Why tax is a great career choice in 2018

What do you want from your career? A new challenge every day? The opportunity to make a difference? Intellectual stimulation? Financial security?

It’s worth giving the question some genuine thought, especially if you have an eye on working in a competitive field such as accounting, the law or tax.

There are many reasons that tax is increasingly appealing to contemporary graduates. Here we outline several benefits of entering the numbers game.

Expansion of advisory services

According to Stephen Holmes CTA, partner at WMS Chartered Accountants, professional services firms are expanding their knowledge and skill-sets so they can provide more complex advisory services in addition to helping clients with tax compliance.

“You need extra skills to ensure clients stay with you and have confidence in your abilities,” he says.

For you, this can mean more interesting, challenging work, and the chance to develop your potential.

Specialist expertise

Holmes adds that a major challenge facing entry-level tax practitioners is how to become – and have clients accept you as – an indispensable expert.

Every challenge, however, is also an opportunity. You can learn to specialise in a specific industry or technical area that interests you. You’ll invariably find that, when you get to know your niche really well (and can demonstrate this knowledge), clients will soon recognize and value your specialist expertise.

Variety

If you're seeking variety in your career (and in life), the tax path may be for you.

Holmes suggests there is really no ‘typical day’, especially once you reach partner level.

“Early on, your days are similar, but doing the same thing over and over is a good thing for your future career.”

Your days become more varied as you climb the ranks of your organisation. You’ll then appreciate that the repetition you experienced at a junior level was necessary, and extremely valuable, as it will have helped you to build your technical skills and your ability to liaise effectively with clients.

How to kickstart your tax career today

You can quickly stand out from the crowd by demonstrating your abilities in various facets of your profession.

One way to do this is by undertaking the Chartered Tax Adviser program, which will help you increase your knowledge and bridge the gap between the theoretical and practical aspects of tax practice.

Give yourself the edge with free student membership

If you're a tertiary education student, The Tax Institute can help you progress in your career.

Find out about Student Membership.