise. A reviewer needs to identify the candidate, choose a working contact channel, understand any location information relevant to the role, and open a small number of useful professional destinations. Indeed’s guide, updated June 15, 2026, likewise places name and contact details at the top and explains the practical purpose of phone and email in its current contact-information overview.
Use ordinary selectable text. Decorative icons can accompany labels, but they should not be the only signal. A polished header that loses the email address when copied to plain text is not ready to send.
Use the Required, Optional, or Remove Field Board
| Field | Default decision | Quality check |
|---|---|---|
| Professional name | Include | Matches the identity used across the application and interview calendar. |
| Email address | Include | Monitored, professional, and typed correctly. |
| Phone number | Include when the employer may call | Correct country code when relevant; voicemail can accept messages. |
| City and state or region | Include when location helps explain availability | No unnecessary street address or conflicting relocation claim. |
| LinkedIn, portfolio, or GitHub | Optional | Relevant, public, current, and labeled with visible text. |
| Photo, birth date, marital status, government ID | Usually remove unless an application specifically and lawfully requires it | Keep sensitive application fields out of the resume by default. |
For the privacy and location tradeoff, use the resume-address decision guide. It separates a useful city or region line from an unnecessary full street address.
Choose a Location Line Without Publishing a Street Address
Location wording should clarify the application, not create a promise you cannot keep. Use a current city and state, a broader metro area, or a truthful relocation note when it matters to the role. For a remote job, the posting may still care about country, state, time zone, or work location because of payroll and scheduling constraints. Do not use “remote” as a substitute for your actual eligibility or availability.
Location patterns
- Local role: Raleigh, NC
- Metro-area commute: Greater Chicago Area
- Confirmed move: Relocating to Denver, CO · October 2026
- Remote role: Austin, TX · Central Time
Use only a relocation date or work arrangement you can explain consistently in the application form and interview.
Format Email, Phone, and Links for Real Handoffs
- Email: use a stable personal account you check. Avoid a current employer’s address and remove distracting nicknames when practical.
- Phone: use one reliable number. Set a clear voicemail greeting and check that the mailbox is not full.
- LinkedIn: shorten and label the URL only after the public profile is accurate; the LinkedIn placement guide covers URL cleanup and consistency.
- Portfolio: add it when the destination answers a hiring question. The portfolio guide explains how to lead the reviewer to a relevant sample.
Do not crowd the header with every social profile. One strong destination is better than several links that repeat the resume or expose unrelated personal material.
Copy Three Contact Header Patterns
Maya Chen
Raleigh, NC · (919) 555-0148 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/mayachen
Jordan Patel
Seattle, WA · [email protected] · (206) 555-0172 · github.com/jordanpatel
Avery Brooks
Relocating to Boston, MA · September 2026 · [email protected] · (312) 555-0184
Contact Me
Icon-only email and phone, a full street address, two personal social accounts, and an untested QR code.
Students and first-time applicants can keep the same simple structure. The no-experience examples hub shows how the header sits above education, projects, volunteer work, and other entry-level proof.
Keep the Resume and Application Record Consistent
| Record | Must agree | May differ when intentional |
|---|---|---|
| Resume | Reachable email, phone, and professional identity | Short location line and selected links |
| Application form | Name used for the application and current contact channels | Legal or payroll fields when explicitly requested |
| LinkedIn or portfolio | Recognizable identity, current role direction, and dates | Longer biography and broader work samples |
| Interview calendar | Display name and monitored email | Scheduling time zone and availability details |
Consistency does not mean publishing every private field everywhere. It means a recruiter can move from resume to application to interview without wondering whether the records belong to different candidates.
Diagnose Six Contact-Block Failures
- One-character typo: the email or phone looks plausible but cannot reach you.
- Image-only header: the design hides contact text from copying and plain-text review.
- Broken public link: the URL redirects, requests access, or opens an unfinished profile.
- Conflicting location: the resume, application, and profile imply different availability without explanation.
- Employer channel: a current work email or shared work phone exposes the search and may stop working.
- Too much private data: the header publishes a street address or personal identifiers that do not help contact you.
After export, use the attachment checks in the ATS-friendly format guide to confirm the contact line stays selectable and in reading order.
Match the Header to the Application Path
Review the posting and application form before finalizing the file. Confirm the location language, required country code, portfolio relevance, and any employer-specific instructions. The job description should influence which optional link earns space; it should not cause you to invent a location or contact channel.
Check the full resume against the posting
Compare the document with one job description so the optional links and location context support the same application story as the experience and skills.
Match Resume to Job arrow_forwardRun the Contact Handoff Check
- Send a test email to the address from another account.
- Call the phone number, listen to the greeting, and confirm voicemail capacity.
- Open every link in a signed-out browser and on a phone-sized screen.
- Copy the exported header into plain text and verify name, email, phone, location, and labels stay intact.
- Compare the resume header with the application form and interview calendar.
- Remove any field that adds privacy risk without helping the employer reach or evaluate you.
Scan the words beyond the header
Once the contact handoff works, scan the rest of the resume for missing role terms. Contact details help the employer reach you; evidence earns the call.
Scan Resume Keywords arrow_forwardFrequently Asked Questions
What contact information should be on a resume?
Use a professional name, a monitored email address, a reliable phone number when employers may call, and a useful city, state, region, or truthful relocation line. Add LinkedIn, a portfolio, or GitHub only when the destination strengthens the application.
Should you put your full address on a resume?
A full street address is usually unnecessary for a U.S. resume. A city and state, metro area, or relevant relocation note often gives the employer enough location context while sharing less private information.
Can you leave your phone number off a resume?
You can choose email as the primary channel, but leaving off a phone number may make interview scheduling harder when an employer calls candidates. Follow the application instructions and use a number you can answer or monitor reliably.
Where should contact information go on a resume?
Place it at the top in ordinary selectable text near your name. Keep the reading order clear, use visible labels or URLs for links, and test the exported file by copying it into plain text.