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Create ResumeIn most Australian job applications, you should not include your expected salary on your resume unless the job ad specifically asks for it. Your resume should be used to prove your fit, value, experience, achievements, and relevance to the role. Salary expectations belong later in the recruitment process, usually in the application form, recruiter phone screen, or interview conversation.
I know candidates often want to be upfront. That makes sense. Nobody wants to waste time on a role that is clearly under budget. But putting your expected salary directly on your resume can weaken your position before anyone has properly assessed your value. It can make you look too expensive, too cheap, inflexible, or simply misaligned before the hiring manager has even read your experience properly.
That is the frustrating part of hiring. Salary matters, but timing matters even more.
Most of the time, no, you should not include expected salary on your resume.
A resume is not the right place to negotiate salary. It is a screening document. Recruiters and hiring managers use it to answer a very specific question first: is this person worth speaking to?
They are looking at things like:
Whether your experience matches the role
Whether your skills are relevant
Whether your job titles make sense for the level
Whether your achievements show impact
Whether your industry background is transferable
Whether your resume looks clear, credible, and targeted
The biggest problem with putting expected salary on your resume is that it gives the employer a reason to screen you out before they understand your value.
That may sound blunt, but that is how early screening works. Recruiters are often reviewing dozens or hundreds of applications. They are making fast judgement calls based on relevance, risk, and fit. If your resume includes a salary number that does not match what they had in mind, that number can become the reason they move on.
Not because you are not good. Not because you could not do the job. Simply because the salary expectation creates a question they may not have time to explore.
If your expected salary is higher than the budget, some employers will immediately assume you are out of range.
That does not always mean they are right. Sometimes the budget is flexible. Sometimes they would pay more for the right candidate. Sometimes the hiring manager has not fully understood the market yet. Welcome to recruitment, where everyone wants a unicorn but occasionally budgets for a pony.
The issue is that your resume may never get to that discussion.
A recruiter might think:
This person looks good, but they are probably too expensive. I will focus on candidates closer to budget.
That is a shame, because you may have been open to negotiation if the role had strong career growth, flexibility, leadership exposure, hybrid work, or a better overall package.
This is the part candidates underestimate.
Putting a low expected salary on your resume can hurt you too.
Whether your career story raises questions they need answered
Salary expectation is not usually needed at that first stage. In fact, adding it too early can create unnecessary friction.
In the Australian job market, salary discussions usually happen through one of these channels:
A mandatory field in an online job application
A recruiter phone screen
A direct message from a recruiter
A first interview conversation
A final offer negotiation
Your resume should open the door. Your salary discussion should happen once there is enough interest to justify a proper conversation.
If your number is below market rate, some employers may not think, great, what a bargain. A good recruiter may think:
Why is this person asking for less than expected? Are they underqualified? Are they unsure of their value? Are they moving backwards?
It can also anchor the offer lower than necessary. If the employer was prepared to pay $110,000 and your resume says you expect $95,000, you may have just negotiated against yourself before speaking a single word.
Salary transparency is good. Accidental self discounting is not.
A resume does not give context. That is the problem.
A salary figure on a resume looks rigid, even when you do not mean it that way. You may be flexible depending on the role, benefits, commute, remote work, bonuses, development, title, or leadership pathway.
But the hiring team does not see all that. They just see a number.
And in early screening, a number without context can work against you.
Your resume should make the recruiter think:
This person is relevant, credible, and worth a conversation.
That is the job of the document.
Expected salary does not prove that. Your experience does.
Instead of using resume space for salary expectation, use it to show the evidence that supports your value. That evidence is what gives you leverage later.
For most Australian roles, your resume should focus on:
Your current or target job title
Your core skills matched to the role
Your relevant industry experience
Your measurable achievements
Your scope of responsibility
The systems, tools, or processes you have used
The type of clients, teams, products, or operations you have supported
Your career progression
Your qualifications, licences, tickets, or certifications where relevant
A strong resume does not say, I expect $120,000.
It quietly builds the case for why $120,000 makes sense.
That distinction matters.
There are a few situations where including salary expectations may be appropriate, but they are narrower than candidates often think.
