Expected salary is the most fundamental question in any job process and resumes writing. It is important because based on your response on mail or call, the company decides whether to move ahead with you or not.
Every company has a fixed salary range for each vacancy. If you fall within that range, they consider the further process. If not, they will talk to you and enhance the package if the employer seems productive,
So, the question is how to write the expected salary in a resume.
Guidelines to write the expected salary
First and foremost, write verified and exact information. In the expected salary, write the figure in comparison with the salary in the previous company. Don’t write something which does not make sense.
Please read the job description. Most of the companies provide their package in the job advertisement. Take a cue from there and write a range of expected salaries. Need to remember here, companies fix a budget for each new hiring, so be within the budget range.
If there is no mention of the salary range, increase ten to twenty percent and insert it in the salary column.
Do not mention perks, benefits, and other accolades. Always write a base package because perks and benefits differ from one company to another. They offer you benefits as per company rules.
Information about salary, perks, and benefits should be exact in the resume. It is so because you need to furnish a pay slip or bank statement as proof of the salary, either at the time of the interview or at the time of the joining.
The HR team thoroughly checks all the details, and if any mismatch occurs, you might be rejected.
Methods of writing salary expectation
One method is writing salary as negotiable. It means you are ready to discuss salary and other benefits as designation and prevailing market rates.
The second method is to write a range of packages after reading the job description or your own research of the prevailing salary in the market.
Placement
As per a resume specialist, to understand how to write the expected salary in a resume for the best outcome, write it after education, work experience, skill, and achievements columns. So, that employer can go through your skill and achievements before reading the expected salary.
Placing at the bottom is vital for decision-making. If the recruiter finds your skills and achievements perfect for a job role, he might also consider a little hike from the specific job role’s fixed budget.
Make a note of a couple of frequently asked questions about how to write the expected salary in a resume, such as where should be mention salary expectations in the resume? If the hiring manager asks for the expected salary, what will happen if I don’t share it on the resume? How does the given salary expectation affect the selection process? etc.
Review and finalize
Any professional communication should be correct in language and manner. Language should be formal and clear. Review everything and finalize the final text. Try not to mention the expected salary if there is no mention of salary in job description or mentioned salary as per the industry’s best practices.
Conclusion
The expected salary should be practical and logical. Do not give a figure without any connection and logic. The best practice is writing the expected salary based on the last drawn salary. For example: if your last salary was Rs. 35,000 per month, increase 10 to 20 percent above the salary, do not mention Rs.70000 or Rs. 80000 per month.
