Insider profil
Keen to receive questions about
Top Insider Advice
If there is one thing in my 20+ years in the civil service I have figured out it is you will never know if you don't try. Early on in my career I would never volunteer for opportunities, I wouldn't offer up answers or contribute to group meetings or working groups and missed the opportunity to apply for roles I would have loved to try my hand at. This was all through the fear of looking stupid or failing and how other people would view me. Not to say I have never failed as I have, be that in job applications or the approach I have taken to work tasks. The biggest thing I will share here is I have learned so much more from failing than I ever have from getting something right first time. The support from my colleagues during these times was surprising, there are so many great people who work across our government departments which fosters a great environment to be part of. Don't forget if you learn or take something way from an experience how can that be seen as a failure. Don't stop trying.
Career path
Estates Strategic Planning & Data Modelling lead
HM Revenue & Customs
Started 09/2020 to PresentSenior Digital Analyst
HM Revenue & Customs
From 02/2015 to 09/2020Business Analyst
Department for Work & Pensions
From 02/2007 to 02/2015Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
In my role no 2 days are ever the same, as someone who loves working in ambiguity and not knowing what the day is going to bring I relish the challenges my current position demands. My team at times are like a hub, we engage with colleagues across the department such as Design, Implementation, Projects, Finance, Property and Lines of Business to name a few. The engagement we have and insight/data we gather and develop to shape our planning assumptions, products and recommendations provide significant challenge but a great sense of achievement at the same time. The work we do feeds in to various boards and groups helping to inform key decisions made on the future of HMRC's workplace and workforce strategies, something that is a constantly changing landscape.
Prudencia O
Top Insider Advice
1. Don’t be afraid to ask for support. No one succeeds alone. Join support networks, find a coach, mentor or sponsor. Get as much help as you can! 2. Step outside your comfort zone and take on new challenges, even if they are a bit scary! Growth doesn’t happen in familiar spaces. Take on challenges that stretch you, that make you uncomfortable and ultimately lead to new skills and greater confidence. 3. Make things happen – look for sideways moves to develop your skills, not just promotions. Think about development programmes. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you, seek them out, take the initiative and be ready to step up when the moment comes. If you don’t make it happen, nobody will! 4. Resilience is essential. There’ll be lots of disappointments on your journey and times when you wonder whether it’s worth it. I can tell you without a doubt, it is. Keep trying, keep pushing. Remember, every obstacle is an opportunity to rise. Each setback is a chance to grow stronger and to learn something new, and every step you take brings you closer to the top of the ladder. 5. When you succeed in life or in your career, celebrate but also acknowledge that you didn’t do it alone. Nobody does! Above all, don’t pull the ladder up after you! Reach out and help others climb.
Liz
CDIO Borders & Trade Recruitment and Workforce Lead
Top Insider Advice
Always be yourself, it you make a mistake then admit it, we are only human. Listen to the views of others around you. Treat staff how you would like to be treated but bear that everyone is individual and treat them accordingly.
Zoe
Secretariat
Top Insider Advice
One thing I've found since being in HMRC is that there is a real motivation for the workforce to reflect the diverse society that we serve. The success profiles often used in recruitment can seem daunting, but actually they allow everyone no matter what kind of previous experience we have, to demonstrate those transferable skills, or behaviours, which can be drawn upon, with the right training, to be successful in a brand new role. So don't let anything make you think you don't have what HMRC need or want, whether that be challenging personal circumstances, health difficulties, or lack of prior experience, the Civil Service is here to support everyone in our society, and so it should be made up of a diverse workforce that can accurately represent everyone.