Resume/Cover Letter Help Needed Please...

[T. Lynn]

I'm applying to several companies for Secretarial/Admin positions. It's been quite a while since I submitted cover letters. I do have some saved from when I went to business school.

One place is asking for resume with salary requirements. In my cover letter I was going to address this but I forget what I was told to put on cover letters.

Maybe something to the fact of salary being negotiable? Is there someone out there that could help me and shed some light on this? What would be a professional way to state this in the cover letter...at this point I need a part-time job.

 

[Pakey]

I can tell you from my experience that if I ask for salary information and it is not provided, I just toss those resumes into the reject pile. As someone who does a lot of interviewing/hiring, I don't want to waste my time (or the candidates) going through the initial process only to find out AFTER the fact that we are on different planets regarding wages. With the job market the way it is, there are a lot of candidates to choose from so I'm not going to pick through the applicants who won't give me the wage information.

 

[XYSRUS]

If they ask for salary requirements then they want your salary requirements. Don't put negotiable. They'll throw your resume in the garbage.

 

[corndog]

There are many ways to handle this. Some places will immediately toss your letter if you don't address it or simply say it's negotiable.

Generally I will say something like:

In response to your request for salary requirements, I am seeking a salary in the range of XXXX to YYYY, dependent upon full understanding of benefits , scope of the work required, job duties, hours available to me, etc.

The most common advice on the salary question is to give a range and make sure your range is in the neighborhood.

 

[T. Lynn]

I do understand that but it's hard to say. Without hearing all the details involved, I don't want to sell myself short or ask to much (being greedy either). I live in an area that doesn't pay much, if I travel a little north (30 miles) some places pay more and some don't.

That's why I don't know what to put. I don't want to sound greedy. I'd be willing to accept a certain amount to start out thus then again, maybe selling myself short if they actually pay higher.

What do you do???

 

[T. Lynn]

There are many ways to handle this. Some places will immediately toss your letter if you don't address it or simply say it's negotiable.

Generally I will say something like:

In response to your request for salary requirements, I am seeking a salary in the range of XXXX to YYYY, dependent upon full understanding of benefits, scope of the work required, job duties, hours available to me, etc.

The most common advice on the salary question is to give a range and make sure your range is in the neighborhood.

Thank you. That's what I was wondering about. I didn't know if it's ok to put a range, how to word it, ect... Plus, I didn't want to offend them by not putting anything at all because I'm willing to negotiate.

Since these are part-time positions, would you list it hourly wise?

 

[corndog]

Since these are part-time positions, would you list it hourly wise?

Yes.

Good luck!

 

[T. Lynn]

Thanks everyone for their help. I had a phone interview last week, a follow up regular interview yesterday and was called today and offered the job.

I'm so happy!!!

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Thanks everyone for their help. I had a phone interview last week, a follow up regular interview yesterday and was called today and offered the job.

I'm so happy!!!

Congratulations!!!