Contact details on a resume: name, email, phone and location done right
What belongs in the header of your resume, how to write each detail so it is easy to use, and the small mistakes that cost people callbacks.
By Avowly · Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 6 min read · How we write these
In short
- Use a clear name, a professional email you check daily, one phone number you answer and a city with its region.
- Keep the header as plain text in the main body of the page, with no photos, icons or boxes needed.
- Leave off private details and full addresses unless a form asks.
- Test your email, phone and links before you send.
The top of a resume has one job: let a recruiter reach you in the quickest and least confusing way. It sounds trivial. Yet missed calls, bounced emails and a name that is hard to read are some of the most avoidable reasons for silence after an application.
This guide goes through each part of the header and how to get it right.
Maya Fernandes
maya.fernandes@example.com
+44 7700 900123
Lisbon, Portugal. Open to relocating.
linkedin.com/in/your-name
Usually leave off
- Photo, unless asked or the local norm
- Date of birth
- Full street address
- Work or college email
Your name
Use the name you want to be called and the one that appears on your documents. If your legal name is long and you go by a shorter one, use the one you will give when you introduce yourself. If the two are very different, a recruiter who checks your documents later may be confused, so be ready to explain.
Make it the largest text on the page, in plain type, and put it in the main body of the page, not inside a box, an image or the page header area. Some systems skip those areas, and your name would vanish.
Do not add titles or qualifications after your name unless they are part of how you work, such as a professional registration that people in your field expect to see.
Older templates often start with a heading word, a title and a list of labels. Here is a header that had all three, and what it became:
Before
CURRICULUM VITAE. Name: Mr G. Hughes. Mobile: 07700 900123 / 07700 900456 (home).
After
Gary Hughes, plumbing and heating engineer, 07700 900123, gary.hughes@example.com, Swindon, Wiltshire
Why it works: His name became the heading and the second number went, because it was a landline no one answers in the day. The email and town were already lower down the page, so they moved up to sit with the phone.
Email address
This is the main way most employers will contact you, so choose with care.
- Use something professional. Your name, or a close variant, at a mainstream provider. Avoid nicknames, jokes and numbers that look like a birth year.
- Use an address you check every day. If you check it once a week, interview invitations may go cold.
- Do not use a work or college address. Access may end, and some employers monitor them.
- Check the spelling. One wrong letter means every reply goes to a stranger. Send yourself a test email from the exact address on your resume.
If your name is very common, add a middle initial or a short word, rather than a string of digits.
Before
danny_drives_fast99@example.com
After
daniel.okafor@example.com
Why it works: Same person, same provider, a new free address. The nickname and the number that looked like a birth year went, and what is left is the name a recruiter will type.
Phone number
Include a mobile number you answer, with a voicemail that sounds professional. If you are applying to another country or the job may be handled by a recruiter abroad, write the full number with the country code.
+44 7700 900123
Write the number in a consistent, readable format, with spaces in the usual places. Keep it on one line so it does not break across two. Do not list several numbers. Pick one.
Think about when you can answer. If you work shifts or cannot take calls during the day, say so in your message when you apply, or set up a clear voicemail greeting that invites a message. Then call back the same day; a recruiter with a shift to fill often rings the next person on the list.
Location
A city and region (state, county or province) is usually enough. A full street address takes space and shares more than needed, and most employers do not require it. Leave it out unless an application asks.
Location can matter, though, and it is worth thinking about. If you are applying to a company in another city and are happy to move, say so in the header or in your summary.
Before
12 Station Road, Flat 4B, Riverside Estate, Leeds LS6 2AB
After
Leeds, West Yorkshire. Moving to Bristol in March; available for interviews in person or by video.
Why it works: The street address went, since nobody needs it to call her. The move date and the interview line came from her own plans, and they answer the first question a ward manager in Bristol would ask.
If you are applying for remote work, say so.
Based in Toronto, available for remote roles
This saves a recruiter from guessing and from assuming you cannot work for them.
Links
Add a link to your professional profile and, where relevant, a portfolio or repository. Put them on the same line as your other contact details, or on a line just below. Which links to include, and what to check before you add one, is covered in links, LinkedIn and portfolio.
What to leave out
- A photo, unless the advert asks for one or it is the norm where you are applying.
- Date of birth, marital status and similar details, unless a form requests them. See the personal details guide.
- A full address, in most cases.
- Social media accounts that are not professional.
- Labels such as "Phone:" and "Email:" are not needed. The format makes each item obvious, and removing them saves space. If you prefer them, keep them short and consistent.
Layout and software
Keep the header as plain text in the main part of the document, in a single line or two short lines. Avoid icons in place of words, because some systems turn them into stray characters or drop them. Avoid putting your contact details in the page's header or footer region, where some programs skip.
A quick test: paste your whole resume into a plain text editor. Do your name, email and phone appear at the top in order? If they do, a program will probably see them too.
A final check
Before you send anything, do these three things.
- Call your own number from another phone and make sure it rings and the voicemail is clear.
- Send an email from your professional address to yourself, and then send one to a friend and ask them to reply.
- Click every link in the exported file.
It takes five minutes, and it removes the commonest reasons for a recruiter not reaching you.
Common questions
- Should I write my full address?
- Usually not. A city and region is enough, and a full address can be given later if a form needs it.
- Is it all right to use my current employer's email?
- No. It may stop working when you leave, and some employers read mail on their systems. Use a personal address.
- Do I need to write "Resume" or "CV" at the top?
- No. Your name is the heading. The reader already knows what the document is.
- What if I share a phone with family or cannot answer at work?
- Use the number you can answer most reliably, and record a short voicemail in your own voice with your name, so a recruiter knows they have the right person. If someone else may pick up, ask them to take a name and number rather than say you are busy.