georgiana-head-recruitment

Career Pivots at Any Age: From Olympics Debut to Tax Careers | A View From Up Here

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:53:46 GMT

Inspired by Olympian Deanna Stellato-Dudek’s comeback, this blog explores how grit, retraining and support from ATT and CIOT can help you pivot into — or within — a successful tax career at any stage of life.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek is 42 years old and due to compete at the Winter Olympics 2026 in the figure skating doubles with Maxime Deschamps for Canada. What is astounding about this is that it will Stellato-Dudek’s Olympics debut. Stellato- Dudel had a successful junior career as a skater, stopped skating after an injury and it was 16 years later when she was 33 that she decided to go find her old skates in her mother’s house and started skating again. By 2024 she and her skating partner had become World Champions.

‘’You can change careers in your 30s, 40s, 50s,” Stellato-Dudek told Olympics.com recently while recounting her journey back to figure skating after an unheard-of 16-year hiatus. “Grit determination, they don't have an age limit, either.”

"You can be successful in that [new] career if it's something that you really have a passion for."

So, what do figure skating and a career in tax have in common? I’d say that having worked as an art historian, moved into tax and then into recruitment that a tax background is a good launching pad for all sorts of careers. It is also a good landing for those looking for more security; over my time in recruitment, I have helped four former professional footballers who have moved from football post injury into tax. I’ve seen, farmers, security guards, teachers, a fireman and a taxi driver all retrain and move into a career in tax.

I’ve seen people move from practice roles into industry, move from HMRC into accountancy firms, law firms and banks. I’ve seen people begin in indirect tax, enjoy a direct tax module in their exams and pivot their way into personal or corporate tax. Expat tax specialists move into transfer pricing, Tax Advisers retrain and become lawyers, CTA’s become editors, technical officers and writers. I’ve seen people come back to tax after raising families, battling illnesses or becoming teachers and joining the police. I should add a plug here for the excellent ‘return to work’ advice and support offered by the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT) and the Chartered Institute of Tax (CIOT) for more info see; Returning to work | The Association of Taxation Technicians . And Returners 2 Work #R2W | Chartered Institute of Taxation

Volunteering can be a great way of adding new skills that can help you change direction. By volunteering for your local branch of CIOT and ATT or helping with a steering group you can gain experience of chairing meetings, being a trustee, gain broader practical accounts experience or find out about tax education, lecturing or how charities work.

Another inspiring ‘pivot’ is the career of our latest Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury for over 1400 years. Born in 1962, she began training as a nurse in 1980 and was an extremely successful one; rising through the ranks to become the youngest ever Chief Nursing officer and she became a DBE (Dame of the British Empire) in 2005 in recognition of her contribution to nursing. She started her ministry by studying part time and retraining whilst still nursing and was 40 when she was ordained a minister. Really inspiring stuff. It reminds me of one of the vicars at my last church, he was a former PwC partner who retrained to become an Anglican minister in his 50’s.

Life is too short to remain in a role that you aren’t enjoying and it could be that you just need a change of direction. One other thing I took from Deanna Stellato-Dudek is that if you don’t ask, you don’t get, she asked Oscar Della Renta’s CEO via Linked-in whether they would design her an oufit for the Olympics. It is the first time the design house has designed a professional figure skating costume. So this should give you some courage to ask internally where you work what sort of roles you could do or to use the ATT’s Mentor Match to find a mentor to help you develop your career.

For further information or advice contact Georgiana Head on 07957 842 402 or email her at georgiana@ghrtax.com

The View from Up Here - Georgiana Head

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:59:32 GMT

‘’It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change’’ Charles Darwin

I’ve been thinking a lot about change in the tax profession this week. Tax is an evolving profession that has undergone waves of change since I looked at my first dos spreadsheet in 1995. We’ve had the demise of PRP (Profit Related Pay) and tax professionals having to move into different areas such as broader employment tax and personal tax. The end of MIRAS relief (Mortgage Interest Relief at Source). Self-Assessment in 1997. The mergers in the Big 6 forming the Big 4 including the fall of Andersen. We had a sea change in the way that firms and the general public feel about tax planning, DOTAS, the GAAR and the demise of the tax planning boutique.

