Are you too young to worry about work-life balance?

If you’re new to the workplace, there’s perhaps an expectation that you should be clocking in early, enduring late nights and taking lunches at your desk.

Why?

To prove your worth, with the expectation that the ‘reward’ of downtime will duly come as you move up the ranks.

While many young guns (and even seasoned veterans) are happy to jump at the opportunity to prove themselves with additional work, it begs the question: Do you need to sacrifice your personal life for the sake of your career, or is that an antiquated notion?

‘Personal hours’ and ‘work hours’ can become increasingly blurred in a new role, especially when you’re trying to make headway in your career. According to a report by Randstad, over 51 per cent of workers are now expected to answer work calls outside traditional work hours. This expectation also extends to annual leave, where 41 per cent of workers believe they should be available despite being on holiday.

Building rapport with your colleagues

Having the ability to get along with your colleagues – and create long-lasting professional relationships with them – is essential for any tax professional.

Whether you are new to the numbers game or a seasoned accountant, fostering positive relationships with co-workers creates a richer work environment and can help your future within the industry. While it's par for the course that some personalities may clash, garnering the skills to cope in such situations is key for any career-driven individual. Here are four great ways to build rapport with your colleagues and show your team your good side.

1. Communicate effectively

Things can go awry when there is miscommunication, especially when office stress and multiple deadlines are added to the mix. Learning to be clear when communicating with colleagues about collaborative projects, your workload or the expectations of your role will help you avoid any unnecessary conflict. If you are ever in doubt about a task or project, following up with questions is the best way to side-step confusion. Professional relationships thrive on open and honest communication.

2. Be positive

No one likes a Negative Nancy. So even if you think you are innocently venting about problems, if you do so too often people will peg you as a pessimist.

Having a positive, can-do attitude puts other people at ease and also shows that you are capable and interested in your work. Next time you feel the urge to complain about something work related, take a step back and look on the bright side. Positivity is infectious, so your vibe will rub off on your colleagues, leading to a more positive work environment for everyone.

3. Learn to listen

Often when we have conversations with colleagues, our minds are focused on the long list of other things we need to get done, meaning you miss important information. Making a conscious effort to focus on what the other person is saying is called active listening.

To be successful with active listening:

• Pay attention to what the other person is saying.
• Show them you are engaged in the conversation with signals like nodding and eye contact.
• Provide feedback on what they have said by paraphrasing.
• Try not to interrupt them while they are speaking.

Practising this type of listening can really help you understand your co-worker's needs and build trust with them.

4. Be reliable

To make your colleagues trust and admire your work, make sure you are a reliable employee. Get to the office on time, produce high-quality work and be there for your team when they need you. Later down the track when your superiors are determining who best to promote or entrust with the next big project, your hard work will pay off.

These four tips are great ways to improve rapport with your co-workers, but they work best when combined. Create a positive work attitude built on effective skills and you will be the go-to worker in the office.

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Read more about the communication skills you need to succeed in tax by downloading our free ebook.

How to make the most of your Mondays

Nothing sends your productivity into overdrive like getting a flying start to the week. You might think of each Monday as the ‘weekend hangover’, but it’s better to use the day as an opportunity to establish your priorities and beat your deadlines.

Whether you’re facing five days filled with client meetings or completing the last phase of a project that requires your analytical skills to be razor-sharp, here are four top tips for making the most of your Mondays.

How to build rapport with your professional colleagues

The ability to get along with your co-workers – and create long-lasting professional relationships with them – is an essential skill for all tax practitioners.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, developing positive relationships with colleagues creates a richer work environment and can help your future.

Here are four key skills that expert rapport-builders focus on to enhance their relationships with colleagues.

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.

How to shine at a networking event

Whether you’re a seasoned tax professional or junior practitioner, few activities have as much potential for business development and career advancement as networking with peers, influencers and prospective clients.

A networking function can help you forge real-world connections with people you might otherwise only know via email or social media. It enables you to represent your organisation to potentially valuable, influential contacts. However, making and nurturing contacts at such occasions can be challenging if you don’t take the time to prepare.

Here are some ideas on how to best represent your firm at a networking event.

5 essential business skills

Recruiters in the tax profession look for a range of skills in candidates that apply for entry-level positions.

Academic achievement in your taxation course at university is just a starting point. Companies are on the hunt for well-rounded, business-savvy practitioners who can see beyond just the technical information.

Here are five key qualities that tax employers value in their people.

What is active listening and how can you master it?

