Page 264 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Part 4 ➤ Letters That Work

Salary Small Talk

You may run into a job posting that asks for your salary expectations.
Most job seekers don’t feel comfortable talking about these details
before the interview. If, however, you feel compelled to do so in your
cover letter (maybe you worry that you’ll be disqualified if you don’t
comply with the ad’s request), do so gingerly.
Career Casualty
I suggest that you first find out what the position typically pays. You
Don’t be afraid to let your can do this by asking a job counselor or employment agency, by read-
personality shine through in your ing ads for similar jobs in the newspaper, or by going online to some
cover letter. If the employer of the salary information sites I recommend in Appendix C, “Other
doesn’t like who you are, you Cool Resources.” Then do one of the following:
probably won’t like working
for her. ➤ Mention your salary expectations in your cover letter, using lan-
guage that gives you room for negotiations, such as, “I am look-
ing for a position in the $X to $Y salary range.”
➤ Indicate that you would prefer to discuss salary during the inter-
view.

In either case, you’ve addressed the issue, and you’ll likely stand a
chance at winning an interview where you can discuss the full compen-
sation package, not just the take-home pay (which is what a salary
Career Casualty range implies).
It’s a known poker theory that
the first player to show his hand The Template of Zoom
is at a disadvantage. The same
applies to salary negotiations. Here’s how to zoom through your letter-writing process: As I go
Avoid stating your salary expec- through each step of writing a cover letter, follow the template in this
tations until after hearing what chapter. That will help you understand what goes where.
range the employer is offering.
You can choose from any of the following format types for your cover
letter:
➤ Block
➤ Semi-block
➤ Full-block
➤ Simplified

Because the semi-block format is widely accepted in both personal and
Terms of Employment
professional realms, I used it for the following template. If you’re inter-
Don’t confuse salary with com- ested in learning about the other formats, consult a writing manual
pensation. Salary is the amount such as The Chicago Manual of Style. Check out the following sample
of money you bring home in generic cover letter; it should teach you what you need to know about
paychecks in one year. Com- the format—as well as the contents—of a cover letter.
pensation is your salary,
benefits (such as insurance and
retirement plan), and perks (such
as travel and time off).

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