Forgot to include salary history - should I send it separately? ?

Question

I just sent of a resume for a position I am very well qualified for and am extremely interested in - I hit send and then remembered they asked for a resume with salary history. I have always been uncomfortable providing that - I believe it undermines my position in negotiations, but I do want to get the interview - what should I do now?

I could send a second email with my most recent salary history or I could just leave it alone. I don't want to point out that I forgot it and look unprofessional...

Advice? Especially from anyone in HR.

Answer 1

Just ignore it for now. A recent survey showed that 80% of companies that request salary history will consider a strong resume without it. I'm a former HR person, and you are right that it hampers your negotiation.

If they have not contacted you in a week or 10 days for an interview, either a) send a new resume with salary history in the cover sheet or b) call and ask.

If you must provide a salary history, put a range, like $50,000 - $68,000. Be aware that companies use salary history to rule out otherwise qualified applicants. (In this example, if they are paying $48,000 they will not consider this person.) And, they often ask for salary history because their expectations are high while their budget is low.