Active listening is a cornerstone of effective interpersonal communication. It’s therefore an essential skill for tax professionals.

Active listening involves both hearing what your client or colleague is saying and letting them know that you hear what they’re saying.

It helps you to build rapport with your clients and colleagues. It demonstrates your respect for them. It also helps you to earn their trust.

They’ll know that any opinions or recommendations you subsequently suggest will be based on a deep understanding of their specific needs.

Here are a few active listening techniques that you can apply in any professional conversation.

Making it in professional services - beyond the technical

When you embark on a career in an area of professional services, such as tax, you’ll naturally look for ways to gain value from every opportunity at work.

For example, performing technical tasks presents an opportunity to display your skills and enthusiasm, thereby impressing those who may help you achieve your future career aspirations.

Raising your profile

Enhancing your career prospects involves raising your profile internally and externally, among clients, within your industry, and within your organisation.

To achieve this, you should know how to use both social media and modern mainstream media to your advantage. And you should know how to build relationships as a trusted client advisor.

It’s also advantageous to know the role passion plays in performance, developing a real interest, better understanding and awareness.

Anticipating problems and displaying judgement

Another career-enhancing activity is to show good judgement and initiative with clients.

This involves knowing when to seek guidance and when not to, knowing what has and hasn’t already worked, and identifying the end goal in a matter (as well as your role in achieving it).

Over time, you will become increasingly skilled at anticipating problems before they arise.

Following through and showing resilience

How do you continually plan, think forward and meet deadlines without fail? How transferable are your skills, and are you able to use tax skills in different environments?

In terms of career moves, what’s acceptable and what is unacceptable? How and when should you advance by moving from one firm to another?

These are all decisions that require knowledge, nerve and the ability to take action at the right time.

Applying a professional approach

A professional approach involves knowing the best way to present research and advice within your organisation, and knowing how Partners like to be treated at any time.

You should also understand the relevant conventions in your firm, in terms of operational issues, file management and document development and distribution.

Office relationships and conflicts

It’s useful to observe and analyse your workplace culture to know which behaviours are appropriate and which are not.

To do this, you might ask what has and hasn’t changed in the last 30 years? Are there significant value differences between Partners and Millennial employees? How do you deal with difficult people and pressure generally?

In terms of support networks, you can consider what makes a good mentor and how you might find one. It’s also worth anticipating, in the event that an office conflict breaks out, the strategies you might employ and who you can turn to.

How to handle difficult people in the workplace

One benefit of transitioning from university to full-time employment is the opportunity to work closely with friendly, supportive, inspiring people.

Unfortunately, you may also encounter individuals who aren’t so easy to get along with – and in the workplace, unlike at university, it’s difficult to ignore or get away from such people. You may even sit next to an unfriendly co-worker for hours each day.

Time management skills for long-term success

You may have survived university on the basis of your talent and hard work. However, you’ll need to refine your organisational skills to survive, thrive and prosper over the long term in your chosen career.

If you haven’t already embraced the fundamental principles of time management, it’s worth starting now.

Here are a few tactics for getting more done in your day-to-day work.

Presentation skills to boost your career

The ability to present an idea or argument effectively to a target audience is essential for anyone who wants to build a successful career in tax.

What presentation skills should you develop?

Content

Your first consideration in developing a presentation is its content, which comprises three elements:

• Originality: The content of your presentation should be new or different enough to engage your audience. If your topic is unavoidably mundane, you can spruce it up with images, humour or even props that present it in a new way.

• Structure: Your time to present is limited, so a clear structure can be an effective way of conveying complex ideas. Create a framework with patterns of logic and a sensible order (e.g. chronology or premise-argument-consequence-implication).

• Authority: You should have expertise in your topic and know, by heart, the way you plan to present it. Once you’ve developed the structure and words, practise your presentation. This will also help your confidence when you’re in front of your audience.

Confidence

The best presenters project confidence, and confidence comes from being comfortable.

Consider these three elements of confidence:

• Body language: Stand or sit up straight and face your audience. Breathe deeply and slowly. Release the tension in your body and try to spend the time looking at the audience more than at your notes. It’s okay to pace or move around if you need to, but such movement should be measured.

• Voice: If there’s no microphone, project your voice loudly and clearly – clarity is crucial, with or without an amplifier. Many people rush their words when nervous, so be mindful of the flow and pace of your presentation. Include pauses, giving time for your words to sink in.

• Rapport: Try to build a warm rapport with your audience. Find out something about them beforehand that you can mention at the beginning. Many presenters also break the ice with a joke or an anecdote, or use techniques such as rhetorical questions.