If the employer explicitly asks you to include salary expectations in your application, follow the instruction.
But even then, I would usually avoid putting the number directly in the resume unless they specifically say, include salary expectations in your resume.
A better option is to put it in the application field or cover letter if required.
For example:
Good Example
My salary expectation is in the range of $95,000 to $105,000 plus super, depending on the full scope of the role, flexibility, benefits, and overall package.
This works because it gives a range and leaves room for discussion.
Weak Example
Expected salary: $100,000
This is too blunt. It gives a number but no context. It can look rigid even if you are flexible.
Many Australian job boards and applicant tracking systems ask for expected salary as part of the application process.
If the field is mandatory, do not panic. Use a sensible range based on market reality, not wishful thinking and not fear.
Where possible, use a range rather than a single figure.
A strong answer might be:
Good Example
$100,000 to $115,000 plus super, depending on role scope and total package.
This signals that you understand the market but are still open to a proper conversation.
There are some roles where salary alignment is genuinely the fastest way to avoid wasting everyone’s time.
This can apply when:
You are applying for contract roles with clear day rates
You are speaking with an agency recruiter managing a fixed client budget
You are applying for senior roles where compensation varies widely
You are relocating and need to be clear about minimum requirements
You are considering a major pay cut only under specific conditions
You are already in a well paid role and would only move for a defined package
Even then, I would usually keep salary out of the resume and handle it in the recruiter conversation.
The resume should get you the call. The call should handle the salary.
If you are required to provide expected salary, put it in the place that matches the application process.
This is the most common place. Many employers use the salary question as a screening filter.
Keep it simple, realistic, and range based.
Good Example
$90,000 to $100,000 plus super, depending on the responsibilities, flexibility, and total package.
If the employer requests salary expectations but does not provide an application field, you can include it near the end of your cover letter.
Do not make it the focus of the letter. The letter should still be about role fit.
Good Example
Based on the role scope described, my salary expectation is around $95,000 to $105,000 plus super, depending on the full package and responsibilities.
If a recruiter asks directly, answer clearly. Recruiters do not enjoy salary riddles. They need to know whether the conversation is realistic.
But do not give a number without context.
Good Example
For a role at this level, I would usually be looking around $110,000 to $125,000 plus super, depending on scope, flexibility, bonus structure, and progression. I am open to discussing the full package if the role is a strong fit.
That sounds commercial, realistic, and mature.
Only put expected salary on your resume if the employer has specifically asked for it to be included there.
If you absolutely must include it, keep it brief and place it near the end, not in your summary.
Good Example
Salary expectation: $90,000 to $100,000 plus super, depending on role scope and total package.
Do not put it in your headline. Do not put it in your professional summary. Do not let salary become the first thing the reader sees.
A good salary answer does three things:
Shows you understand your market value
Keeps you in the process
Leaves room for negotiation
The mistake candidates make is thinking they need to either be completely vague or brutally specific. Neither extreme is ideal.
If you are too vague, you can frustrate recruiters.
If you are too specific too early, you can limit yourself.
The middle ground is a researched range with context.
A range gives you flexibility and prevents one figure from becoming a hard anchor.
Weak Example
I want $100,000.
Good Example
I am targeting $95,000 to $110,000 plus super, depending on the role scope, flexibility, and total package.
The second answer sounds more considered. It gives the recruiter something useful while leaving room for discussion.
In Australia, salary conversations often involve base salary, superannuation, bonuses, commissions, allowances, benefits, and flexibility.
Be clear whether you are talking about base salary or package.
This matters because $100,000 plus super is not the same as $100,000 including super.
That small wording difference can become a very annoying surprise later.
If you are not sure what the employer means, ask:
Can I confirm whether that range is base salary plus super, or total package including super?
That is not awkward. That is basic financial clarity.
Your salary expectation should not sound random. It should be connected to the level and responsibilities of the role.
For example:
Good Example
For a position with team leadership, stakeholder management, and ownership of reporting, I would expect the range to sit around $120,000 to $135,000 plus super.
This frames your expectation around value and scope, not personal preference.
Many candidates become strangely apologetic when talking about money.
