Answering the Salary Question when Applying for a Job

Answering the Salary Question when Applying for a Job It’s the part of the resume and cover letter that many job seekers dread: the salary question. Imagine that the potential job opportunity looks wonderful; the tasks seem to correspond well with your experience, and it’s a company that has a great reputation. Upon further review of the advertisement, you notice the organization would like to know your salary requirements. As a job seeker, you may find this part of the application process to be troublesome. And, it is true that you certainly do not want to eliminate yourself from consideration based solely upon your salary requirements. However, if you view salary requirements from the employer point-of-view, they do make sense. For example, if an applicant must have a starting salary of $40,000 annually and the position cannot offer more than $30,000, it is best to know that information immediately. It avoids wasting time for both the employee and the employer. If you are interested in a job opening and do not want to restrict your salary negotiation ability, you need to be very careful when providing this information to the potential employer. I recommend using a variation of the following statement: As I seek to re-enter the workforce, my salary goal ranges between $30,000 and $35,000 annually. However, these requirements are flexible and I would consider the position, its challenges, opportunity for advancement, and benefits as part of the total compensation package. A statement like this provides flexibility with negotiating salary requirements and also shows that you are an adaptable employee. This statement above also shows that you can follow the directions in the job advertisement, something that many job applicants may not do when applying for a position. If the next job you seek asks for a salary requirement, don’t panic. Use an explanation similar to the one in this blog post and the potential employer will know you are serious about the opening within their company.