Get to know how you behave in front of an audience, accentuate the good traits and reduce undesirable habits. If you get nervous when people stare at you, it may help to use visual aids that they can look at instead. If you speak too fast, invest in a metronome to help you practise speaking at a slower pace. And if your hands tremble, hold a prop like a pen to still them.

The way you present yourself, your work and your ideas will inevitably influence how your abilities are viewed in the workplace. Give your career the best chance by honing your presentation skills at the beginning.

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.

Tips for professional email

As you embark on your career as a tax practitioner, you only ever have one chance to make a great first impression with each prospective employer, client or other stakeholder.

If that chance happens to be via email, it’s useful to know how to correspond in a professional manner.

Particularly when applying for a job, a work experience opportunity or a position in a graduate program, your initial contact probably will be by email. Your initial application, cover letter and any associated requests will be in writing and will be delivered to the hiring manager’s inbox.

To smarten up your email correspondence, consider these suggestions:

DO

• Use the subject field to clearly summarise the contents of your email message: This helps the recipient to categorise your email immediately. Many people won’t even open an email that has an ambiguous subject line.

• Open and sign-off formally: Err on the side of formal rather than casual or familiar. If addressing an employer called Michael Chen, best not to open with ‘Hey Mike’. Better to begin with ‘Dear Mr Chen’ and end with ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Kind regards’. The reply (usually less formal) will indicate the level of engagement the recipient prefers. Try to avoid going below that level.

• Start a new paragraph for each new idea or action item: Each paragraph need only be one or two sentences long and should serve a purpose. In fact, the entire message should be as concise as possible. Even if the recipient only scans the email, they should clearly understand who you are and what you want.

• Check your email before sending it: Make sure your spelling, punctuation and grammar are acceptable, and that any attachments mentioned are actually attached. You may even want to read the email aloud before sending to ensure it makes sense.

• Use an email signature block: Even a basic signature that includes your contact details looks more professional than none. It helps the recipient to have your contact details at the ready.

DON’T

• Use an email address that may reflect badly on you: Remember that email address you had when you were 15 – perhaps skaterboy007@hotmail.com or pinksunset14@yahoo.com? Best not to use it for professional correspondence.

• Use emoticons, slang or curse words: Even if you know the recipient well, the email may be forwarded to others who don’t know you.

• Forget why you’re sending the email: The email has a purpose. Make sure everything in it serves that purpose, whether it’s supporting your application for a position or trying to elicit a specific answer to a question.

• Pester the recipient: Just because an email is easy to send doesn’t mean you should repeatedly ask for updates. If you’re concerned at the lack of response – especially if the recipient said they’d get back to you by a certain time – pick up the phone and call them. If the recipient is unavailable, you may be able to speak with someone else.

Learning to use email in a professional manner will serve you well beyond the application stage.

Developing good habits now will help you communicate with clients and colleagues in a more effective way for years to come.

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.

How to select a tax speciality

One of the benefits of having a career in the tax sector is being able to specialise in your area of interest. Here’s an overview of some things you need to know before choosing your focus.

A career in tax is versatile, but to optimise its versatility you first need to figure out what you want. Do you want to earn more or travel more? Are there particular lifestyle benefits you're keen on? What about political influence and meeting people? The industry you choose will determine the benefits and challenges you'll have.

Property and investment

Specialising in the ins and outs of property and investment tax issues will lead you to people who are interested in making money, including high-net-worth individuals and wealth-creation organisations.

Great for: Earning potential.

Superannuation

An ageing population, the increase in self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) and the complex tax issues around super all mean tax specialists in this area are in high demand. Expect to handle everything from super tax returns to SMSF structures and estate planning.

Great for: Job stability.

Corporate

There is a wide range of roles in the corporate tax sector – from audit and compliance to consultancy and advisory – and most will involve meeting with clients and working in teams on specific jobs. This environment is very supportive of graduates and you'll find that plenty of opportunities will present themselves, especially as all corporate firms and many of their clients are multinational.

Great for: Travel and international exposure.

Business

The beauty of understanding business tax is that your skills can be applied to almost any organisation, from not-for-profits to sole traders. Each industry has its own particular challenges, for example special exemptions and deductions for artists paired with the instability and breadth of their income streams. Many tax specialists find this work rewarding as it both helps businesses and provides interesting challenges.

Great for: Job satisfaction.

