What does a great Tax Professional look like?
As a Tax Recruiter, candidates are constantly asking me for advice about what Big 4, Top 10, and PE-backed Tax Practices are looking for in a great candidate. With almost 10 years experience recruiting candidates in the North, I am well placed to answer this for you.
You might have heard a podcast I did recently on the topic (the fashionable thing these days) – if you want to give it a listen, you can find it on my LinkedIn profile. But I thought I’d also jot down some of my thoughts on here – hopefully it will be useful to aspiring tax professionals and anyone looking to make their next move.
Quick disclaimer. I’m not tax trained, and I don’t have much in the way of technical tax knowledge, despite spending most of my time chatting to tax professionals! My ability to speak on this topic comes from understanding the tax recruitment market and how best to navigate it. On a daily basis, I speak with Tax Partners, Heads of Tax and other people with decision making power, and this article highlights what they ask me for.
So, what are these decision-makers looking for in a great Tax candidate?
1. Tax Technical Knowledge… An obvious one, right?
Being technically competent is arguably the most important skill when it comes to being a desirable tax hire. It's one of the main feedback notes I get from partners: “they were good but not technically strong enough”, “they lacked core tax fundamentals”, “they couldn’t give clear examples of technical work” (I’ll come back to that one later!).
It seems like a simple piece of advice, but it starts with your qualifications. CTA-qualified candidates who continue to develop their technical knowledge post-qualification are what I get asked for most by my clients. Yet I speak with a lot of tax professionals who contemplate not doing it. They might have completed an ATT or be a chartered accountant, but they haven’t done CTA.
Key takeaway: Get your exams done and don’t stop learning.
2. Interpersonal skills
Tax Partners look for strong communication, the ability to lead, work as part of a team, manage stakeholders, and build a network.
It’s a lot to ask to be great at all of those things, so if I had to pick one area (ok, two) that can make a candidate stand out the most, it would be communication and stakeholder management.
Communication is so important when dealing with your clients. Tax is a complex area, and being able to take a tax topic and distil it into language that a client understands is critical.
Managing stakeholders both externally and internally is an underrated skill in my book. Tax in its simplest form, is money, and money can often be an emotive topic. Handling discussions in the right way, managing expectations, and being able to find a path through a difficult situation are signs of a strong adviser.
Key takeaway: Focus on your strengths, but acknowledge the need to work on other areas. Make strong communication and good stakeholder management a priority.
3. Business Development - Some love it, some hate it. Some firms really want it, and others don’t.
BD skills are certainly something I’ve always been asked about for more senior candidates, but Tax Partners are also increasingly asking for this from around Assistant Manager upwards.
My biggest piece of advice to anyone in tax is to start thinking about it early on in your career. Going to industry networking events or award ceremonies is always an easy way to develop your BD skills – it's all just talking really. And having a great network that you can draw on as you get more senior will definitely help you with BD.
Key takeaway: Networking is a great way to ease into business development.
Summary
There you have it, the 3 main characteristics that Tax Partners are looking for in great candidates: a good tax qualification with strong technical skills, good communication and stakeholder management, and a great network which provides ample BD opportunities.
There are of course, other important traits, which I talk about on the podcast I mentioned earlier in this article. And remember, the skills that Tax Partners look for can differ depending on size of firm, so bear that in mind.
If you found this useful or have any other suggestions regarding what skills firms are looking for, connect with me on LinkedIn or drop me a message. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Sam – Tax Recruiter
