What do you say when a job ad asks for cover letter, resume and *salary requirements*

[PingSpike]

Just tag "negotiable" in there or what?

 

[SVT Cobra]

Add what you expect to be paid. If they want you they will use this figure to work down from, so making it a bit higher can't hurt. At least in my experience. I guess it also depends on the job.

 

[mugs]

Do you already have a good job or not?

 

[spidey07]

"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: mugs
Do you already have a good job or not?

Its no longer good enough. Lets just put it that way.

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: spidey07
"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

i thought salary.com is not accurate and often inflated. its certainly shows a higher number than what I currently make.

i'm acutally looking too and got a call from a company's internal recruiter. He asked for my current salary and i told the truth. hope i didn't screw myself over with them later offering slightly more than what i make now.

 

[spidey07]

Maximus, salary.com is very accurate.

Expect them to come back with an offer almost identical to the number you gave. You can push for 20-25% more than you make as that's customary encouragement to jump.

Whenever you change jobs that is THE time to up your salary by big, huge chunks.

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: spidey07
"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

i kinda disagree.

put down what you think you should be paid.

if you put down a figure and you really exceed their budget, you dont want to be wasting your time interviewing.

if you put down a low number, and they decide to hire you, you can always try to negotiate more and see what their threshold really is.

safest thing of course is to put down a range. if they make an offer at the lower end, explain that after learning more about the position, you believe the salary should be closer to the higher figure.

you dont want to be filtered by HR out of an interview just because you didnt provide salary requirements.

 

[MixMasterTang]

I ALWAYS put down a number so I don't waste my time with an interview only find that the position can only pay half of what I would accept. There are quite a few jobs out there that don't pay very well but they are restricted by the company to only pay in a certain range. If you find yourself in a similar situation I would state that you would be looking for a Salary of X (aiming high) but put that you are negotiable based upon work work duties, schedule, benefits package and travel requirements (or something along that lines).

 

[MixMasterTang]

Originally posted by: Maximus96

Originally posted by: spidey07
"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

i thought salary.com is not accurate and often inflated. its certainly shows a higher number than what I currently make.

i'm acutally looking too and got a call from a company's internal recruiter. He asked for my current salary and i told the truth. hope i didn't screw myself over with them later offering slightly more than what i make now.

Like spidey said below most people get a 20-25% increase in pay for changing jobs, so being honest about your current salary isn't a bad idea. You can always mention to them that your yearly bonus is due in 2 months and your annual review is just weeks away and you couldn't take a position only offering a 10% increase because of these things. You also never want to seem like you need or really want to change positions or that you have an extreme dislike for your current position, that can keep the offer low as well.

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: spidey07
"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

Bingo...that's what I reply with (or words to that effect) when this subject comes up prior to actually being offered a job.

 

[SamurAchzar]

Time to be honest with yourself, isn't it.
Lacking any concrete info, I'd just write whatever seems acceptable to me as well as a good rise over what I'm currently making.

A range doesn't seem like the best idea for me, you have to sound decisive.

I like to get the salary thing as soon as possible just to avoid wasting time for the parties involved. Also, when you demand high salary (which I do) you get treated differently along the process (they take you more seriously, for better and worse).

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: spidey07
"salary that is market competative with responsibilities and duties"

never, ever give a number first.

salary.com should be able to provide you an accurate number.

To expound on this.

Start with Salary.com. Figure out what they suggest.

Then, take a RANGE around what the Salary.com number gives. For instance, if Salary.com gives $55k, then put something like:

$45-60k, depending on duties & responsibilities, as well as total compensation package

 

[XZeroII]

"The CEO of your company is being paid $1.4 million/year. I'd like something near that"