The development of transfer pricing as a discipline and increase in specialisation in tax. The Institute of Indirect Tax merging into CIOT. The movement of tax compliance overseas and back again and then back overseas, In-sourcing, outsourcing, atomisation, MTD, a huge change in the numbers of women entering tax – in 1997 there was one female head of tax in the Top 20, now the majority of the Top 20 firms’ tax teams are led by women (at the time of writing this blog Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, GT, RSM, Forvis Mazars and Evelyn all have female heads of tax).

The advent of generative AI is one of the newest changes to the tax profession. Tolley’s have just published a white paper based on their interviews with 350 tax professionals see The tipping point: Measuring the success of AI in tax | Tolley . Their new research shows that where once tax folk were worried that AI would ‘steal’ their roles – now they see it as a tool which give them advantages and that firms who don’t use it are seen to be behind the curve.

My view is that most tax professionals are using it, even if they don’t realise it, whether using Co-pilot on to record meeting notes of Teams meetings or accessing VAT info from Xero. The Association of Tax Technicians and Chartered Institute of Taxation are very aware of AI – whether using it to check that students aren’t cheating in their exams or using AI to analyse data from members surveys. The ethics of the use of AI are now being considered by professional standards teams. We’ve seen new qualifications such as CIOT’s DITT (Diploma in Tax Technology) arise to help teach the tax profession about new tech.

I don’t know about you, but I can still tell when I see a job advert or an article which is written by AI, they tend to feel somewhat ‘clunky’ but the next generation of AI seems to be able to fool human perception.

The next big change in the tax market will be the fall out from the sale of firms or part shares in firms to Private Equity. We seen the ‘soft launch’ of this with a range of Top 50 firms but the completion of the takeover of Top 10 firm GT’s UK firm by Cinven will be interesting to watch. My understanding is that most of the Top 20 are currently in discussions with private equity firms and the view up here is that the Big 4 couldn’t get sales past the Regulator. It will be interesting to see if this fundamentally shifts the model of partnership in the professional firms in the long term.

Georgiana Head is a tax recruiter who trained in tax, she is a Fellow of ATT and an ATT Council member. Based in North Yorkshire she specialises in the regional tax market. For further information contact her at georgiana@ghrtax.com or on 07957 842 402.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Tech and the UK Tax Market

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:46:49 GMT

Discover how AI is transforming the UK tax market and recruitment practices, from automating traditional tasks to maintaining personal connections in a tech-driven world. Insights from industry professionals.

The View from up here

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Tech and the UK Tax Market

I was very unsettled last week when one of my clients (a partner at a Top 20 firm) mentioned in passing that their firm were cutting the number of hires at graduate and school leaver level as a direct result of AI. The firm had come to the opinion that AI would soon be taking over the traditional tax work that would be given to trainees. The Tax Team were trying to work out how to hire enough staff to be able to train future managers and senior managers while effectively taking out a junior level of hire.

This came on the back of hearing that the Association of Tax Technicians and the Chartered Institute of Taxation have once again been looking at the way they set exams to restrict cheating by students using ChatGPT and other programmes to write exam answers. One option may be to return to traditional exam halls and paper scripts. The Association and the Institute themselves use a tech app to see if students are plagiarising answers. They use tech to check if ChatGPT is being use – rather like using a thief to catch a thief.

AI is infiltrating every area of professional life, from Co-Pilot which can take your meeting notes for you, to the Capital Allowances AI tools that can prepare the first draft of a Capital Allowances claim.

In May 2024 Tolley’s survey of 400 tax professionals found:

‘’that two-thirds of UK tax practitioners are regularly using generative AI or are planning to do so soon. The survey of over 400 UK tax practitioners found that 10% use generative AI every day. Their top priorities are for researching tax matters (91%) and drafting tax documents (87%)’’ *

In recruitment we have seen the advance of technology encroach on us for years – ATS – Applicant tracking Software which receives applications via clients’ websites, ‘reads’ CV’s and does the first ‘sift’ turning down applicants who might, for example, not have the right to work in the UK and need visa sponsorship.

