What can you do when a potential employer asks you to include your salary history on your application for employment?

Many employers request this information in order to screen out individuals whose salary history is well below or above the range they are willing to pay their employees. Other employers are looking to pay the candidate a lower salary and are looking for potential employees who fall into the lower salary range.

There are several ways to respond to an employer that is requesting your salary history. Here are some tips and strategies that can help you successfully and gracefully respond to such a request.

Acknowledge the Request

It is important to acknowledge the employers request. You can do this on your resume or in your cover letter or both. A simple statement such as “In response to the request for my salary history, I would be happy to discuss this information during the interview process.” Or “With regards to the request for my salary history I would prefer to discuss this information at the time of my interview.

Gracefully Dodge

Postpone answering the question if you can. The goal is to successfully obtain an interview and meet the prospective employer. Once you have gotten your foot in the door you have ample opportunity to sell yourself. Many times a potential candidate for employment looks great on paper but does not impress an employer during the interview process. You want to be able to look great on paper and impress the employer. Once you have done this your previous salary history may not be as important to the employer as they may have originally thought. Professionalism and tact are critical when responding to a potential employer’s request for your salary history.

Provide a Salary Range

If the question is present on the company’s application form and you simply have to fill it out prior to your interview provide the potential employer with a salary range rather than a specific number. Don’t lie about your history or inflate your previous salary range; rather, state that throughout your career you have made a yearly salary base that ranged from ____to ____. You can also advise that the base salary range you are quoting does not take into account various benefits or yearly bonuses.

If you prefer not to provide your salary history on an application form you can answer the questions on form by writing the word “competitive” in each blank where the employer asks for your previous salary information.

If the question is not listed on an application form but is asked of you during the beginning stages of the interview process you can respond by stating “With regards to my salary history it has ranged from __ to __. From everything I have researched about your company I believe my skill set, expertise and experience would be of great benefit to the organization. I am very interested in hearing more about the position and consider myself flexible when it comes to salary negotiations.”

Do Your Research

Make sure you have done your research prior to attending an interview or writing your cover letter. Check out the company and its history. Review human resources and industry websites to determine the general salary range for the position you are applying for. Seek out salary information so that you can prepare yourself for an interview and respond to questions about your salary history with ease and confidence.