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Top Insider Advice
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!
Career path
Operational Lead
HMRC
Started 02/1987 to PresentCompany
What do you like about your job and the company?
Our work is fast-paced and varied - with a lot of pressure at times to deliver our KPIs. Despite the pressure, my Teams take tremendous pride in their work and will go out of their way to deliver what is asked of them. Even though we are scattered throughout the UK, we feel like a family as we have been through so much together in the past twelve months. We have built up a very strong supportive culture where everyone cares about the welfare of their colleagues. My own Manager trusts me to get on and deliver what I'm expected but is always there if I need their help or advice. They are my 'safe space' to let off steam about how things are going!
Greatest achievements
HMRC takes the development of its people very seriously. Having been a manager for many years, I was fortunate to be accepted on the Chartered Managers Degree Apprenticeship scheme in 2018 and have just finished my last assignment and portfolio. This has been 4 years of part-time study and basically a hard slog to complete 13 assignments, a work-based project and a portfolio of evidence to gain a BSc in Professional Management as well as (hopefully!) Chartered Manager status from the Chartered Management Institute. Having left university prematurely after 2 years when I was 20, I am proud to have been able to finally graduate with a 2:1 thanks to the support from HMRC and my manager and wider team. I was allowed one day a week to attend tutorials and was able to do this with support from my colleagues (who covered for me) and encouragement from my family (who put up with my stress and rantings before deadlines!). I am also proud of managing 2 different Teams in Covid Schemes who have been runners up in the Customer Compliance Group Celebrating Success Awards for their exceptional work to collaborate with others to meet incredibly stretching targets.
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.
Sam C
Top Insider Advice
A job can sound great from the headline, but read the description properly and think carefully if this is a good first job on a ladder of progression or could it be the next one on your way onwards and upwards? Ask yourself what are your strengths? What am I good at? What needs working on? Where do I want to go and how am I going to get there? If you aren't actually too sure where the path may lead, don't overly worry yourself, picking up skills and knowledge in any job is always a good thing. The trick is to know what you have and what you need next. You may have good experience in one area of work, but you need some experience in another to move forward, so sometime a sideways move can work too! I did a sideways temporary move in to VAT import policy as I wanted to understand how it fitted with my litigation work and how policy was developed. I did this for 7 months and it gave me insight in to how things like ministerial submissions were drafted and how communication with stakeholders was so important in this. I used this experience to further my knowledge and it helped me do a better job application for my current role as it demonstrated I was willing to stretch and develop myself. Keep trying and learn from any feedback you are given- it can be very useful ! Good luck!
Marta .
Top Insider Advice
Keep your mind and eyes open as there are are so many opportunities