Ray Amara a scientist and futurist came up with’’ We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run’’ which Bill Gates then refined as ‘’ We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.’’

The latest thing I have been researching are apps which link to LinkedIn and use AI to draft messages and linking into contacts. I’ve decided whilst apps like Lemlist, Dripify and Elar are very clever; what sets my business apart is personal thought-out contact and indeed content. I’m beginning to wonder if I am becoming a dinosaur as I don’t use ChatGPT to write blogs or adverts and I always notice when HR teams use ChatGPT to write job adverts and job specs. I’m also being inundated with firms saying they will process and format CV’s for pennies using AI. However, I have used AI to sort through data to analyse responses to a survey – and thought it was a brilliant way of making data sets clearer. I also use tech like Xero and Dext for my own accounts.

It makes me wonder what parts of the job for tax folk and tax recruitment folk will still remain in 10 years time. I think we all hoped technology would take way the boring jobs and leave us time for the intellectual and fulfilling ones, but now AI can paint, translate languages, write poetry and prose. Yet no one has invented technology which can clean toilets!

So I asked my sister Jemima Hargreaves a high end jeweller based in Stockholm (see www.hargreavesstockholm.com ) if AI and tech was impacting her work. What she said made me realize what the ideal model should be, she used CAD to change her hand-drawn designs into files, which can then be 3 D printed in wax so that when parts of jewellery are cast – the best most accurate casts can be made (most jewellery is partly cast and has been since about 4th millennium BC BC). Casts are then polished hand-set with stones and may be further engraved. So, the technology doesn’t take away the creative process but it can make a more accurate wax blank. She said that some designers use AI to design too, but she sells herself on her own individual style and a level of service She said:

‘’We live in a world of convenience and immediacy. This tends to be on the more affordable end (although not exclusively). However, there is a high-end experience where a few luxury companies refuse to compromise on quality and experience. This is why companies such as Hermes continue to have such a strong place in the market. The experience is unbeatable. They provide a level of luxury and personal contact that is rarely seen today. As a result they have an exceptionally loyal client base and remain the epitome of aspirational product.

In my world it becomes divided. The truly exceptional brands offer personal service. They offer a human to talk to, they engage with their clients on a personal level. That is true luxury in the modern age if you ask me.

So what your brand is doing is offering a tailor made, bespoke, high end level produce/service. Yes AI could mine LinkedIn for you but then you would be losing the essence of your personal brand. I could use a bot to reply to Instagram but my clients want to tell me about their traumas, their stories, the things that matter to them. They want to be heard and acknowledged. That creates a connection and loyalty that would be hard to replicate.

As I said on the phone, there are businesses that are all algorithm based. They tend to be male led. I think the strength of both of our businesses is the human element.

AI has a place but perhaps not in the core of what makes our businesses unique.’’

I think Tax folk can learn from this – use AI to collate data by all means but then give that data your own polish and set it with your own thoughts and ideas, don’t let it write your opinion for you. Plus people like to talk to real people – if you ever tried to book a car into a service using a chatbot or solve a local council issue with a chatbot you will know how much quicker it would be to talk to a ‘real’ person.

‘How Generative AI is Transforming Tax Practice’ – July 2024 Tax Advisor

Georgiana Head

Director | Georgiana Head Tax Recruitment

0113 418 0767 | 07957 842 402

georgiana@ghrtax.com

International Women's Day 2024

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:33:59 GMT

Welcome to our second northern branches international women’s day lunch.

I want to say a big thank you to my colleague Georgia Carlisle for helping with the organising of the lunch today and the committee including Kate Rothwell, Angela Ferguson and Karen Campbell-Williams for helping us put this lunch together.

So why am I sponsoring an international women’s day event in 2024?

International women’s day traces its roots back to 1908 when 15000 women marched in New York to get better pay and voting rights. The anniversary of the march became a global phenomenon and was international by 1911 and became publicly recognised by the UN in 1975.

It is actually an official holiday in 27 counties including: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Georgia, parts of Germany, the Ukraine, Nepal, Mongolia and Zambia.

