REEA: How to demand a higher salary

The REEA model—Reflect, Experience, Empathise, Application—is a strategic framework for presenting yourself to an employer in a structured and impactful way. It can be particularly useful for interviews, CVs,, cover letters, and personal pitches. Each step of the REEA model allows you to showcase not only what you've done but also how you've grown and can bring value to a potential employer.

1. Reflect

This is the introspective phase, where you take stock of your skills, experiences, and personal growth. It's about understanding yourself deeply, which helps you articulate your value clearly and authentically to employers.

Key Questions to Consider:

• What are my key strengths and weaknesses?
• What motivates me and aligns with my values?
• How have my past experiences shaped my current abilities?
• What are my biggest achievements, and what skills did I use to achieve them?

During career development, the above answers to the questions above will evolve and should be answered throughout your career. I typically do a yearly check-in with myself around April.

How to Use Reflection in Your Presentation:

• Interviews: Use reflection to explain why you are the right fit for the company and role. For example, "Through reflecting on my time leading teams in my previous role, I realised that my strength lies in fostering collaboration and communication, which aligns with your company’s culture."
• Competency-based interview questions: When asked a typical competency-based question you want to start from a position of reflection. So if you are asked, “Tell me a time when….” You are going to start with something like “During my time at X, I was responsible for Y……..?
• Cover Letters: Introduce your reflection on why you're passionate about the position and company. For example, "I have always been drawn to innovation, and after reflecting on your company's focus on sustainability, I believe my values align perfectly with your mission."

Reflection is essential because it transforms experiences into learning, enhances self-awareness, and helps you adapt, grow, and make better decisions. Whether for personal growth, professional development, or emotional well-being, it is a powerful tool that fosters continuous improvement and intentional living. As a career professional, I can immediately gauge the degree to which someone is reflective through questioning. My role is to support the reflection process and enable clients to do this with confidence throughout the interview process.?

2. Empathy

Empathy is about understanding and considering the perspectives, emotions, and needs of others. Adding empathy to the model helps you demonstrate emotional intelligence, a vital skill in today’s workplaces. Empathy enhances your ability to collaborate, lead, and adapt in any professional setting.

Key Elements of Empathy:

• Understanding the needs and perspectives of colleagues, clients, and customers - this is crucial
• Being emotionally aware and able to respond to others' emotions appropriately.
• Demonstrating compassion and being an active listener.

How to Use Empathy in Your Presentation:

• In Interviews: Show empathy by acknowledging the challenges the company or team is facing and explaining how you can help. For example, “I understand that this team is navigating rapid growth, which can be challenging. My experience in managing change while keeping teams motivated would help ease the transition.”
• In Cover Letters: Express empathy by showing you understand the company’s mission and challenges. For example, “I’ve followed your company’s efforts in promoting sustainability, and I deeply resonate with your mission. I am excited to contribute my skills in project management to help further these goals.”
• In Leadership: If applying for a leadership role, empathy allows you to highlight how you foster inclusive and supportive environments. For example, “In leading teams, I prioritise creating an open, collaborative culture where everyone feels heard and valued.”

3. Experience

This phase focuses on tangible, real-world experiences that demonstrate your skills, qualifications, and professional growth. These are the concrete examples that show you’re capable and have applied your skills in meaningful ways.

Key Questions to Consider:

• What professional experiences have shaped my career trajectory?
• How have I overcome challenges in my previous roles?
• What relevant skills have I applied or learned through my experiences?
• Can I quantify my achievements (e.g., “increased sales by 20%”)?

How to Use Experience in Your Presentation:

• Interviews: Share stories of relevant experiences that relate to the role. For example, “In my previous role as a project manager, I led a cross-functional team to successfully complete a project two months ahead of schedule.”
• CVs: Highlight key experiences and achievements with metrics to demonstrate impact. For example, "Managed a $500,000 marketing budget and increased brand awareness by 30%."
• Cover Letters: Connect your experiences to the job’s requirements. For example, "As a software developer, I have led multiple full-stack projects, developing innovative solutions to improve user experience."

Experience is what counts or at least if you haven’t got the experience the ability to show you can learn. I am writing this as I reflect on a job interview I had on 23rd June 2022 with a challenger university. I applied for a Careers Services Manager role - I was unsuccessful. The feedback I received was great but the reason for not offering me the role was that I was too experienced for the role. At that point, I had never managed a careers service lols.?

4. Application

This phase focuses on how you will apply your skills and experiences in the context of the new role. It ties everything together by showing the employer not only what you’ve done but how you will bring value to their organization in the future.

Key Questions to Consider:

• How will I apply my skills to benefit this company or in this specific role?
• What specific value can I bring based on my past experience?
• How do I envision contributing to the company’s goals or solving their challenges?

How to Use Application in Your Presentation:

• Interviews: Provide examples of how you plan to apply your experience to the new role. For example, “Given my experience with data analytics, I would use my skills to streamline your current reporting process, leading to more informed decision-making."
• Resumes: Use a summary section or key skills section to tie your experiences to the role you’re applying for. For example, "Seeking to leverage 5 years of digital marketing experience to grow and optimise your online presence."
• Cover Letters: Close with how you will contribute. For example, "With my background in business development, I am excited to contribute to your expansion into new markets, helping to drive revenue growth."

Summary of REA Model

• Reflect: Understand your strengths, motivations, and values.
• Empathy: Demonstrate emotional intelligence by understanding the perspectives and needs of others.?
• Experience: Present real-world examples of how you've applied your skills and knowledge.
• Application: Show how you will bring value to the role and the company.

The REEA model enhances your ability to secure a higher salary by helping you reflect on your value, demonstrating empathy toward the employer’s needs, showcasing experience with tangible results, and showing how your application of skills will benefit the company in the future. This holistic approach gives you the confidence and clarity to negotiate effectively, making you a compelling candidate worthy of a higher salary.