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Hi there, I’ve been told that Deloitte (London, UK) is going to make me an offer but haven’t heard back and it’s been over two weeks. The recruiter mentioned it would be around the “m2 grade”. Any idea what this pay range is? … I have 3 YOE working in NHS finance and have applied for a position in Risk Advisory, public sector. Curious what life at Deloitte is like? Does a work life balance exist?
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are consulted/involved with practice group mgmt like hiring decisions, etc. This favorite associate is not the most senior out of the group of associates. They do good work but the team overall is strong, so it’s not like the rest of us are slacking (we all have full plates and work streams).
Is this normal? As someone who wants to become partner, I feel like I can’t get out of favorite associate’s shadow. They are my friend but it’s starting to get really annoying.
WWYD?
Enthusiast
I’m a third year, but was a paralegal for several years before I was admitted. I’m speaking to what worked for me and someone else I know. A disinterested person who knew the facts might see this very differently than I do, but I can’t speak for them, so who knows.
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Subject Expert
If the group is associate-heavy, that sounds like there’s room for promotion and growth. Favored associate obviously gets priority, but I honestly don’t think that’s the end of the world for you. If anything, keep/build your relationship with favored associate and hitch your wagon to their rising star.
Subject Expert
That’s fair, your post made it sound like they might be a year or two senior to you. I think you have to either come to terms with the fact that you’ll always be second string (at best), or leave.
I would just keep in mind that there is almost always a favorite. Your situation sounds obnoxiously in-your-face, but the upside to knowing exactly where you stand means you can make informed (smarter) political decisions, and unfortunately politics govern success in BL far more than merit does. If you leave, there will almost certainly be a favorite wherever you go, it just may take longer to identify them (and what if they decide they dislike you?!). And lateraling will mean you give up years of goodwill you’ve built with your current team (or maybe it’s the opposite for you and a clean slate would be welcome).
You ultimately just have to decide what matters the most to you and how comfortable you are with the risk of the devil you don’t know.
I’ve been on both sides of the situation here. I was at a firm where the partner clearly favoured an associate one year above me, then I lateraled and became the favoured associate at the new firm. The favouritism is real and it’s not as closely related to competency as people may think. I would lateral if I were in your shoes, preferably through your contacts rather than going blind into a new team. Though I would also say that being the favourite associate also comes with its own challenges, like navigating peer relationships. You know too much about internal management politics to be able to form close friendships with peers.
Knowing too much about internal mgmt politics is a first world problem. Would much prefer that than beng clueless while bending over backwards for the job and being passed over for no apparent / arbitrary reason.