Why You Should Never Include Salary Requirements

Unless the potential employer has explicitly stated (within a job posting or advertisement or told you personally) that salary range is a requirement of application, you should never include your salary requests on your resume or within a cover letter. It is the surest and quickest way to knock yourself out of the running for any position. Salary should only be discussed during the interview process, which is generally considered the acceptable time and place to discuss compensation.
If an employer DOES ask for salary requirements with your application, list the information on the cover letter only – not on the resume. Within your cover letter, include a brief statement, generally second paragraph from the bottom of the letter. Be brief and to the point and always list a salary range, so you don’t appear unwilling to negotiate or price yourself out of a job.
As an example:

Given my direct experience and industry expertise, salary range is $65,000-$80,000 per annum; depending on benefits offered and is negotiable based on the scope of the position.
The above statement reiterates confidence in your ability to do the job; exhibits your willingness to be flexible for the right opportunity; and offers some leeway and negotiation in case your salary range is not inline with the employers’ budget. The mention of “depending on benefits” tells the employer that you are looking for a secure and long-term position. Given the cost of employee acquisition and training, this is good news to most employers.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Tracey Drake is the owner and Director of Operations of GradResumes.com. Tracey believes in the importance of educating new graduates regarding the importance of launching a career, and the value of their education and transferable skills to potential employers. GradResumes.com specializes in writing graduate resumes and college admission documents for high school students entering college, graduates seeking internship and post graduates entering the work world.