How To Include Salary Requirements in Your Cover Letter

Listing salary requirements in a cover letter can be difficult. What do you need to know about how to handle this delicate matter and get the best salary offer?

BROWSE EXAMPLES Build my cover letter

OUR USERS HAVE BEEN HIRED BY

Salary Requirements in Cover Letter Example

Salary Requirements Cover Letter

When writing a cover letter, you may encounter the question of salary requirements. Understanding how to discuss your desired salary is an important part of answering job interview questions, and in some cases writing a cover letter. How can you get the best salary offer without making the hiring manager pass you over immediately? Here’s what to know about including salary information.

Create Your Cover Letter

When To Include Salary Requirements in Your Cover Letter?

You should only include salary requests in your cover letter if the job description specifically requires it. It can seem extremely presumptuous and rude to begin including salary requirements for a job posting that hasn’t asked about this information yet. If they don’t include this information in the job description, you shouldn’t talk about it. However, it is still a good idea to know what your ideal overall compensation package is, as well as consider what your salary request will be if your prospective employer asks.

Tips for Wording Salary Requirements in a Cover Letter

How do you discuss your pay scale without making your salary range a deal breaker? Here are a few tips you can use to talk about your salary expectations:

Always indicate negotiability. You should state a higher salary followed by a phrase like “Negotiable considering additional benefits.”
State that benefits and compensation packages may make your salary requirements more flexible. This indicates that depending on the benefits, you may be willing to take a lower salary.
Remind the hiring manager that they made the request. Phrases like, “As per your request” or “As you requested in the job posting,” ensures that your potential employer doesn’t think you’re being rude.
Add the salary requirements at the end, right before your closing statement. You should put forward all the reasons you’re more qualified than other job seekers, then include the salary that meets your qualifications, skill level and years of work experience.

These tips can make it easier for you to talk about your salary requirements. Additionally, using the ResumeHelp cover letter builder can also help. You can find cover letter examples and sample cover letters that will best present your information.

Create Your Cover Letter

How To Get the Best Salary Without Pricing Yourself Out of the Market

Understanding the best salary you can get is complicated. The job market is a complex beast, and if you ask for too much, you run the risk of your job search ending before it can even begin.

First of all, understand your own certifications. The more work experience and education you have, the more you can request as part of your salary. An entry-level job offer in a field requiring no training or experience will have a lower salary history than an entry-level job that requires a bachelor’s degree, for example. If you have years of experience and education in addition to your skill set, you will be able to request more.

From there, do your research. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an entire page giving you information on the average salary in over 800 different jobs, including in different geographic locations. You can also look at any information the company itself has posted regarding salary and benefits. Internet searching terms like “[Job] salary” can also help you find numbers.

When you do come up with a number, aim for the high end of the spectrum. By aiming high and indicating flexibility, there are two options: the company accepts your offer, giving you the higher pay you were requesting, or the company offers a counter-offer, which will be higher than if your initial request had been right in the middle. Understanding this hiring process is important for negotiating effectively. You should also have the lowest salary in mind, which should be a number that you absolutely can’t go lower than.

Create Your Cover Letter

FAQ: Salary Requirements Cover Letter

Q: Can I avoid listing salary requirements in the cover letter?

If the job description requests that you put salary requirements in your cover letter, you should do it. Otherwise, the recruiter will assume that you don’t know how to follow directions, and you might end up passed over because of it. Additionally, you’ll probably end up having to make your salary request anyway, and determining your preferred salary early is always a good thing.

Q: Do I need different salary requirements depending on my geographic location?

Sometimes, yes. Your salary will change depending on the cost of living, and the cost of living may change dramatically depending on where you live. Think about what the cost of living is like in your area before you settle on a specific salary request. If your cost of living is high, your salary requests should probably also be high.

Q: How do I defend my salary requirements in an interview?

When a potential employer asks about your salary requirements in an interview, there are a few things to discuss. First, you should indicate that career experts mention the salary that you’re asking for. Directly mention where you got your information. Then, defend your skills and talents. Talk about why you’re worth this salary.

Move your cover letter to the top of the yes pile!

Build my cover letter