What salary expectations should I include on my CV?

Salary expectations on your CV can be eliminatory, so it is very important to know what to include!

What is salary expectation?

THE salary claim is the payment what you want to receive when you are hired. It is exactly how much you believe your work is worth.

However, it should not be based solely on guesswork, but must correspond to market value.

However, beyond that, it must meet your needs as well and be in line with what you want to receive for performing certain tasks.

It is very important that there is a balance and approximation with the expectations of the company, market and employee.

Why does the company ask for a salary expectation?

Can I be dismissed depending on the salary expectations to put on your resume?

Look, in a way, this is not an unfounded insecurity. That's because companies use this information to know if what they have to offer corresponds to what the candidate wants to receive.

Therefore, if what the company can pay is far from what he asked for, it can choose not to continue with the selection process for this professional.

This ends up making the question or information eliminatory.

However, you should not place a value much lower than fair just for fear of not being selected.

Below, you will find some tips that will help you reach an amount that is suitable for both of you. Check it out!

How do I answer salary expectations on my CV?

Before you put what is yours salary expectations on resume or job application, it is very important that you know how to evaluate some points.

Even if you already have a job, it's also important to know what to say if you get a promotion, for example.

Check out the tips below!

1. Consider the market average

This is the first step, of course. You need to find out how much a professional in the same position earns.

You can check this information on websites like Glassdoor. Access the portal and click on “Salaries”. Then enter your profession and the city where you live.

When you click on search, the average salary for your area, the minimum and maximum, will appear.

Another way to find out what the market is paying is through job postings. Visit some job boards and search for opportunities in your area.

In addition to being able to find a job opportunity, you will also know what the average salary is in the market.

GLASSDOOR ➔

2. Consider your cost of living

Before defining what to put as salary expectations on the CV, you need to analyze your cost of living.

Your pay needs to be at least enough to survive and cover your main expenses, without reducing your quality of life.

Calculate your fixed and variable monthly expenses, see some examples below:

Fixed expenses: rent, water, energy, food, transportation, etc.
Variable expenses: entertainment, credit card bill, etc.

Ideally, your salary should be enough to cover your bills, that is, pay your bills on time and thus not have any hardships.

Of course, even if you earn a lot, you can go through difficulties if you don't control your spending and don't know how to manage your money.

However, initially you need to consider your fixed expenses and some variables when choosing the ideal remuneration.

In addition, it is very important to analyze whether the new job will generate any additional expenses, for example, food and travel. If the company does not bear this type of additional expense, you can include it in your salary expectations.

3. Talk to other professionals in the field

It can be a delicate issue, as some people don't like to say how much they earn.

However, it is important to talk to other professionals in the field and try to find out how much they earn.

Be delicate and adopt a non-invasive approach. If you are not familiar with the person, simply ask what the average salary of a professional in the field is.

If you are more intimate, you can be a little more direct, but without being invasive, in the same way.

4. Think about your experience

It is very important that your salary expectations match your experience. There are different salaries for the same position, which can vary depending on region, level of experience, functions, etc.

Be realistic and confident so you don't accept a salary below your experience.

5. Evaluate the benefits

There are other points to evaluate before placing a salary expectations on the resume.

The last ones we would like to highlight are: benefits that the company offers and possibilities for professional growth.

Even if the salary isn't the best initially, you know the benefits will ease the burden.

Furthermore, they realize that the situation is only temporary, as the company values the employee's professional growth, quality of life and a suitable work environment.

As a result, it is focused on always offering recognition and valuing employees.

Conclusion

Normally, salary expectations are not mandatory on the CV, only if the company requires it.

In this case, it is very important that you have an answer ready. Therefore, evaluate all the points mentioned above and define how much you want to receive.

You don't need to provide the exact amount, you can enter a range of amounts, for example: “A salary between R$1,000 and R$1,500 meets my expectations and needs well”.

Be firm when you speak and always maintain confidence, but be humble and flexible too.

If the company is interested in you, they can make a counteroffer and you can negotiate in a way that works for both sides.

Nara Sampaio June 2, 2022

Career