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bmarigoni · Jan 25, 2008, 08:55 AM

The question on every job application : Desired Salary. What is the correct answer? Should you leave it blank, suggest that you are "open to negotiation"? Answer with what you feel you are worth, or what the job is worth? I've never known proper etiquette for this.. any ideas?

michealb · Jan 25, 2008, 09:37 AM

I hate that question. You feel always feel if you put too high you won't get a call back and if you put to low you feel you got suckered once you find out how much everyone else makes. I prefer to call the hiring manager and ask what the salary range is that they are willing to pay and then put something in that range if I still want it for that range. If I can't find out the range I put 10% over what I ideally want for the job. Of course I've also applied for things I wasn't interested in and told them what I thought was an insane salary range and still gotten call backs so its hard to say.

Fr_Chuck · Jan 25, 2008, 10:28 AM

I have always left it blank or just put open for discussion. Never had a problem on doing that.

Alkali · Jan 28, 2008, 10:01 PM

My rule of thumb is don't apply for a job you really don't want. Then on the application take the minimum amount you'd be willing to take (probably low because you found a job you really want) then ask for 15-20% more.

They'll want to knock your number down and they'll feel happy when they do. You'll be happy because you didn't go over the top and got the job you wanted.

If you give a number too low then they might not consider you or put you in a lower position with little room to advance. Too high no consideration. No number then they start at their wage and you have to negotiate upward. The last choice is the option of many... but I'm not that good at negotiating.

happy711 · Feb 4, 2008, 05:59 PM

I learned about this is school. The teacher told us to always put negotiable.

wewed100606 · Feb 4, 2008, 06:04 PM

I would recommend happy711's answer. Negotiable or Open are good answers that never backfire... that is unless the person hiring you is a lot better at negotiating than you :-)

vingogly · Feb 4, 2008, 09:39 PM

I agree that Open or Negotiable are good answers if you can use them on a form... if you're applying online, many sites these days require you to enter a numeric salary requirement or select a range from a list. I find Salary.com useful in those situations (for jobs in the USA), since you can enter the job title and your zip code and it will return a salary distribution curve. Specifying a salary near the mean for your area is a safe bet in most cases (go low if you have little experience, go high if you have a lot of experience or special skills).

one40 · Oct 30, 2008, 07:01 AM

What should be my answer for this. Desired salary?

one40 · Oct 30, 2008, 07:05 AM

What should I put on my application. For this,desired salary.

vingogly · Oct 30, 2008, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by one40

what should i put on my application. for this,desired salary.

See answers above.

cestbienca · Jun 21, 2010, 11:26 AM

Where should I write that salary desired on the Cover letter or on my resume?

whiteda2 · Oct 11, 2010, 10:23 AM

I once put "$1,000,000" as my answer. Of course, I already HAD that job. I was just temorarily filling in for my dad. I don't know how an employer would take that answer. Maybe the employer will think you're a goof-off and not call. Maybe the employer will think you're ambitious and call you. I've been with my employer for 8 years now, and I put "negotiable" on my application.

flipsider · Jan 29, 2011, 03:40 PM

When they ask me about this, I answered them with what I was receiving with my last employer. I immediately got the job. It all depends on the company that you have applied if they are as big as your previous employer. The bigger the company the bigger salary range they give.

pready · Jan 30, 2011, 10:06 AM

You should research the job you are applying for and the company you are applying at to determine what range the job salary range is at that company. For example if the company range is $40,000 to 50,000 a year and you say you want $75,000 a year you will not get the job. You need a good idea of what the company will pay before you can say how much salary you want. If you say you want more than the company will pay you will not get hired. Also if you say you want less than th company pays you will not be getting market value for your salaray. You just have to be realistic in your salary range to give you the best opportunity to get the job you are applying for.

rcvfl_08 · Oct 25, 2011, 12:28 PM

I know the best answer is "negotiable" but half the time it doesn't give you that option.. you have to select from the options which are numbers ranged from a certain amount!. :/

Big_Moolah · Dec 10, 2011, 06:51 AM

I always put six billion dollars... could be why Im just a manager at Kmart though lol...

ELLE143 · May 15, 2012, 02:06 PM

What about when entering an online application that requires a $ amt? You know the ones with the little star that doesn't let you move fwd with out an actual amt...

margie574 · Jul 17, 2012, 09:46 AM

I put negotiable, the hourly rate that I want or I have right now but still cannot go through the application. Always says the desired pay contains an invalid value. I don't know what they wants to hear from me...

margie574 · Jul 17, 2012, 09:49 AM

I also leave it blank but it says its mandatory lol...

AnaNguyen · Sep 8, 2012, 02:59 PM

On my job appplication I have to pick a number 10,000 and up. I don't Know what to put?