In my opinion, in my role promotions are based on performance and competency shown on tasks at hand. The usual cycle is that you will go from Graduate to Analyst after your first year (if all goes well), then to keep progressing you have to show you've commenced your CA / law accreditations. The Partners also respect individuals who are genuinely interested in the work, ask the questions others at a grad level aren't thinking about, take initiative on tasks and are able to manage their workflow.
To my understanding, the systems in place support individual strengths and allow team members to shape their roles where they see appropriate opportunities. This flexibility encourages personal growth and helps align career paths with each person’s goals. Programs like COLAB are great examples. They provide structured development while also offering space for exploration and networking. Additionally, ongoing initiatives like workshops show that the firm invests in building the skills that will support career progression.
It takes two hands to clap and there are opportunities to grow if you proactively seek them out from your job managers, just as much as they will guide you in building your technical and soft skills in your role. I'm very grateful that my managers at RSM are very supportive and approachable for me to get feedback, which in turn has accelerated my career progression.