Policy and analysis

Interested in the mechanism of tax? Perhaps policy and analysis is the specialisation for you. A role as an economist or analyst drives everything from political platforms to tax-system reform. If you want to spearhead change as a thought leader on tax, this is your area.

Great for: Prestige and influence.

The tax industry provides steady work and a variety of roles, which is a big draw for students and graduates looking to test their skills in different areas of interest. Choosing a specialisation does require a little research so you can match its benefits and challenges to your skills, needs and interests for a satisfying career.

If you are looking to specialise, consider The Tax Institute’s speciality single subjects, including AdvancedSuperannuation, Corporate Tax, and Tax for Trusts in Estate Planning and WealthManagement.

Find out more

5 aspects to help you choose your ideal career

Choosing a career is among the most important decisions you’ll ever make, so how do you know what your ideal career is? You've already narrowed down the options by selecting your degree, but the planning doesn't stop there.

Next, you need to think about which practice area interests you, what kind of organisation you want to work for and which industry you ultimately want to work in.

As a tax professional, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries, from financial services to fashion. There are plenty of opportunities, so how do you decide? Here are five fast tips to help you identify your ideal career.

Assess your skills

When it comes to choosing your profession, it’s critically important to know where your strengths and talents lie. By aligning your natural skills with your chosen profession you’ll have a greater chance of success and career fulfilment. For instance, if you have a thirst for knowledge and are always looking for ways to improve things, it might be worth thinking about a career in tax, since tax laws change constantly.

Survey your family and friends

Often your family and friends represent a wealth of insight into your habits, behaviours and the areas in which you excel. That’s why it’s worth asking them to list your skills and talents as well as the character traits that they admire – you may be surprised at what this process reveals.

Take the time to write down your top 10 strengths and abilities. Be honest and list everything you’re good at. You might also like to make a list of qualities you’d like to improve upon. How does this match up to the options you’re considering?

Pay attention to what excites you

Often, the things that excite us offer powerful clues into the career that will fulfil us the most. So next time you feel a charge of excitement when you achieve something, don’t ignore it – that feeling is a clue to the kind of work you’ll find fulfilling. Make a list of all the things that interest you and that you enjoy doing. Then compare it to the list of your strengths and abilities. Where do they overlap?

Establish your priorities

It’s important your chosen career reflects your lifestyle aspirations and personal goals. If you value a work-life balance, it pays to pick a job that doesn't demand to toil around the clock. If you require a solid, steady income that will allow you to thrive financially, make sure you pick a stable speciality for which you'll encounter regular demand. As a tax professional, you can expect your specialised knowledge to be in high demand from business, government and private citizens, leading to steady employment.

Embrace internships and work experience

Internships and work experience will give you a powerful insight into what you love and what you loathe. Throughout your studies, take the time to approach companies you’d like to work for and offer your services for free – it’s an investment of your time that’s bound to pay professional dividends. Try working for organisations of different sizes to reveal what type of workplace you are most comfortable with.

Finding the right career takes time, as well as a good understanding of your own strengths, interests and priorities. Once you have a clear picture of what’s most important you’ll be on track to finding your ideal career.

Take the next step in your tax career with the Graduate Diploma of Applied Tax Law. 

Find out more

2016 training trends

In order to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving tax and accounting landscape, it’s critical for professionals to keep both their knowledge and skills timely and relevant. From a firm’s perspective, an ongoing commitment to implementing the right learning and development strategy is essential to nurture and manage the internal talent pool.

We have identified three key trends in 2016:

Leverage the training mix

Experts agree when it comes to training, there is no one size-fits-all approach. Getting the training mix right is about ensuring teams remain updated on both soft and hard skill sets. National director at Grant Thornton Stacey Smith says its program includes a mix of soft skills and non-technical training, regular tax updates concentrating on specialised topics, as well as programs nurturing commercial skills.

Putting knowledge into practice

Meanwhile, with the rapid changes in digital capabilities, cloud-based accounting software and rapidly evolving client expectations, experts highlight the importance of ensuring tax and accounting professionals have regular technological updates. At Perks for instance, Oakes says training includes technology-driven value-add skills, particularly from junior level upwards.

The test-and-learn method

When it comes to tailoring the training within a firm, experts agree a customised approach can be achieved through measuring testing and learning. At Perks, Oakes says the firm runs an annual skills gap analysis, which involves getting feedback from staff to be able to tailor the training program accordingly.

Engaging the team in training helps to maintain currency of both technical and non-technical skill sets. At the same time, consistency in delivery, testing and learning, and being open to adapt and customise a program are critical in ensuring all individual learning needs are addressed across any organisation.

