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Top Insider Advice
I never thought I would get onto the TSP. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone to attend the assessment centres, take part in all of the activities. I continue to do so with my day job - I don't like presenting, but I do lots of it. It builds confidence and resilience. Rationalise what's the worse that could happen by trying something new, or taking on a new challenge. For me, with the assessment centre, if I didn't get accepted - so be it. I got good experience of interviewing. Met new and interesting people, and got free food from attending the assessment centre (back when they were in person). Once I told myself these things, I pushed myself out my comfort zone to attend the day. I had worked hard to get the invite, so although I wasn't confident in going and being myself, that's what I had to do and it worked out well. Take the set backs as opportunities to reflect, develop and learn from. Keep pushing through set backs and pushing yourself out of your normal comfort zone to be able to achieve the goals you set for yourself.
Career path
Tax Specialist
HMRC
From 11/2020 to 09/2024Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
Fortunately, within HMRC, I have the flexibility to use my time how I wish. Alongside completion of my daily casework, I find the opportunities which provide me with good job satisfaction. I've come to terms with working till I'm nearly 70 - so how can I make these many years the most enjoyable? For me, it's taking on new challenges, looking to always learn and be challenged, taking on roles and responsibilities which give me satisfaction, and getting to continue to support others. I always make time for mentoring/conversations with others. In specific areas where I have lived experience, which I find challenging to discuss, I find these to the most satisfying pieces of work to engage in. If I can support an individual to have a better experience than I might have had when growing up/starting my career, then I feel proud to help. It's the main motivation for why I became a Teacher - I wanted the children I taught to have a more positive experience than I had. I wanted to give back, because of the few people I had around me that supported me - not everyone had these support networks that I was lucky to have, and that got me to where I am now.
Greatest achievements
Prior to joining HMRC, my proudest (not necessarily my greatest) achievement was an award I won for my contribution to community sport. Whilst at University, I organised numerous charity events, competitions and social sports sessions. One of these social sessions being social football. I created the social sport session, which grew to the largest session on campus, with over 90 people attending a single session - baring in mind, the pitches we started with only had capacity of 20. It was a challenge to quickly think on my feet and accommodate those who attended. I was always pessimistic and didn't expect it to be as popular as it became. Thanks to growing numbers, I recruited and managed other volunteers. Created a female only football session. Ran regular seasonal tournaments with prizes. This is one example of the work I took on which resulted in this award being presented to me on my graduation. At HMRC, my greatest achievement is perhaps more grounded - achieving promotion from the TSP at the first and earliest opportunity available to me. I always hated exams and was never any good at them, so joining a programme full of exams might not have been the smartest idea. But I persisted through anxiety each time exam day came around, and I successfully passed every exam first time. I subsequently passed my milestones and university work first time, leading to achieving a First Class Hons Degree alongside promotion to G7.
Zoe
Senior Project Manager - Locations Programme
Top Insider Advice
No matter what job I've done over the years there has always been people impacted by it. Whether I was sorting out a customers Tax, National Insurance record, developing new IT systems, or delivering new policies or even opening new buildings its people that have been affected at the end of it. Its easy to forget when wrapped up in the day to day activities of your job, that I have made life better for a huge amount of people over the years but in tiny bite size chunks
Stuart
Head of Strategic Estates Insight and Planning
Top Insider Advice
In terms of applications, it sounds obvious, but make sure you read the job advert thoroughly, and tailor your application to evidence your experience of the key things the vacancy-holder is looking for. i've reviewed hundreds of job applications which often fail to do this. In terms of doing your job, be clear on your responsibility and then commit to delivering it with energy. Focus on the most important things that need to be delivered, structure your time well to achieve these, and be sure to consider others as you deliver - hitting a target is great, but not as great if everyone else's delivery has been negatively affected by the way you've worked and interacted - remember to keep the big picture in mind. If you are considering whether to move roles or take on additional/new responsibilities, my advice would be to go for it. It's often easier to stick with what you know, and to find reasons not to try new things - "maybe next month, or next time". In my experience, trying new challenges always builds your experience, resilience and understanding, and as long as you don't change roles really frequently, you will rewarded in your career as a result of taking the plunge.
Kris
Estates Strategic Planning & Data Modelling lead
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.
