Becoming a partner at Deloitte is a remarkable achievement in your career. There is a long journey to take to get there! If you are new to the consulting field, you might want to know the steps to reach this height of success.
I researched and discovered that to become a partner at Deloitte, you have to gain experience in a high-growth area, bring value to the firm through your work, and improve your skill set.
Some other steps to get promoted to the partnership role at the firm are:
- Develop your business knowledge and skills
- Participate in discussion with your Talent Manager to show your interest in the role
- Expand your professional network and choose a mentor
- Be patient throughout your progress and deliver your best work
In this post, I’ll explain:
- The 7 steps you need to take (usually) to become a partner at Deloitte
- Valuable insights to help you work towards this goal
Table of Contents
7 Steps To Become A Partner At Deloitte
If you want to grow your professional career at Deloitte and get promoted to the partner position, the following steps will make your journey to success much easier:
1. Gain Experience In A High Growth Area
This is a great way to start!
To begin your journey towards getting a partner position at Deloitte, try to gain a qualification and experience in a high-growth area relevant to its core services.
Some real-life examples of these areas are:
- Accounting
- Consulting
- Technology
- Finance
You can gain this experience through volunteer opportunities or working in these roles at the company.
Invest now in your future!
And there’s more! Deloitte will promote you to the partner position if you excel in your selected field and deliver high-quality work that surpasses expectations over a long time-frame. (Source)
The table below will show you how many years of experience are needed to become a partner at Deloitte:
| Positions | Years of Experience |
| Manager | 3-5 years |
| Senior Manager | 5-7 years |
| Partner | 10 years |
(Source)
2. Bring Value to The Firm
If you want to get promoted as a partner at Deloitte, you have to prove your ability to bring tangible value to the firm as a whole.
Therefore, as you progress, craft a compelling business case.
You want to show how you can contribute to the growth and profitability of the company.
For this purpose, you must demonstrate to the current partners that you can generate more revenue than what you draw as a salary from the corporation. ROI is key!
3. Work on Your Skills
To position yourself as a strong candidate for the partnership role at Deloitte later on, you have to develop and improve various skills that go beyond technical expertise. These skills are:
- Leadership abilities for managing the teams
- Public relations to effectively communicate ideas, build rapport, and present the firm professionally
- Business planning, strategy, and product development skills
- Technical delivery, practice development, and project management abilities
- Recruitment and training skills
(Source)
4. Develop Your Business Acumen
Building a strong business acumen is an equally important step for growing your career and being a partner at Deloitte.
This involves creating your personal brand. It also means selling your professional services.
First and foremost, distinguish yourself as an expert in the field by improving your business knowledge and skills.
Gain expertise to do the following:
- effectively manage the client’s portfolio
- understand their needs
- Understant industry trends
- have a handle on market dynamics
This will set you apart, position you as a go-to source within Deloitte, and pave your way to get promoted as a partner.
Secondly, invest yourself in mastering the skill of selling your professional services by effectively engaging the client. (Source)
5. Show Your Interest
To make your intentions clear about becoming a partner, you have to communicate with your Talent Manager. Don’t keep things to yourself.
They can guide your path. (Like a guiding angel!)
For this, you have to discuss your goal as a part of your development plan in advance for a couple of years.
Your Talent Manager and partner will provide you with all the valuable information and identify the areas where you need to develop your skills further. (Source)
They will let you chart a course that meets Deloitte’s expectations and the demands of the partnership track.
6. Expand the Network and Choose A Mentor
Expanding your network within Deloitte is a strategic move on your journey to a potential partnership. Therefore, try to establish strong connections with:
- Peers
- Seniors
- Clients
This can increase your visibility within the firm and open doors for more opportunities.
Not only that, but you can also seek guidance and mentorship from the existing equity partners within your department at Deloitte.
Doing so can provide invaluable insights into whether you are ready to get promoted to a partner position or need more experience in the field.
The formal aspects of the process begin when your leadership team believes that you are ready to become a partner within the next one or two years.
They officially accept you into the one-year “Partner Transition Programme.”
This comprises various modules to prepare you for the partnership role and expectations. You also get the chance to learn from the knowledge and experiences of other partners.
Furthermore, the program will also give you the opportunity to converse with senior leaders like the CEO to gain a deeper understanding.
At the end, a formal risk assessment will be conducted to ensure that your professional record aligns with Deloitte’s standards.
The goal of this program is to present your case to the “Partner Admission Committee,” which makes the final decision on whether you are eligible for the promotion. (Source)
7. Be Patient
Getting promoted to the partner position at Deloitte takes time and demands your:
- Unchanging dedication
- Commitment
- Patience
So, as you advance through these stages and work towards your goal, ensure to maintain a steadfast focus on your objective. Be patient throughout the process to stay dedicated to your professional growth. (Source)
Here’s what a Deloitte partner, Peter, has to say about the process of promotion to partnership, “Being promoted to partner is a long process, and to be completely honest, there can be a lot of pressure too, mostly from yourself, because you feel like there is no room for mistakes and everything has to be 100% on point during this window where everyone is looking at you. The great part, however, is that the whole process also opens a lot of doors, there is so much support, and when you finally make the cut, it is a fantastic feeling.” (Source)
If you want to learn more about the partnership role at Deloitte, here’s a YouTube video that will guide you through the steps:
