Profiles
Over the coming weeks, Morgan McKinley’s In-House Tax team will guide you through the process of moving from practice to an in-house environment. In this first blog, Paul Miller discusses how to differentiate yourself from your peers through a tailored CV.
So, you’re ready to take the step into your first in-house role. When starting your search you will discover that you are competing against a number of your peers who have similar experience and qualifications. The big question is; how do you set yourself apart and not only gain interest from a prospective employer but also that elusive first interview?
It makes sense to start by thinking about why you want to work in-house and what the key differences are. By working in-house your ‘clients’ will change from several companies or groups to one group. This group will more than likely comprise several departments and a high number of stakeholders all requiring input from the tax team. You will be dealing with a wide range of people with varying experience and many with limited tax knowledge.
By understanding how your role may change, you can start to think about the skills a future employer will be looking for and how you can demonstrate these on your CV.
Pankaj Shah, Head of Tax at Investec advises “the information an applicant gives has to be relevant to the organisation and the role they are applying for.”
Therein lies the answer. If you are applying for a role at a bank highlight your knowledge and experience with the financial services market; if you are applying for a compliance role, demonstrate your knowledge of the compliance / reporting process. It sounds simple but be specific to the job you are applying for using examples and show why you are one of the most suitable candidates available in the market.
Clearly outline your industry sector experience and where relevant provide examples of clients you have worked with. A strong selling point will be to give information related to any secondments you have held as not only will this demonstrate your technical ability but also that you understand the cultural differences between working in-house and practice.
Discuss with your recruitment consultant the specific skills (both soft skills and technical knowledge) that are required for the role you are applying for and how best to pitch yourself for the position. This will make a significant difference throughout your job search and may prove the difference between success or disappointment. All in all, your experience will remain the same but it’s all in the presentation!
