What actually makes a lawyer promotable?
“How early on in my career should I be working towards partnership?”
What would you say — 6 PQE? Later? Earlier?
I get asked this a lot. But I actually think it’s a trick question.
Because it assumes that partnership is the only game in town.
A more useful question, at any stage of your career, is:
How do I make myself marketable?
You can ask yourself that question at any point — even if you don’t yet know exactly where you want your career to go.
If partnership is your goal, then you need to understand what “marketable” looks like for a partnership candidate. It also helps if you want to do some contingency planning in case that doesn’t happen.
If you’re thinking about moving in-house in the next year or so, then “marketable” will mean something different — shaped by the sector and type of organisation you’re targeting.
If you’re mid-level and looking at your next step up, “marketable” may equate to promotable.
If you’re an NQ, “marketable” may simply mean being seen as a safe pair of hands.
In other words, it’s always worth thinking about your next career step — whether that’s short-, medium- or long-term.
When you do:
you’re clearer about what you want from your role now
you spot learning and development opportunities more easily
you know how to course-correct if it moves you closer to your goal
So whatever your PQE, ask yourself:
How marketable am I for my next career step?