They say things like:
I hope that is not too much
I am flexible though
Sorry, I am not sure
I do not want to price myself out
I can go lower if needed
Please do not negotiate against yourself out loud.
You can be flexible without sounding uncertain.
A better phrase is:
I am open to discussing the full package, but based on the role scope, that is the range I would be targeting.
That is calm, professional, and not desperate.
Salary expectations are not just about budget. Hiring teams read signals into them.
Sometimes those signals are fair. Sometimes they are assumptions. Either way, candidates need to understand what is happening behind the scenes.
If you apply for a mid level role and ask for a senior salary, the recruiter may question whether you understand the role.
Sometimes candidates do this because they are trying to increase their pay. Fair enough. But if the resume does not support the expectation, it creates a mismatch.
The recruiter may think:
They want senior money, but their experience reads mid level.
That does not mean you cannot grow into a senior role. It means the application needs to match the salary conversation.
Employers also think about existing team salaries. If your expected salary is far above what current employees earn in similar roles, the company may hesitate.
This is one of those hiring realities candidates rarely see. Sometimes the issue is not whether you are worth the money. It is whether hiring you at that salary would create internal problems.
That may be unfair. It may also reveal that the employer is underpaying the team. Both can be true.
A strong salary answer shows you understand the market, the role level, and your own value.
A weak answer sounds copied from a salary guide, inflated by hope, or lowered by fear.
Hiring teams do not expect you to know the perfect number. They do expect you to have a sensible reason for your range.
Salary conversations also reveal how candidates communicate under pressure.
Are you clear? Defensive? Vague? Rigid? Nervous? Unrealistic? Commercial?
This is especially important for roles involving negotiation, leadership, sales, account management, client service, or stakeholder influence.
The way you talk about your own value often gives employers a preview of how you will communicate in the role.
Your summary is prime resume real estate. Do not use it for salary.
The top of your resume should answer:
Why should this person be shortlisted?
It should not answer:
How much will this person cost us?
That is not the first impression you want to create.
Writing salary negotiable on your resume does not add much. It is vague and slightly old fashioned.
Most salaries are negotiable to some degree. Stating it does not improve your application.
If salary must be mentioned, use a range and context.
Do not put your current salary on your resume.
Your current salary is not the same as your market value. Many candidates are underpaid. Others are paid above market because of tenure, niche skills, location, overtime, commission, or internal history.
Your next salary should be based on the role, market, scope, and value, not simply what your current employer happens to pay you.
If your resume reads junior but your salary expectation reads senior, the hiring team will notice.
If you want a higher salary, your resume needs to justify it through:
Stronger achievements
Clearer scope
Better evidence of impact
More relevant responsibilities
Stronger alignment with the role
Better positioning of leadership, complexity, or commercial value
You cannot just attach a higher number and hope the employer connects the dots. In recruitment, the dots are often not connected for you. You need to make the value obvious.
Always be clear whether your salary expectation is plus super or including super.
In Australia, this matters. A lot.
A salary conversation can become messy very quickly when one person is discussing base salary and the other is discussing total package.
The cleanest wording is:
$100,000 plus super
or
$110,000 package including super
Do not leave that open to interpretation.
This is one of the biggest frustrations for Australian job seekers. Employers often ask candidates for salary expectations while not disclosing their own budget. Convenient, isn’t it?
If the job ad does not show a salary range, you need to protect yourself without becoming difficult.
If a recruiter contacts you, it is reasonable to ask about salary early.
You can say:
Before we go too far, can you share the salary range or package budget for the role so I can make sure we are aligned?
That is professional. It saves time. It also signals that you understand your value.
If the employer avoids sharing the range, give your own researched range.
For example:
Based on similar roles in the Australian market, I would expect this type of position to sit around $100,000 to $115,000 plus super. Is that aligned with the budget?
This puts the conversation back into reality.
The response tells you a lot.
If they are transparent, practical, and clear, good sign.
If they dodge, pressure you to give your lowest number, or say things like we are looking for someone passionate rather than money focused, be careful.
Passion does not pay rent. Passion also does not replace a fair market salary.
Your salary expectation should not be based on one job ad, one friend, or one loud LinkedIn post.
