How to Become a Partner At EY

While working at EY, if you are eager to climb the success ladder in its corporate world, you might want to know how to become its partner.

I learned that to become a partner at EY, you have to specialize in related high-growth areas, make connections with clients or colleagues, and choose the right mentor from senior partners.

Some other steps to get promoted to partnership post at EY are:

Develop a strong business case and improve your leadership qualities
Invest in improving skill set through learning programs at EY
Get admission to the EY Future Partners Development program
Stay patient and persistent throughout the journey of becoming a partner.

In this read, I’ll discuss the 7 steps on how to become a partner at EY to help you reach your career goal.

7 Steps to Become a Partner at EY

If you want to get promoted to the partner position at EY, these 7 steps will help you greatly in this regard:

1. Specialize in Related Areas

To become a partner at EY, you must specialize in the related area. This means you have to be an expert in your field and show your expertise to the senior partners at the firm.

You have to prove to them that you have the skills to earn more revenue than you actually take out as a salary. (Source)

Keep in mind that the partnership position at EY is competitive, and you need to have the potential expertise to win the work. Therefore, specialize in high-growth areas for the next 3 to 10 years to successfully get promoted to partner.

Here are some of the areas you can focus on:

Tax
Advisory
Audit
Financial reporting
Consulting

2. Make Contacts

Making contacts or networking is an important aspect of becoming a partner at EY. In fact, it’s your secret weapon on this path.

At EY, every engagement counts, including your collaboration with:

High-profile clients
CFOs
Colleagues
Management
Senior partners

(Source)

Try to actively engage in your professional development activities, collaborate on projects, and attend firm events. This will enhance your visibility and provide valuable insights to be successful.

3. Choose the Right Mentor From Senior Partners

A mentor is your guide, your advisor, and your confidant at EY! They can help you navigate the challenges of your career while becoming a partner. (Source)

So, identify a senior partner whose career, skills, and expertise align with your own goals. If you have a specific service line, seek a mentor who has excelled in that area, is easily accessible, and is committed to your growth.

Here’s what Katie, EY Audit Partner, has to say about her journey, “Sponsorship is really important at EY. You’re not expected to know everything when you join, so having people that support you in navigating your network is helpful so you know who to go to ask questions. For me, this was Marcus when I joined and even now as I begin my journey as an Audit Partner.” (Source)

Once you find the right mentor for your career growth as a partner at EY, actively seek their advice and consistently communicate your progress (and challenges) with them. They will guide your path and improve your chances of achieving your goal.

4. Develop a Business Case and Demonstrate Leadership Skills

The journey from a senior consultant to a partner at EY requires a compelling business case (This serves as a blueprint).

It outlines the value you can bring to the firm, your contributions, and the benefits of your promotion to partner position.

Therefore, you need to market yourself well to your seniors at EY and find new business opportunities or projects. This will help your senior assess your ability and decide the promotion in your favor.

Other than business skills, you also need to develop and demonstrate your leadership abilities (early in your career) to become a partner. (Source)

You can do this by taking roles that involve managing:

Teams
Client relationships
Projects

5. Invest in Improving Your Skills

EY has introduced many learning and development programs for its employees to grow their skill sets. These programs provide a foundation for your career growth to become a partner at the firm.

For instance, EY has started a cutting-edge Transformative Leadership model. This model instills leadership behaviors needed in the ever-changing corporate world.

Its main objective is to create “Better Me,” “Better Us,” and a better working environment for EY clients and employees. You can benefit from the initiative to grow personally and professionally! (Source)

6. Get Enrolled in the EY Future Partner Development Programme

EY has introduced the “Future Partner Development Programme” for its employees who are interested in becoming its partner (the program is in collaboration with Saïd Business School).

Interestingly, this comprehensive initiative is not limited to a single service line! In fact, it supports the development and appointment of Partners at EY across all its service lines (particularly in the UK and Ireland).

More than 200 participants have already benefited from this program and have been promoted to partner positions.

Here are the learning objectives of the EY Future Development Programme:

Enable participants to predict and face the challenges of being a partner
Promote collaboration and teamwork throughout the network
Help the workforce to develop expertise in the 4 major service lines at the firm
Enhance self-awareness and enable participants to understand their personal and professional strengths/weaknesses
Increase commercial understanding and engagement of the participants

Thus, by enrolling in this program, you can open the doors to a structured and specialized pathway to become a partner at EY.

According to Maggie Stilwell, UK& I Managing Partner for Talent, “The programme we have created with Saïd Business School for our future partners has been terrific. We’ve partnered well together and made real breakthroughs in the self-awareness and breadth of so many participants.” (Source)

7. Be Patient and Persistent

Although becoming a partner at EY is an aspirational goal, this achievement does not happen overnight. It demands both time and your unchanging dedication to the firm.

Therefore, be patient and persistent as you progress through this journey. Always focus on long-term objectives and keep pushing forward (Especially when faced with hurdles).

In the end, I’m adding a table that will show you the transition from each role and the timeframe it takes to become a partner at EY: