Leave Unlisted Phone Number off Resume and Cover Letter?

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Shannon writes:

I would like to type a new cover letter for a couple of job openings. However, I have an unlisted phone number and would prefer not to put it on my resume or cover letter. I found the last time I applied for a new job that the companys had sold my resume to other companies, and I began receiving several unwanted phone calls. How would I handle something like this? I do work full-time and will list that number in the cover, but I am very reluctant to give me home number.

Someone at my work suggested using an e-mail address instead of a phone number. Is this the way to go? How would I word that into the cover letter?

The Career Doctor responds:

I can’t believe that any company would sell your resume to other companies — unless it was not a legitimate business or some kind of unethical recruiter.

Regardless, I think most experts would agree that when you are job-hunting, you cannot place any obstacles in your path, and while I am a big proponent of email communications, I believe that if you leave off your phone number you risk missing out on some opportunities.

If you are concerned about unwanted phone calls, you may want to get a screening device, such as an answering machine or Caller ID.