Insider profil
Keen to receive questions about
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.
Career path
Tax Professional Manager (Grade 6)
HM Revenue & Customs
From 07/2024 to 03/2025Customs & Borders Partnerships Lead (Grade 7)
HM Revenue & Customs
From 03/2021 to 06/2024Customs and International Trade (CIT) Consultant (Band SEO)
HM Revenue & Customs
From 10/2020 to 02/2021Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
The work I have done around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion has led me to meet many colleagues who have a similar desire to develop and progress but who face barriers that are difficult to overcome. One of my principal motivations at this stage of my career is both to help those colleagues through coaching and mentoring and to raise awareness of issues faced by disadvantaged groups. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given my background, I have been most active in the area of race equality, but I am equally committed to being an ally for people from other minorities.
Greatest achievements
I was the Race Lead for our Wales region at the time of the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. Leading our response to those events and the feelings that they triggered for colleagues, and later to the Race Disparity Audit, was incredibly challenging but also rewarding. I built awareness of the issues through regular Yammer (now Viva Engage) posts and through presentations, listening events and bringing together internal and external speakers. Although there is much still to be done, it was fantastic to see real progress in our region. I was also able to influence events across HMRC and the wider Civil Service. I was incredibly proud and humbled when my work in this field led to me being nominated by colleagues for an MBE. Receiving that award was a very proud moment for my family, but by far the best thing for me is seeing the success of colleagues whom I have worked with.
Louise
Benefit lead
Top Insider Advice
I think we can all feel a sense of imposter syndrome, and that inner voice saying you are not capable. You are ! I think we all need to recognise that work can be challenging and not always as straightforward as you want it to be, which is where the doubt can set it. Its all about building that resilience for me, don't give up. If you want something just keep working towards it, even if that means taking it slowly.
Alan
Customer Compliance Manager
Top Insider Advice
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.
Hayley
Operations and Comm's Lead
Top Insider Advice
You will bring a unique perspective to a role as your experience will have been different from that of others. Don't be afraid to bring that to the fore, it is what makes you, you and brings a valuable contribution to a team. I wish I'd thought this more when I first joined the Civil Service!
