Salary History Protocol

[wordsmith]

I've only interviewed for a one position that required a salary history/salary expectations be given, and that had a totally online application, so it was just a matter of filling it in in the given blank.

But now I'm sending in a resume/cover letter for a job where they just want them attached, fine, cool. But my resume doesn't have my salary history on it, and I can't add it. I only have it on this computer (work, Apple) as a PDF, and it was created in a PC program I don't have on this computer. Plus, I wouldn't want to redo it anyway, b/c I like how it looks.

Is it unheard of to include this information in the cover letter or as a separate attachment?

[SpaceMonkey]

A separate attachment sounds fine to me. Whenever I have read a job ad that says "include a resume with salary history" I have always thought of the salary history as separate. I've never had to provide such a history, but I've seen mock-ups where the salary history sort of duplicates the employment history section of the resume, but instead of listing job responsibiliites and accomplishments under each entry, you just provide the final (or starting and final) salaries.

[wordsmith]

How do you even phrase it?

Seriously, the only time I've been asked for it, it was just a fill in the blank.

[J-girl]

Is there anyway you can add a sentence in the cover letter saying "please find attached my salary history" or something along those lines??

[cache]

It is best to have it seperate, otherwise, if it is on your resume, you immediately quantify your previous jobs.

Like a reference page, use the same header as your resume, and put
Salary History
Job A $30,000/year
Job B $24,00-27,000/year
Job C $19,000/year

that's it. And only list the jobs that are listed on your resume. Usually, the salary history is only to have somewhere to start when negotiating salary, and to make sure your salary is in line with what you claim were your responsbiliities at a job.

The only thing is, keep it consistant - if you had an hourly position and a salaried position, convert them to salary. Unless you are applying for a position that is typically hourly(skilled craft), it should be in annual salary.

[wordsmith]

I've only had two jobs. Won't that look stupid on an entire attachment on it's own? Both were salaried. Oh, and also, the first of those goes back almost seven years ago. I don't remember what I made. Ballpark, yes. But not exactly. Is estimating wrong?

[CTGirl]

I would put it in with your cover letter, we have people do that all the time. It doesnt have to be a fancy chart or anything either. Often, it's just a sentence or two saying "in my past employment, I earned X amount" or something to that effect.

Don't stress about it, they just wanna know if you're in their price range.

[cache]

Originally Posted by wordsmith

I've only had two jobs. Won't that look stupid on an entire attachment on it's own? Both were salaried. Oh, and also, the first of those goes back almost seven years ago. I don't remember what I made. Ballpark, yes. But not exactly. Is estimating wrong?

First, I don't think it would look stupid...I see it on a regular basis. However, in that case, it might just be easier to mention your current salary in your cover letter. If they asked about it, you can easily explain why any other data is irrelevant.

Estimating wrong? No, I don't think so, unless you "estimate" your current salary. If you had to I would just put "25,000(est.)"

...this is just my opinion from the thousands of resumes I've seen....I think every HR person is different, though...so for someone else, what I said could be way off from what they want. I am more picky about grammar and ease of finding information than things like how the salary history is listed...

[weary]

i don't know how the request was worded, so i can't be certain, but i think that simply including it in your cover letter is fine. i've never asked for or seen a chart/separate attachment from candidates. that's what the application form is for. my vote is to just put it in the letter that you send in with your resume, assuming this is your first point of contact and you weren't specifically asked for it in another format.

good luck!

[wordsmith]

Yeah, it's just from a job posting, and said at the end of the descriptor and prerequisite skills, "please include a salary history."

[wordsmith]

Originally Posted by CTGirl

Don't stress about it, they just wanna know if you're in their price range.

Ahahahahahahahahah. I guarantee I'm in their price range.

If anything, I hate including salary history, because I'm a journalist, before that I worked in nonprofit, and neither pays squat. People see what I've been living on and figure it's a license to lowball me b/c anything will look good compared to that pittance.

[pisces2473]

Originally Posted by wordsmith

Ahahahahahahahahah. I guarantee I'm in their price range.

If anything, I hate including salary history, because I'm a journalist, before that I worked in nonprofit, and neither pays squat. People see what I've been living on and figure it's a license to lowball me b/c anything will look good compared to that pittance.

Oh no...not this, Jessie. Come on, you know you've been quoted a salary where the LOW end was HIGHER than your HIGH end. It could happen again. Not everyone wants to get you.

[wordsmith]

Oh, wait...didn't GET that job.

This is for nonprofit, anyway, so it's not going to pay anywhere near what that other one did, and I'm really kind of tossing off an app with low expectations, anyway, because it's for a position I have zero practical experience in...grantwriting.

[pisces2473]

I know. And I'm sorry if that brought up any bad thoughts.

I just don't like you being defeatist!