Officially it is celebrated every year on March 8 and the reason we celebrate International; Women’s day is to bring attention to the ongoing fight for gender parity on a world wide basis. Gender parity means equal pay, access to education and leadership opportunities.

Women in Tax was set up in 2015 to try and get Women a seat at the table - Heather Self who founded it – wanted to get more women on technical tax panels – having attended too many lectures and events where all the speakers were male.

The representation of women in senior tax roles in the UK has changed hugely – back in 1997 there was only one female Head of Tax in a Top 20 firm (Robson Rhodes). Fast forward to 2024 and the majority of Heads of Tax in the Big 4 and Top 20 in the UK are female – look ay Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, GT, RSM, Mazars and Evelyn all have female heads of tax. Initially this looks incredibly positive but overall numbers of female partners hover at somewhere between 20% and 30% of all partners in the Top 20 and tax is often used as a way of arbitraging the board figures to get closer to government targets of 40% of boards being female.

The UN says it will cost 360billion dollars a year to reach global gender equality. The UN also says that gender parity would also turbo charge the global economy of more than 20%.

Globally women earn 77 cents to every dollar earned by a man.

In the UK in 2022 we were ranked 22nd on the global gender gap index, behind countries such as France, Ireland, Finland and Germany.

In the UK only 45% of women are employed full time vs 61% of men.

A key problem with gender equality in the world of work is that women still undertake the lion’s share of child care and household responsibilities, for example 41% of women, care for children, grandchildren and older people in comparison to 25% of men. Then 85% of women cook and do housework every day compared to 48% of men.

The biggest difference between the UK and Finland - which is number 2 on the Global parity lists is shared family leave and child-care. Both women and men are expected to take a year off after the birth of a child, child-care is affordable (most up to age 3 is free), the expectation is that women will work full time. Most importantly the overall infrastructure is in place, so 47% of MP’s are female (in comparison to 226 of 650 in the UK), all men’s toilets have baby changing facilities, all schools are mixed and there are no private schools so no Harrow, Eton or Westminster.

However, to get to true parity we have to be fair in all areas, we also need to look at the statistics of areas of everyday life that negatively impact men and they are pretty scary.

Suddenly you can see how Andrew Tate gets a toe hold in our society;

Why are three quarters of all suicides in the UK male?
Why do more men die of cancer than women in the UK?
Why in 2024 do men still die earlier than women?
Why are 70% of homeless people male?
Why are men more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than women?
Why do men not automatically get the right for equal paternity leave to women? In the Family Court System in the UK 95% of all custody goes to mothers.
Why are 96% of the prison population male?

As women who are daughters of men, married to men, parenting boys and mentoring male colleagues we need to be mindful of inequalities towards men.

So here in 2024 I’d like to toast to true equal rights.

How to prepare for a job interview

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:13:02 GMT

Many things have changed in the last few years, but some basic principles and some top tips will help you when it comes to preparing for a job interview – whether virtually or in person.

There has been a paradigm shift in the way that interviews take place in the tax market following the pandemic in 2020. Whereas once we met in offices, shook hands on arrival and sat across from each other in a meeting room, now virtually all interaction is online. So how can you prepare for an online interview? And what happens if they ask you to come into the office for a second round?

Read the full article HERE with Tax Adviser

22 February 2022

SW Accountants & Advisors, Australia Corporate Tax Staff – ACA or ICAS qualified

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 08:52:28 GMT

Has Covid interrupted your plan to work overseas? Are you looking for a chance to travel and work abroad? Our client is looking for chartered accountants with a UK or Australian tax background and you can be based in either Melbourne or Sydney! These roles come with visa sponsorship, help towards relocation if required and plenty of opportunity for personal and professional development.

SW is an Australian owned accounting and advisory firm with an 85+ year history with a values-led culture that understands relationships make all the difference in delivering great outcomes. The firm operates as a national firm across Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and delivers global solutions as a member of the SW International Network and Praxity Network Alliance.

Their client base ranges from dynamic family owned businesses to global multinationals. Your role will include a mix of compliance and advisory work and you will also have the chance to work in specialised areas. The firm is renowned for supporting client contact from day one and you will be mentored by a partner. The National Head of Tax also made the move from the UK to working in Australia so completely understands the benefits!