Use a mix of sources and judgement.
Look at:
Similar roles advertised in your city or state
Salary guides from recruitment firms
Job board salary ranges
Conversations with recruiters
Industry groups and professional networks
Your current scope compared with the target role
Whether the role is permanent, contract, hybrid, remote, regional, or site based
Whether the role includes bonuses, commissions, overtime, allowances, or penalties
Then apply common sense.
A job title alone is not enough. Operations Manager, Marketing Manager, Accountant, Project Manager, and Business Analyst can mean very different things depending on company size, industry, team structure, budget ownership, and complexity.
This is why salary research needs context.
A candidate managing a small internal function and a candidate managing national operations may share the same job title but not the same market value.
That is why your resume needs to show scope clearly. Salary follows scope.
If your real goal is to avoid low paying roles, there are better ways to do that than putting expected salary on your resume.
If the form asks for expected salary, provide a range that protects your position.
Do not enter your absolute minimum unless the field specifically asks for minimum salary.
There is a difference between:
What salary are you expecting?
and
What is the lowest salary you would accept?
Employers may treat them similarly, but you should not.
You do not need to wait until the final interview to discuss salary.
In most cases, it is reasonable to confirm alignment during the first recruiter conversation.
You can say:
I am interested in the role, but I would like to confirm the salary range early so we do not waste anyone’s time.
That is not rude. That is efficient.
When possible, let the employer understand your relevance before you get into exact numbers.
This is especially useful if you are:
Moving into a higher level role
Changing industries
Returning after a career break
Relocating
Applying for a role with a broader scope than your current position
Bringing rare skills that may justify a higher range
The more clearly they understand your value, the more sensible your salary expectation will sound.
Your resume can support salary negotiation without mentioning salary directly.
It does this by showing:
Revenue impact
Cost savings
Process improvement
Team leadership
Project delivery
Risk reduction
Client retention
Compliance outcomes
Operational scale
Technical depth
These details help employers see why you sit at the higher end of a range.
A resume full of tasks says, I did the job.
A resume full of relevant impact says, I created value.
Guess which one gives you better salary leverage?
If your expectation is above the advertised range, do not automatically rule yourself out, but be realistic.
Ask yourself:
Does my experience genuinely exceed the role requirements?
Is the advertised salary a hard limit or a guide?
Is the role worth considering for non salary reasons?
Would I accept the role at the top of their range?
Can I clearly explain why my value sits above budget?
If the answer is no, do not waste your time.
If the answer is yes, approach it carefully.
You might say:
I noticed the advertised range is slightly below where I would usually sit. Based on my experience with similar responsibilities, I would be targeting closer to $125,000 plus super. Is there flexibility for a candidate who closely matches the role requirements?
This is much stronger than applying with a resume that simply says expected salary $125,000.
The conversation gives you room to explain. The resume does not.
Sometimes candidates are willing to take less for the right reason.
That might include:
Better work life balance
Hybrid or remote work
Career change
Reduced commute
A more stable employer
A healthier work environment
Better leadership
A role with stronger long term growth
Moving from contract to permanent work
That is valid.
But I would still be careful about putting a lower expected salary on your resume.
If you are open to less, explain the reason in conversation. Otherwise, the employer may assume your lower expectation reflects lower value.
A good way to frame it is:
My usual range is around $110,000 plus super, but I would consider a lower package for the right role if the flexibility, culture, and long term opportunity make sense.
That protects your value while showing flexibility.
Here is the honest balance.
I do not believe candidates should hide salary expectations until the end of the process. That wastes everyone’s time and often leads to disappointment.
But I also do not believe your resume is the right place to put your expected salary.
Salary should be discussed early enough to confirm alignment, but late enough that the employer has some understanding of your relevance.
That usually means:
Not on the resume
Not as the opening line of your cover letter
Yes in the application form if required
Yes in the recruiter phone screen
Yes before final interviews if the process is becoming serious
Definitely yes before references, final approvals, or offer stage
The practical rule is simple:
Use your resume to earn the conversation. Use the conversation to discuss salary.
That is the cleanest approach for most Australian job seekers.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
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