In our Careers Clinic, we hand over to you, our community, to send in a question on career progression.
This month, we offer our advice to a lawyer who’s keen to make the most of his upcoming annual appraisal.
“I have my annual appraisal in a few months and I’m keen to get a promotion. I feel like I’ve proven myself in the two years since joining my firm and I’m ready to take the step up to senior associate.
What can I do to prepare for the meeting and boost my chances of being promoted?”
How exciting! It’s great to hear that you feel ready to move up the career ladder. When it comes to appraisals, especially if a promotion could be on the cards, preparation is key. Here’s my advice on how to prepare effectively and increase the likelihood of you securing senior associateship:
Document your achievements
Compile a comprehensive list of your accomplishments over the past two years, including successful cases, how much you’ve billed and positive client feedback you’ve received. Think about any other specific contributions you’ve made to the firm’s success and quantify your achievements, wherever possible, to provide tangible evidence of your impact.
Highlight leadership skills
While you’re probably not supervising anyone at this stage, as senior associate is a step up towards partnership, it’s important to emphasise your leadership ability. Have you mentored junior colleagues, led on any cases or taken on additional responsibility that demonstrates that you are a future leader?
Think about instances where you have demonstrated initiative and acted as a leader within the team so that you can talk about these in your appraisal.
Seek feedback
Request feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and clients to gain a well-rounded view of your performance. This will be a useful tool to help you identify areas of strength (as well as areas for improvement).
Set clear career goals
Clearly articulate your career aspirations and how you envision contributing to the firm’s success in the future. Demonstrate your commitment to long-term growth within the team.
Continuing professional development
Highlight any qualifications or training you’ve undertaken to enhance your skills and knowledge both within your practice area. It’s also worth explaining how you’ve developed your commerciality and your leadership skills and how you’re committed to building on these things further.
Communicate your ambitions
Express your desire for advancement and convey how you’re prepared to take on the responsibilities of a senior associate. Articulate how your skills align with the requirements of the role and how your achievements over the past 12 months have prepared you to take a step up.
Prepare a proposal
Consider preparing a proposal outlining how you plan to add value in a senior associate position. This could include ideas for business development, how you plan to achieve what will be an increased billing target or process improvements to increase productivity.
Be proactive
During your appraisal, be proactive in discussing your achievements, career goals, and the value you bring to the firm. Engage in a constructive dialogue about your performance and the potential for advancement with you manager to make it clear that you’re ready to take a step up.
Remember to remain positive and professional throughout. Good luck with your preparation, and I hope these tips help you present a strong case for your well-deserved promotion!
If you need further assistance or more specific advice, feel free to get in touch with me or another of our specialist consultants here.
