You’ve found a job posting at a German company. At the bottom, it says “Bitte geben Sie Ihre Gehaltsvorstellung an” — please state your salary expectation. Is this a trap? Do you put a number and risk pricing yourself out? Or skip it and look like you didn’t read the posting?
Salary information on European applications follows different rules than in North America or Asia. Some countries expect it. Others consider it gauche. The norms vary not just by country but by industry, company size, and career level.
This guide covers when to include salary information, how to frame it, and how to protect your negotiation position regardless of what the application asks for.
The General Rule
Don’t put salary information on your CV itself. The CV is a document about your qualifications and experience. Salary belongs in the application process, not in the document that describes what you’ve done.
There are exceptions, which we’ll cover by country. But as a default, keep your CV free of salary data. Include salary information only when the application specifically asks for it, and even then, provide it in the cover letter or application form rather than on the CV.
Germany: Salary Expectations Are Standard
Germany is the exception where salary expectations are routinely requested and expected. The phrase “Gehaltsvorstellung” (salary expectation) appears in a large percentage of German job postings, especially at mid-size and large companies.
When to Include It
Include your salary expectation when the job posting explicitly asks for it. Ignoring the request is seen as failing to follow instructions. German hiring culture values Grundlichkeit (thoroughness), and skipping a requested element signals carelessness.
Where to Put It
Include it in the cover letter (Anschreiben), not on the CV. The standard placement is in the closing paragraph, after you’ve made your case for the role.
How to State It
State a specific annual gross salary (Bruttojahresgehalt). German employers expect a concrete number, not a range. Include whether the figure includes bonuses or is base salary only.
Example: “Meine Gehaltsvorstellung liegt bei 65.000 Euro brutto jahrlich.” (My salary expectation is 65,000 euros gross annually.)
If you want to give yourself negotiation room, state a number slightly above your minimum acceptable salary. German employers expect to negotiate down by 5-10% from the stated figure.
What to Know About German Salary Norms
Germany has a strong tradition of collective bargaining (Tarifvertrag). Many industries, especially manufacturing, chemicals, metals, and public sector, have standardized pay scales. If you’re applying to a company that follows a Tarifvertrag, research the applicable pay grade before stating your expectation.
For non-tariff companies (most tech startups, consulting firms and some mid-size employers), salaries are more flexible. Use Kununu, Glassdoor, or Gehalt.de to research typical salaries for your role and region. Salaries in Munich and Frankfurt run 15-25% higher than in eastern Germany or smaller cities.
Austria and Switzerland
Austria
Austrian job postings are legally required to include a minimum salary in the advertisement. This transparency law means you’ll often see “Das Bruttomonatsgehalt fur diese Position betragt mindestens EUR 3.500” at the bottom of the posting.
Treat this minimum as the floor, not the offer. Most positions pay above the stated minimum. When asked for your salary expectation, state a number above the listed minimum that reflects your experience level.
Austrian salary expectations follow the same format as Germany: annual gross salary, stated in the cover letter.
Switzerland
Swiss salary expectations are higher than anywhere else in Europe. A software engineer earning 55,000 euros in Berlin would expect 110,000-130,000 CHF in Zurich. Cost of living justifies the premium, but it’s still a shock for candidates coming from other countries.
Swiss job postings don’t always ask for salary expectations, but when they do, state a specific number in Swiss Francs (CHF). Research using salarium.ch (the federal government’s salary calculator) or Glassdoor Switzerland.
Swiss salaries are typically quoted as annual gross income. Some roles, especially in banking, include a 13th month salary (an additional monthly payment at year-end), so clarify whether your stated figure includes or excludes this.
United Kingdom and Ireland
UK
Salary expectations are not typically included on UK CVs or in cover letters unless specifically requested. UK job postings usually include a salary range in the advertisement, so you’re responding to their number, not volunteering yours.
When asked for salary expectations during the application process (usually in an online form), you have several options:
- State a range based on your research: “45,000-52,000 GBP”
- State your current salary plus expected increase: “I’m currently on 48,000 GBP and looking for a role in the 52,000-58,000 GBP range”
- Defer: “I’m happy to discuss salary expectations at interview stage.” This is acceptable in the UK. It’s not seen as evasive.
UK pay transparency is evolving. Several large employers now publish full salary ranges in postings, and there’s growing pressure for broader transparency legislation. Check whether the company has published ranges before guessing.
Ireland
Irish norms are similar to the UK. Salary expectations are rarely included on CVs. When asked, provide a range in euros. Dublin salaries are significantly higher than the rest of Ireland for most professional roles.
France
French job postings sometimes ask for “pretentions salariales” (salary expectations). When they do, include the figure in your cover letter (lettre de motivation), not on the CV.
State the amount as annual gross (brut annuel). French salaries are often discussed in monthly terms in conversation, but formal expectations should be stated annually.
Example: “Mes pretentions salariales se situent autour de 48 000 euros brut annuel.” (My salary expectations are around 48,000 euros gross annually.)
French employers typically offer a base salary plus variable compensation (primes). When stating your expectation, specify whether you’re referring to base or total compensation.
