這是一個讓所有求職者討厭的問題：你的薪水要求是多少？如果你正在應聘的職位首先要求你回答這個問題，你該怎麼辦呢？
一般來說在你傳送履歷的時候詢問薪資要求的僱主通常使用這個資訊來篩選出合適的申請者。“如果成千上萬的人申請那個職位，他們就會尋求所能找到的所有理由來篩選簡歷。”紐約市DBM人力資源諮詢公司的Christopher Elmes解釋說。
如果你要求的太多，他們就不會讓你參加競爭；但如果要求的太少，你自己可能最後不得不忍受過低的薪水。關鍵是不要太過具體的直接回答這個問題。請遵循以下的訣竅：
提供一個薪水範圍
提供一個薪水範圍而不是給出一個具體的數額，的Mike Worthington建議說。請記住在得知這個職位的詳細職責和僱主的收益之前，你不可能給出一個精確的答案。“要考慮許多因素，例如健康保險包括的範圍，通勤，401k條款（美國的養老計劃），兒童保育和假期，”Worthington說，“這涉及到許多在職位描述中找不到答案的因素。”
你可以向未來的僱主解釋這些，同時可以用一個簡單的句子來提供你希望的大致要求，就像這樣：“我要求的薪水範圍是xx美元到xx美元，根據這份工作的責任和整體回報來定。”那樣，你仍然有很大的空間在瞭解到更多關於這份工作的知識後來談判。
Worthington推薦在你的求職信中提到薪水要求，而不是在一份獨立的文件中提供它們。你可以將它們放在靠近對你如何給公司帶來價值的解釋那一部分，這能有助於證明你的要求是正當的。
研究你的薪水
但首先要對薪水情況進行研究以提供比較現實的數額。看看那個城市或城鎮中相同經驗、類似工作的報酬是多少。“不要在沒做你的家庭作業，大概知道這個職位的報酬和你的理性預期回報之前回答這個問題，”Elmes說，“不知不覺地被套容易給你帶來麻煩。”
薪水助手能提供有幫助的資料。Worthington說打電話給公司問薪水方面的資訊也不會太麻煩。與為那個公司的朋友談一談也可能有幫助。“就像做偵探工作一樣，”他解釋說，“其中很多工作就是問正確的問題。”如果你向一個招聘者詢問，那麼關於僱主的預期他可能會知道得更多。
你的底線應當比你真正的`最低要求稍高。“那樣能帶給你更多的談判力量和靈活性。”Worthington說。你的最高要求要比較理性。“一些公司說他們提那些問題就是希望得到誠實和理性的回答。”Elmes說。
薪水要求與薪水記錄
如果僱主具體的問及你的薪水記錄而不是薪水要求，你可以在簡歷中列出的每項工作後新增那條資訊。但是如果你遷移到一個新的城市，市場價和生活費用都與以前不同，那麼就要小心提供這些數字。你可以在求職信中解釋這些不同，或者說因為你遷移到一個更昂貴的城市，你更願意在面試時談薪水要求。
“現實是，如果一個公司或者招聘機構看到一份對職位來說難以置信的簡歷，無論如何他們會打電話給那個人。”紐約和新澤西的Gilber Career Resumes公司的Marty Weitzman說。
如果他們不在開始時問你的薪水要求的話，不要提及。“你想做的最後一件事才是談薪水，”Weitzman說，“你首先希望他們愛上你。如果他們對你希望很多，他們也會樂意付給你很多。”
Salary Requirements
How to Respond with Confidence
It"s the question many job applicants dread: What are your salary requirements? If you"re responding to an ad that asks for this information up front, what should you do?
Employers who ask for salary requirements when you send your resume generally use the information to weed out potential candidates. "If thousands of people are applying for the job, they"re looking for every excuse they can to filter the resumes," explains Christopher Elmes of human resources consulting firm DBM in New York City.
If you ask for too much, you"ll take yourself out of the running. But ask for too little, and you could doom yourself to a salary that"s too low. The key is to respond forthrightly to the question without being overly specific. Follow these tips.
Offer a Salary Range
Instead of giving a specific number, provide a salary range, suggests Mike Worthington of . Remember that it"s impossible to give an accurate answer before you know the details about the job"s duties and employee benefits. "A lot of factors have to be considered, such as healthcare coverage, the commute, 401k, child care and vacations," Worthington says. "There are so many factors involved that aren"t going to be answered in a job description."
You can explain this to the prospective employer while still providing a general idea of what you"re expecting in a simple sentence like this: "My salary requirement is in the $xx to $xx range, based on the job responsibilities and total compensation package." That way, you still have plenty of room for negotiation after you learn more about the job.
Instead of providing salary requirements in a separate document, Worthington recommends mentioning them in your cover letter. There, they will be next to key bullet points explaining how you can bring value to the company, which helps justify what you"re asking.
Research Your Salary
But first, do your research to provide some realistic numbers. See how much similar jobs with your level of experience are paying in that city or town. "Don"t respond to an ad without doing your homework and knowing roughly what the position pays and what you could reasonably expect in terms of compensation," says Elmes. "It"s getting caught unaware that can get you into trouble."
The Salary Wizard can provide helpful data. And Worthington says it can"t hurt to call the company and ask for salary information. Talking with friends who work for that company also may help. "It"s like detective work," he explains. "A lot of it is asking the right questions." If you"re working with a recruiter, he is likely to know a lot more about the employer"s expectations.
Your bottom end should be slightly higher than your absolute minimum. "That gives you some more negotiating power and flexibility," says Worthington. And be reasonable on your top end. "Some companies say they put that question in because they want to see honest and reasoned responses," says Elmes.
Salary Requirements vs. Salary History
If the employer specifically asks for your salary history rather than salary requirements, you can add that information to your resume at the end of each of your job listings. But be very careful about providing these numbers if you"re moving to a new city with a different marketplace and cost of living. You can explain this difference in your cover letter or mention that because you"re moving to a more-expensive city, you"d prefer to discuss salary requirements at your interview.
"The reality is, if a company or a recruiting firm sees a resume that looks incredible for the job and it doesn"t include the salary, they"ll probably call that person anyway," says Marty Weitzman of Gilbert Career Resumes in New York and New Jersey.
And if they don"t ask about your salary at the beginning, don"t bring it up. "The last thing you want to do is to talk salary," says Weitzman. "You want them to fall in love with you first. If they want you a lot, they"ll be willing to pay you more."