Mindset: Senior Associate

Mindset. As a senior associate, two themes come to mind: invest + lead.

I loved being a senior associate. I had to think long and hard about giving it up to become a partner.

Now, it is time to fully invest in your career. Every action you take, professionally, should move you forward to the next level. This requires intense intentionality. You have to be strategic. You have to make sacrifices.

Hitch your wagon to a partner or partners who provide a steady stream of work, substantive opportunities, and candid advice about business development and client relationships. Learn the firm’s resources and start using them.

The final piece is leadership.

To become partner, one question will be: are you committed to the growth of the firm. You want the selection committee to easily answer yes. One way to do that is to be a leader.

This looks different for everyone. For some, it is building and having a book of business. For others, it is building teams and delegating to junior and mid-level associates. For some, it is mentoring, recruiting, and leading committees. For others, it is having a personal and professional brand—or a combination of all of these things and more.

The investment in yourself, the firm, and your network, will take you to the next level.

Leading others and building relationships along the way will make it worthwhile.

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