How Do I Write a Cover Letter with Salary Requirements?
Learning how to write salary requirements into a cover letter isn't too difficult; but, you must first understand whether the employer is seeking salary requirements or salary history. The words to clue in on are "requirements" and "history."
Salary requirements outline your needs or expected salary today. Jobseekers base salary requirements on a variety of variables; i.e. current salary and expected salary. Not sure which is right for you? Research typical salary requirements for the position you're currently holding as well as the one you're targeting. Compare the two salaries. You may be performing the exact same job at your present employer compared to those you're targeting; however, you may learn that you're underpaid or possibly even over-compensated at your current job. Listing expected salary into your cover letter needs only be one or two lines ... something like "My current position pays $30,000 base with additional stock options and other miscellaneous perks, therefore, my starting base for joining your company couldn't be lower than $42,000."
A salary history includes your starting and ending salary for each position, including commission, stock options, and so on. Since a salary history is in-depth, it抯 usually contained within a separate sheet rather than a cover letter. Incorporating a simple sentence, such as "My preliminary salary requirements are from $34,000 to $55,000, depending upon the benefit package offered by your company." could do the trick, but it's likely the hiring company is seeking more from you. You might note, "I抦 willing to discuss a different range, once we speak about the scope of the position."