Identify your long term career aspirations, set specific goals and achievable goals to guide your progression Take advantage of training programmes, workshops, and seminars to enhance your skills and knowledge Take on new challenges - volunteer for projects or tasks outside your daily responsibilities Smile - build relationships with peers, leaders, mentors Prioritise your well-being, maintain a healthy work life balance, always set boundaries

I have been very lucky in that I have almost always been given a role (or applied for one) that I have enjoyed in HMRC (or earlier departments). If you show that you are keen to learn and willing to listen, then you will find that opportunities will present themselves to you and you will progress in your career. When I was told that I would have to undertake taxes training in 2005, I was horrified. Having been trained in National Insurance and done various management roles, I thought that tax would be just too hard for me and that I wouldn't pass the exams. However, I committed wholeheartedly to the training programme. I studied hard and passed all the exams first time - even though my daughter was still a baby so I was constantly exhausted as well as having to travel to London once a week for 18 months for my tutorials!