French companies in sectors covered by a convention collective (collective agreement, similar to Germany’s Tarifvertrag) have standardized pay scales. Research the applicable convention for your industry to set realistic expectations.
Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland)
Scandinavian countries have strong salary transparency norms and powerful unions that negotiate collective agreements covering large portions of the workforce.
Sweden
Salary expectations are not typically included in Swedish applications. Swedish employers are increasingly transparent about salary ranges, and many unions publish recommended salary levels by role and experience.
If asked for expectations, state a monthly gross salary in SEK. Swedish salaries are most commonly discussed in monthly terms.
Denmark
Danish applications rarely include salary information. Denmark’s union-negotiated salary structures cover most professional roles, making individual negotiation less common than in other countries.
Norway
Norwegian norms are similar to Sweden and Denmark. Salary expectations are not standard in applications. When asked, state a specific annual gross salary in NOK. Norway has particularly high salary levels due to the oil-dependent economy and high cost of living.
Finland
Finnish applications occasionally request salary expectations, especially in the private sector. State annually in euros. Finnish salary data is publicly accessible through Statistics Finland, making it easy to research market rates.
Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal)
Spain
Spanish job postings sometimes ask for salary expectations (expectativas salariales). When they do, include the amount in the cover letter as annual gross.
Spanish salaries are often quoted with 14 pagas (14 monthly payments per year, with extra payments in June and December). Clarify whether your stated expectation is based on 12 or 14 payments.
Italy
Italian salary discussions are similar to Spain. The RAL (Reddito Annuo Lordo, or gross annual income) is the standard way to state salary expectations. Italian employers often offer 13 or 14 monthly payments per year.
Include salary expectations only when specifically asked, and place them in the cover letter.
Portugal
Portuguese salary expectations are typically lower than other Western European countries but are rising, especially in Lisbon’s growing tech sector. State expectations as annual gross in euros when asked.
The Netherlands
Dutch job postings increasingly include salary ranges, especially in the tech sector. When asked for expectations, Dutch employers want an annual gross salary in euros.
The Netherlands has a well-known “holiday allowance” (vakantiegeld) of 8% of annual salary, paid in May. When stating your salary expectation, specify whether it includes holiday allowance or not.
Dutch directness means you can be straightforward about your expectations. “I’m looking for 55,000-60,000 euros gross annually, excluding holiday allowance” is a perfectly appropriate response.
How Salary Expectations Affect Your Application
Risk of Going Too High
If your salary expectation exceeds the budget for the role, your application will be filtered out. Many ATS systems and recruiters use salary as a screening criterion. A number that’s 30% above range is an automatic rejection at most companies.
Research thoroughly before stating a number. Use country-specific salary databases, industry reports and job boards that publish salary data.
Risk of Going Too Low
A number that’s significantly below market rate raises different red flags. The employer wonders if you’re underqualified, desperate, or uninformed about local market conditions. None of these are positive signals.
For the European market specifically, underpricing yourself is more damaging than in the US because European salaries are harder to renegotiate once you’ve started. Annual raises in many European countries are smaller than in the US and some are governed by collective agreements that limit individual negotiation.
The Range Strategy
When you can, state a range rather than a single number. A 10-15% range (e.g., “55,000-63,000 euros”) gives both sides room to negotiate. Make sure your minimum (the bottom of the range) is a number you’d genuinely accept.
For more on salary negotiation tactics across Europe, see our European salary negotiation guide.
Pay Transparency Laws in Europe
The European Union’s Pay Transparency Directive, adopted in 2023, requires member states to implement pay transparency measures by 2026. Key provisions include:
- Employers must provide salary ranges in job postings or before the interview
- Employees have the right to request information about average pay levels for their role, broken down by gender
- Salary history bans (employers cannot ask about previous salary)
As these provisions take effect across EU member states, salary discussions during the application process will become more standardized and transparent. Until full implementation, expect a patchwork of national rules.
Practical Tips
Research before you respond. Use Glassdoor, PayScale, country-specific tools (Gehalt.de for Germany, Salarium for Switzerland, Kununu for DACH) and industry salary surveys. Know the market rate before anyone asks you for a number.
Account for total compensation. European compensation packages often include benefits that don’t exist in other markets: 13th/14th month salaries, holiday allowance, generous pension contributions and extensive paid vacation. Compare total compensation, not just base salary.
Currency matters. Always state your expectation in the local currency of the job. Don’t make a German employer convert from USD or GBP. It signals unfamiliarity with the market.
Be prepared to discuss but not commit. If you can defer the salary conversation to the interview stage, do it. You’ll have more information about the role, the company and the team by then, which gives you a stronger negotiation position.
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Summary
The rules around salary expectations in Europe boil down to three principles:
- Never put salary on the CV itself
- Include it in the cover letter or application form only when specifically asked
- Research the local market thoroughly before stating any number
Germany is the one country where salary expectations are routinely expected. The UK, Scandinavia and the Netherlands are trending toward employer-posted ranges. France and Southern Europe ask occasionally. Know the norms for your target country and company, and you’ll handle the salary question with confidence.
