Salary Requirements in a Resume

I avoid putting past salaries on a job application. Leave 'em blank. Remember you are interviewing THEM for your services--don't think they are interviewing you. When they ask "what salary are you looking for?" I always put down "negotiable", because I want to hear them name a figure first. If they ask me face to face, I'll say something like, "Well of course I think my experience and talent are on the high end of the scale- but I'm interested in the position. What is the likely pay range?"

Avoid putting in a Salary if you can. I don't think it's right to ask a salary until the 2nd interview unless they bring it to topic.

I just had my resume professionally done...and she put my income for the last three years on my resume(I'm in sales, if this makes a difference). I still don't know how I feel about it. On one hand, I think it'll help weed out really low-paying entry level jobs, but on the other, I don't know if it helps, or if it will also weed out much higher-paying jobs. I kind of want to change it, not sure.

But if I were asked on an application what my requirements were, I'd definitely put an "optimistic" number.

That's what I was thinking. I just didn't want me resume to go immediately into the round file because I hadn't provided what they requested. I'm looking at Tech Writing jobs and the like.

Slappy - any luck with a professional resume? I'll write anything, but I hate resume writing and was thinking of getting someone to spruce it up a bit.

A position available should always have a salary ranking when it is put out. If I list a willing salary on a resume, it is within the range that the job is listed. If I don't like the range, I don't apply. If they don't list a range - then,

"Negotiable"

becomes the salary I put down. It follows instructions and shows that you are willing to look at a range.

I think they did an incredible job...she's right in Brookline, I can hook you up with the contact info.

I could have put one together myself, I had a few other people offer to help me out, my roomate, who looks at resumes all the time was skeptical because I was paying someone, but so far, everyone's who's looked at it told me it was good.

Salary issues should be left to the end of any interview process, not at the beginning. Leave it off, and write in Salary Negotiable. You should know what the a) salary range for your skill level and experience, b) what the range is in your area, and c) what your minimum requirement would be in the event you are offered the job. Before you accept the job, you also need to consider the value of all the benefits that comes with the job. c.i.

Slappy, can you PM me the info on the prof'l resume writer? Thanks!

http://editorial.careers.msn.com/articles/history/

Hope this URL comes through.

jes..sugar..send em over..Ill spruce em up if I can...no problem..just had to do mine anyway..blah!

Negotiable is always recommended
I have noticed more and more employers in the area not only not posting salary range for positions, but also asking for salary history as well from the get go. It seems to be changing a bit out there. Starting out by having right on your resume as negotiable, or even adding negotiable with considerations for benefits and location might give a helpful edge without going straight into the round file.
Actually, if someone is interested in you, they are interested in you and will not just file in the circular file...unless however your previous salary and/or expectations are not in their range. A bit of research goes a long way. See what is offered in the area <both city and suburb> and in your expertise...for a good starting point. Any good employer and interviewer wouldnt get into salary until the second interview-or awaiting the employer to bring it up and above are great ways to get around naming your price.
Unless of course they thought you were overqualified and that can be handled pretty well during a first phone conversation for those smart enough-an employer concerned about this should ask you/review the range, then no one has time wasted.
The way the market is in this area right now, they really should be trying to nail down more, I find it very interesting that more are keeping that open and among the unknown and asking for an employee range.
If you work with a recruiter however, that can all be handled before you even have to talk about it--and the recruiter of course is going to get you the most they can while fitting it in the employers range.

I was always paid fairly for the work I did. I got salary increases on the basis of my productive abilities - not what my starting salary was. c.i.

i took a marketing course some time ago where developing 'sniper' resumes was a big part of the final mark. salaries on resumes were no-no's. so far on the resumes i've developed based on that course, everyone's nailed the jobs they applied for. Extra work doing the set-up work, but it pays off. No salary mention on the resume itself, negotiable on the cover letter if you absolutely feel you have to prove you can follow rules (which is important if that's important to the job).

ehBeth, Following rules is important - most of the time. That's been my experience in performing interviews. One important aspect of interviews is to see if the applicant knows how to answer questions directly. If they continue to circumvent the question, we must assume that's how they'll do their jobs. c.i.

resume - no; interview - be direct, to the point and give them your answer. You know when someone is answering your question the way you want to hear the answer, they do to. Be smart and answer the question the way you truly is!

Yes, during an interview if it it brought up, you certainly should not circumvent that questioning as it is pretty much a part of what both are trying to accomplish. However, I dont believe that if an employer has not stated the salary range beforehand that when asked you should throw a number out first. Its perfectly acceptable to say you have a salary range in mind and hope that it could fall into the range they have budgeted for the position. If the employer at that point refers back without a number then you should feel confident enough in yourself and your research to state the facts you have on hand, while still not giving in to being locked into something certain.
At that part of the interviewing process both parties should be savy to the acceptable range of the position and aware of the interviewing employees abilities and previous history. Each has numbers in mind and if it hasnt been stated beforehand well, its up to the employer to make the offer, or the employee to ask for a range.
I think basically what Sugar is finding is that the ads in this area leave the field wide open. The amount of applicants for some employers is offering them the opportunity to allow this to happen while other employers would like to weed out those applicants.
The important thing is to go in knowing what you are worth along with what employers in the area are willing to pay for that. With that knowledge you certainly should be able to conduct yourself in an interview when salary comes up appropriately.
However, I have had experiences in recent years where the ad marketing and call to interview certainly put a question of salary range. Both were those employers looking to get everything for nothing due to the availability of employees in the marketplace more than usual, to the extreme really. It has a lot to do with knowing whats out there and those specific ads. Takes some experience to see it beforehand. I think due to this, Sugar has a good reason to question some of their practices.

Yeah... and often enough them's what give the interviews are just looking for questions. Just keep the point on what kind of work you can do for them.