What is the most professional and polite way to phrase a statement of salary requirement?

When I have provided salary requirements I have given a range. My wording was something along the lines of “I am seeking a starting salary between $xx and $xx. As a side note, when I provided that information as requested in the ad, I was invited to interview mostly based on the fact that mine was the only application that actually included a salary requirement.

As @SuperMouse suggests, I would definitely state a range, rather than a minimum required salary. Do some research as to what a person with your skills, experience and background would be making in the position you are applying for and then present the range, stating that your salary requirements are between x and x but they negotiable, depending on the total benefit and compensation package, and opportunities for career growth, that sort of thing. Don’t lock yourself into demanding a specific salary, but the prospective employer has requested that you provide the information, so you should.

“Expected salary is ___________

Thanks Supermouse! I went with that.

I’ve had the same experience. Recently a job specifically asked for requirements, and instead of giving them I just wrote that it was negotiable. I got no response, so I wrote a follow-up email, and the hiring manager wrote back, saying basically that the reason they hadn’t responded because I had left out salary requirements. I won’t make that mistake again!

@smilingheart1 I agree completely with your response being simple and concise.

Now that that’s out of the way…

Never say… “Show me the money.” It’s bad to do that.

*Smiles.

Minimum salary requirement is XX,XXX.XX

Few thoughts about this as an HR professional:

- Be honest with yourself about what you NEED to make.
– Be honest with youreslf about what the job is WORTH to you to do the work.
– Have a good reason why you want/expect a certain amount of money.
– Look at other job postings in the area for a similar position, and see what the going rate is.

By having an honest thought process about why you want a certain amount of money for a given position, you take out any of the “uncomfortable” factor of the situation.

And the part about having a good reason why you want it: As an HR person I have no respect for a candidate who’s response is: “I think that’s how much I’m worth” when I ask them why they want that amount. I have MUCH more respect for the person who has a well thought out answer.” It shows they actually apply thought to important things.