What a week it has been for those receiving their CTA results. You are likely either ecstatic with joy having passed your CTA exams, or the opposite having missed out! Here at Pro-Tax, we are here for you either way. So, you have passed! Superb work, all those long nights studying the good old yellow books and much needed support from your friends & family has paid off! You now have an array of options to explore, such as; Industry, Big 4, International, Mid-tier and Boutique - To help establish next steps, our specialist team have provided a brief guide to each below;
Jake – Industry - Upon completing your CTA studies, a move into industry is an exciting change to what you may be used to in practice. Teams can vary from the larger teams of the FTSE 100 to the smaller generalist teams of UK & International headquartered multinational businesses, or even as a standalone acting ‘Head of Tax’. Working in-house can offer improved flexibility, work-life-balance, and the opportunity to understands the ins and outs of a business from both a tax and commercial perspective.
Maisie – Big 4 - Moving to the Big 4 is certainly a fantastic option to consider due to the complexity of technical work in an advisory led role and the ability to put your CTA to good use. You will also benefit from developing your commercial acumen, working with Top tier clients and learning from seasoned professionals, a great recipe for fast tracking your career. Having placed many tax professionals into the Big 4 for the first time, I have specialist experience guiding individuals through the process and finding the best possible Big 4 option that is tailored to your interests and strengths.
Matthew - International - If you find the prospect of joining a Big 4 somewhat daunting, but the chance to work in a firm with a strong international network and a good mix of listed and privately clients is attractive to you, then a very large mid-tier firm could provide the perfect balance. These firms have a national structure which helps them deliver London and International Tax work to all their offices, whether in Corporate, Personal or Indirect Tax teams. They are able to offer advisory work due to dedicated teams being focused on compliance and yet are large enough to specialise in taxes such as Transfer Pricing and R&D Tax, or sectors like TMT, Financial Services and Real Estate. All in all, these firms offer you the best work available within a culture that is still focused on individual growth and development.
Alex – Mid-tier - A quality mid-tier Accountancy Practice has a lot to offer newly qualified Tax Professionals. Firstly, you will not be ‘pigeonholed’ as you will be able to get involved with a whole host of advisory and compliance work from M&A transactions, R&D, Tax Structuring, EMI & Share Scheme valuations to name just a few. These mid-tiers firms are also large enough to give you access to a wide spectrum of clients from FS, Tech & Media, Property, International Tax, Retail as well as Not for Profit and will cover start-ups, HNWI, OMBs to large multinationals. But they are “small” and agile enough that progression and promotion are never withheld, and these firms have built their reputations around their people culture, work life balance, team working and quality of work.
Stuart – Boutique – A Qualified CTA, who was once a newly qualified CTA candidate himself, enjoys working with smaller, boutique practice firms that he feels offer a superb choice. Working within a smaller practice creates less pressure, giving you the time and space to learn your craft. Varying in size and culture, ranging from boutique family offices to accountancy generalists, there are plenty of options to choose from, providing greater flexibility to pick a perfect role based on your individual goals, ambitions and lifestyle. Now, I appreciate that the above information is all geared up for people that have passed their CTA exams, and we know that there will be some not so happy people who missed the mark. Do not panic if this is you, the tax market across all levels is certainly buoyant, there are plenty of opportunities for you if you have missed out and we can certainly give you some help/ career advice along the way! Hopefully our expert guidance will help you decide which direction to take.
However, if you have any questions, or simply want some advice about your career and where it can take you, contact one of our experienced team.
