I’d worked for HMRC for six years in a variety of posts but managed to stay firmly away from anything tax related. I joined the Inspector Development Programme in September 2005, really just looking for a bit of a change but not knowing what I was getting into.
The online selection process was relatively straightforward followed by a telephone interview and an assessment centre over two days, which included various role playing exercises, discussions and a presentation. It was a good opportunity to meet other people, some of whom I’m working with now.
We started with a general introduction to tax enquiries and, as my training progresses, so too does the quality of work and my enjoyment in doing it. I’ve recently been appointed as the Customer Manager for a large group with turnover in excess of £400 million. I’ll meet with them on a regular basis and agree any tax issues in real-time rather than enquiring after the event. I’ll also be responsible for co-ordinating any VAT, Employer Compliance and Corporation Tax issues or any enquiries – all of which will certainly help to better my understanding across a range of taxes.
With cross-tax awareness becoming an important area, I’m working closely with colleagues in other areas on one of my enquiry cases, sharing intelligence and using our different methods to obtain company information and ensure its compliance. Narrowing the 'tax gap' is one of the department’s main aims and it’s satisfying to know that you are contributing to achieving that.
I’d say the work is demanding but it’s also rewarding. Apart from job satisfaction, it’s great to be able to share on-the-job experiences and anecdotes - a colleague of mine had a racehorse named after him as a result of an enquiry in to a horse trainer!