To read more about these key trends, download our white paper.

To find out more about how to achieve your chosen path, please visit taxinstitute.com.au/education or call 1300 TAX EDU (1300 829 338).

Keeping up to date on the latest tax news

Keeping up to date with the latest industry news may seem like another item to add to your to-do list, but staying informed can have a number of positive benefits that can aid you in your career. For instance, when you are aware of the latest news and developments in the industry, you are able to make better decisions, and spot opportunities and threats early on. Additionally, you can develop expertise that will build trust and respect, which from a leadership perspective is invaluable. By utilising these industry resources, you can apply your knowledge to your everyday practice and client cases to become better in your role.

Here some handy resources that can keep you up to date with the latest developments in tax and accounting.

The Tax Institute Member Centre

Tax law and administration is continuously evolving, which means tax practitioners need to keep their skills and knowledge up to date with the changing landscape. The Tax Institute Member Centre is a community of highly knowledgeable practitioners, and offers access to powerful resources, progressive education and influential networks. The membership includes access to tax journals and newsletters, and research services such as tax libraries and alliance partners. 

Best for: Membership is a great way for tax professionals to equip themselves with the best advice, and it can enhance the careers of those just starting out in tax.

Government resources

The ATO website has recently gone through some drastic changes to improve usability, and it now has more resources, tools and calculators than ever before. The ATO is currently in the early development stage of building a central newsroom that will bring together a number of newsletters, media-release services and news articles. The ATO newsroom aims to provide tax and accounting professionals, as well as the general public, with a more streamlined resource containing relevant and timely news and information.

For general news and information, government sites can help you find useful data and assistance across all areas of taxation, including tax reform, tax returns, e-tax and myTax. For a more overarching resource, the Treasury publishes the Pocket Guide to the Australian Tax System. You can obtain various guidance notes on federal, state and local government tax revenue, major tax expenditures, as well as historical information relating to Australian tax instruments, income tax laws, and GST and excise policies. The Treasury site also contains media releases, with the latest announcements from areas such as fiscal policy, the budget and tax expenditures.

Best for: Utilising government resources is great for overarching resources across all areas of taxation, such as tax reform, tax returns, e-tax and so on.

TaxWise News

TaxWise News is a subscription-based newsletter containing recent news and information written by the professional team at The Tax Institute. From small business tax measures to GST changes and SMSF compliance, TaxWise News keeps you abreast of everything you need to know for providing timely and relevant advice to your clients.

TaxWise offers two streams of newsletters: Business News, which is published quarterly and is tailored to SME clients' requirements, and Individual News, which is published biannually and is customised for your clients’ needs.

Best for: Subscription to TaxWise News is great for the latest industry news, specifically around small business tax and compliance measures and requirements. 

Weekly Tax Bulletin

Thomson Reuters offers a comprehensive range of news services for tax and accounting professionals, including the Weekly Tax Bulletin, which provides a detailed and comprehensive weekly wrap-up of the latest tax developments. The Weekly Tax Bulletin is a subscription-based service, which publishes analytical reports plus expert commentary from practitioners on the latest tax and accounting developments, including the latest tax cases, rulings and ATO updates. Other news services include the Capital Gains Tax Bulletin, the Fringe Benefits Tax Bulletin, the GST News Alert, the International Tax Bulletin and the Super & Financial Services Bulletin.

Best for: Subscription to the Weekly Tax Bulletin is best for the latest tax cases and developments, and expert advice from trusted practitioners around industry developments. 

Law Council of Australia

The Law Council of Australia is the peak national representative body of the Australian legal profession. As a member of the Legal Council, you will have access to professional contacts in your field of practice, receive the latest journals and newsletters, information bulletins, as well as opportunities to attend professional education events. The membership can help your career in tax, as it is crucial to be aware of new developments in the law and how these changes could affect your clients. The membership is divided into five sections, suited to your area of expertise, and as a result you will be able to access the most relevant and timely information for your practice and clients.

Best for: Membership to the Law Council of Australia is great for access to journals and advice from accredited law practitioners. 

Lawyers Weekly

Lawyers Weekly is a leading online and independent news, analysis and opinion source. It is updated daily and delivers the latest news, business and market developments for corporate and in-house legal businesses and practitioners. The site allows you to customise preferences from breaking legal news to the latest in-house updates. The site has both free and pay-to-access content, depending on the type of resource.

Best for: Subscription to Lawyers Weekly is great for the latest law news and industry developments. 

