Once established the keep your options open. The department and Civil Service are vast, work is varied and options are unlimited. Look for opportunities to expand your knowledge, experience and contacts.

We often get bogged down with life and maybe a little stuck in rut, and can start to doubt ourselves. Think about what you've achieved, not just within your career, but through life in general and remember how fabulous you are! So many life experiences and personality traits will get you far in your career, stop and take time to think about this, then showcase your wonderful self.

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!