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.

It is important to keep trying. Not everybody will make it first time, I did not when applying for Tax Professional Training, but I was put on a reserve list and called up later. Many do not make it first time but they do make it second time round. The process for recruitment can be long, but do not get disheartened, this is to give everybody the best chance of being accepted. If you can, get feedback and consider it for future applications. Feedback will often point our your weak area that can easily be improved with a bit of practice. If you do get on a training programme, be aware that though tough, they want you to succeed and will do everything they can to support you in achieving the end goal. Do say if you need extra support, they cannot provide it unless you tell them you need it. I am dyslexic and they took this into account for exams providing computer rather than writing and also extra time for reading.

I studied a completely different degree, and the work I did before the Tax Specialist Programme in finance was completely different to what I do now. But when I read the listing for the Tax Specialist Programme I felt that I had the right sort of skillset to work in tax, and can happily say that I have nurtured and grown this skillset in my time on the Tax Specialist Programme. We often feel like because we've done one thing we need to stick with that one thing, but it's important to believe in your own skills and to embrace trying new things.