It can be overwhelming and time-consuming to stay abreast of the latest relevant tax news, so utilise these resources for the most useful and up-to-date tax information.

If you are thinking about membership, contact us today on (02) 8223 0060 or visit taxinstitute.com.au/members

Four qualities of great leaders

It’s common knowledge that becoming a great leader calls for a complex suite of skills. Although we recognise that talented bosses are equipped to rise to challenges and make tough decisions, we often forget that the ability to communicate, delegate, remain positive and stay creative are equally intrinsic to finding a leadership formula that works.
 
Whether you dream of heading up an accounting firm or working as a tax consultant, there are ways to hone your leadership credentials now. Here are four qualities of great leaders along with fail-safe tips for acquiring them.

Communication skills

The ability to articulate ideas and give clear direction to colleagues can separate a mediocre leader from a boss who excels. Failure to communicate effectively can lead to conflict and poor execution – factors that can impact bottom lines. From taking a professional writing course to volunteering to speak at an industry panel, there are plenty of ways to cultivate your powers of expression and make sure people understand what you’re trying to say.

The ability to delegate

Great leaders know that when it comes to freeing up the time and energy to focus on strategy, the ability to delegate is key. Overbearing managers run the risk of damaging relationships with staff members and impacting employee trust. You can master the art of delegation by looking at your workload and identifying the tasks you could outsource. The most effective delegators understand the responsibilities that are worth their efforts and those that should be passed on to someone else. They also trust their team to deliver great work without being micromanaged.

A positive attitude

The best leaders believe that you can turn around a missed opportunity and that failure is simply success in this disguise. This positive perspective is essential to becoming the kind of visionary leader staff members look up to and emulate. Whether it’s working with a charity or volunteering at a not-for-profit on weekends, offering your skills to those who need them can help you become more influential.

A creative approach

Fields such as tax and accounting might not be traditionally classified as creative, but creativity is still a powerful leadership asset that can help a company grow. Being a leader often means thinking outside traditional boundaries and drawing on the power of imagination to tackle complex briefs. Whether it’s taking a painting class or learning how to capture better photos, there’s no shortage of ways to catch the creative bug. Harnessing your creativity can supercharge your leadership skills down the track. Encouraging your team to think creatively and brainstorm together can help foster creativity in the workplace.

From communication skills to the ability to delegate, the right mix of attributes can see a leader succeed.

What are you doing today to hone your future leadership skills?

Five essential business skills to get you ahead

How would you design a phone for deaf people? How many piano tuners are there in Melbourne? How heavy is the Empire State Building? And how would you answer these seemingly impossible questions if asked in actual interviews?

The last one is a question worth pondering if you want to demonstrate your own potential to prospective employers – they are undoubtedly looking for more than just academic achievement in your taxation course.

Mastery of your tax training is just the starting point for recruiters looking to hire the best talent. Companies are on the hunt for well-rounded, business-savvy agents capable of looking beyond trade technicalities. Here’s our list of five of the most important qualities employers value in their people.

1. Problem solvers

The questions posed above invite interviewees to demonstrate their creative ability to overcome workplace challenges and problems, and how to adapt to changing circumstances or the unexpected.
Thinking about instances in your life where you have been flexible in solving a problem can be a good starting point when it comes to showing employers you can think on your feet.

2. Effective organisers

Good organisation is key to being able to manage projects, making it a fundamental skill for any new recruit to demonstrate. The ability to break down a large project into separate stages, estimate the work and time required, delegate work and keep projects on track, on time and on budget is a core competency for larger firms especially.

3. Digital savviness

A basic requirement among management recruits is proficiency in a range of core software. Spreadsheets are fundamental to tax and accounting, but understanding shortcuts and being able to manipulate data quickly will help you stand out as a future high-flyer.
Database management and the ability to use data-visualisation tools have also emerged as important skill sets to possess as data becomes more central to every organisation.

4. Commercial smarts

Understanding what makes the wider industry in which you work tick, and where the sector is going, demonstrates your ability to look beyond your tax training and marks you out as one to watch. It shows initiative, appreciation of the bigger picture and engagement with the tax and accounting world beyond just your taxation education.

5. Good communicators

A recent study among 50,000 company recruiters revealed that communication skills were the most important factor in hiring managers. Learning to work effectively by listening carefully and speaking and writing effectively is a skill you can consciously improve.
Mastering your ability to work with clients and colleagues is just as important as mastering your taxation education to ensure you enjoy an effective and long career.

Give yourself the edge with free Student Membership

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

Find out about Student Membership.