Should I Include Salary Requirements on My Cover Letter, Resume, or Application When Asked?

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I recently found myself baffled.


Yes, baffled.


I placed an ad with a prominent, industry-related newsletter seeking a few new, talented, certified resume writers to add to our team. One of the requirements of the application submission included submitting a few samples of previous work the writers had completed—and also a request that they submit their fee requirements. Of all the submissions we received, only one candidate included fee requirements in the cover letter. Shocking, considering this was directly addressed in the ad.



Now, I’m not sure why most of the candidates neglected to include this information; perhaps it was because they simply didn’t pay attention to the specifics in the ad—or maybe they were in such a hurry to apply, they merely forgot to include it—or what’s more, they may have been hesitant to include the information because they thought it might exclude them from consideration for the position.  Whatever the case may be, neglecting to include information specifically requested in a job ad is a surefire way to find yourself in the NO pile. I’m not trying to be harsh or exclusive; so let me explain the reasoning … from the point of view of a hiring manager …



First, most employers know from the start exactly what their salary range is for a particular position—and they know the maximum they can afford to pay someone to fill that position. It wouldn’t make sense to waste their time (or yours) interviewing for a position that pays $20,000 less than you would be willing to accept. Conversely, you could be investing your time interviewing for positions that are within your salary range instead of ones that are below it.  In my line of work, there is a massive disparity between the fees writers will accept. Some writers want hundreds of dollars per project—but some ask for significantly less. If someone requests more money than what we charge our clients per project, then obviously, this isn’t a good fit for either of us.



Secondly, forgetting to include this information shows a lack of attention to detail—or a failure to follow specific instructions. Neither bodes well as a strength for a potential new employee, and easily moves that person to the “not a perfect match” stack.



So here is my suggestion: be honest about what you want. You know what you can and cannot accept, and what salary you can and cannot live with. Don’t give an exact number; provide the prospective employer with a range. For example, say high 30s, low 40s. You don’t have to say $38,000 firm. And a range works well if you’re concerned about being removed from consideration for a position because of salary.



And for goodness sake, pay attention to the application requirements; and always provide information or answers to anything—and everything—they’re requesting. It shows that you can follow directions, pay attention to detail, and provide what they need.

 
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Evelyn no one is a fan of asking for a raise. It can be a very stressful event in one's career. However, if we don't ask for it, then our bosses figure that we are happy with the status quo. In the past raises were pretty much the standard at least once a year. Well, that's not true today. If you don't ask for a raise, you probably won't get one regardless of your job performance. Sit down and write down all of the reasons why you think you should get a raise and then schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss them. In addition, it's good to have a number in mind before you go in to discuss this. That way you will be able to negotiate. Don't take it personally if the answer is no. Companies are still holding tightly to the purse strings. Good luck Evelyn.

  • Evelyn L.
    Evelyn L. •

    I am not a fan of asking for Salary increase only through job performance

  • BILL T
    BILL T •
    Not a fan of salary requests. Shoot too high and you're gone.  Shoot too low and you're under-compensated.  It makes me distrust the company and puts me in a bad negotiating position from the beginning.  If the salary matches industry averages for the title, everyone should feel comfortable entering the interview.
  • Lori P
    Lori P •
    It is simply put an indecent approach by companies to lowballing candidates.The hiring manager/company SHOULD post the salary they are willing to pay and in so doing the applicant can make the choice to apply or not.Taking this approach better serves both parties in that the company knows all applicants are accepting of their posted salary AND all applicants know prior to applying if this is indeed an amount that is acceptable for them.The only remaining factors would be the normal vetting of candidates based on their experience and personality.
  • Diana C
    Diana C •
    There are several inconsistencies within the recruiting business, some companies look for key words that they like to see listed as part of a position but that are not necessarily part or needed for the actual job/position; making this a guessing game.MANY if not all the companies hiring and using those so “great”  applicant scanning of key words tools on a resume are violating the applicant’s right by asking applicants (prior to an interview of job offer)  personal information like: birthday, race, sex, year of high school graduation, and may other PERSONAL questions. By providing this information a possible employer can very easily calculate the applicant’s age, and that my friend…is discrimination and against the law!About salary requirements: The employer should list their salary; it is just simply the best way to save time. Once the applicant is able to see what the company is willing to pay, the applicant can decide whether or not to apply for that job. Employers that typically ask for salary without listing what they are willing to pay for a particular job are just playing with the applicants mind because they just want to employ you for the least amount of money they can get you…not very ethical!Furthermore, it is not easy for a person that has just relocated from a northern state to a southern state to feel comfortable listing his or her salary history on an application prior to an interview. Chances are that many of these applicants were earning 20K to 30k more when “up north” than what’s the average in the south for a particular job. Finding a job these days is a joke, it is all about who you know and not about what you can do.
  • Sandra L
    Sandra L •
    I am one of those recruiters/employment counselors--that if I ask for something, I expect to get it.  If an applicant does not follow through on giving me their salary, then that tells me the kind of person they are.  If the job seeker does not know how much to ask, then google the salary, title/position, & zip code.  Then put the salary range amount per hour or yearly.  Employers will call you, even if you show your salary a little higher then what they want to pay, if you use these flexible words such as seek, obtain, desire, prefer, salary expectations, i.e.  The employer may negotiate with you, on your salary to bring you aboard. Win/win all away around.
  • John F
    John F •
    This is an example of the contrary advice that's out there - a job seeker could go CRAZY trying to follow all these "words of wisdom".  Job seekers get eliminated because their salary requirements - or salary history - are too high or too low.  Case in point - another article on this very site: http://www.techcareers.com/articles/salary-negotiation-dos-and-don-ts-420-article.htmlIt is the EMPLOYER who knows what they're willing to pay for the job.  Applicants may be willing to accept a lower offer.  Also, an applicant who states their range in most cases can be guaranteed that the offer, if made, will be for the bottom of their range.  My question to the author is this - if the price point was so important to you, why did you not just publish it in your ad?  Not doing so merely puts your applicants in a needlessly defensive position, and does not bode well for their relationship with you as employer.When people are looking for information on something as crucial as their job search, and a site such as techcareers.com wants to have the reputation of being helpful, there has to be some moderation of content, so that people can find HELPFUL advice, rather that contradictory advice from the guru of the moment - with their whim of the moment.I would very much like to hear from the author, as well as the comments of other readers on this.

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