As well as UK candidates, the firm will welcome Australian nationals looking to return to Australia. You will need to be a qualified accountant (ICAS or ACA) to enable a smooth path through the visa process, if you are also CTA or ADIT qualified this will be seen as an advantage. In depth training on Australian tax will be given to enable you to make the transition from UK to Australian tax advisor.

For further information contact Georgiana Head on 07957 842 402 or email her at georgiana@ghrtax.com

The View from up here….

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:03:47 GMT

My son told me something that came up in his RE class, the teacher asked the class a riddle. He said ‘’a father and son were in a car accident, the father died and the son was rushed to hospital. On arrival the surgeon recognised the child and refused to operate because it was their son. How can this be?’’

I instantly said obviously it was a gay couple and the surgeon was also the father (and smugly congratulated myself on being woke) . This wasn’t correct. Then I wondered if the surgeon was the step father or the grandfather and could claim the child as the son. Or that the father in the car was the adopted father and the surgeon the biological father or a sperm donor. I wondered if the surgeon was actually the father in the car – who had died but been resuscitated? Finally my son said its none of those - the surgeon is the mother. Apparently no one in the class got it right either.

For me a female business woman it was a shocking reminder of my own unconscious bias. I just didn’t imagine the surgeon as a woman.

I think it is a timely reminder of why we still need events like International Women’s Day. Within my lifetime (I’m in my 40’s) there has been active and legal discrimination of women, it took till 1975 for women to be allowed bank accounts in their own name. Single women couldn’t apply for a loan or credit card without a signature from their father – even if they earned more than their father. Single women couldn’t get a mortgage without the secure signature of a male guarantor. I remember my grandmother telling me about how she had bought her first house in the 1940’s. She paid for the mortgage but had to get her father to guarantee it, when she married the house became the property of her husband. When she divorced him because of his infidelity, he took the house despite not ever paying towards it. It was the 1950’s and she had to start over again with 2 small children.

In 1971 when my mother graduated from Warwick University with an economics degree she was unable to find a graduate job because at every interview she was asked if she was married and had children (which she was). She was also asked about how many more children she was thinking of having (of course if she had got the job perhaps I wouldn’t have come along?).

It was 1970 that the Equal Pay Act came in to place largely following a strike by women at the Ford Motor Company in in Dagenham in 1968. Even with the Equal Pay Amendment Act of 1983 – equal pay is still a real issue – in December 2021 the Institute of Fiscal Studies found that there had been little advances in closing the gender pay gap in the last 25 years. Female graduates are for example still on average paid 10% lower than their male counterparts.

I left a job in 2003 because I realised I was being paid £10,000 less than my male counterparts despite billing far more than them. Did you know that 1994 was the year that women began to be allowed to wear trousers to work in the then Big 6 accountancy firms?

It has been just over 100 years since women in the UK gained the right to vote and yet recent studies show that it is likely to be a further 100 years before there is true equality between men and women on a global basis.

This is why we still have female networks and International Women’s Day, its why we ask for male allies and mentors for women in the work place. Bright women do now reach the top of every profession, we have had 2 female prime-ministers in the UK in my life time – and yet there has never been a female chancellor. In comparison the tax profession looks much more diverse The Association of Tax Technicians has had 6 female Presidents since its formation in 1989 and the Institute of Taxation has had 3 female presidents since it was founded in 1930. Perhaps for me what is more key is that the CEO’s of ATT and CIOT are both female.

The Great Resignation and the Tax Market

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 11:03:50 GMT

There is a Roald Dahl-esque phrase going around - ‘The Great Resignation’.

There is a Roald Dahl-esque phrase going around - ‘The Great Resignation’. It was coined by a university professor in Texas*. His phrase sums up a dramatic trend in the employment market globally which is that people at all levels of society are quitting their jobs. Microsoft’s ‘Work Trend Index’ Survey of 31,000 workers globally, showed 41% planned to resign from their roles before the end of 2021. Microsoft’s survey has been backed up by the US Office of Statistics which showed that 4 million workers resigned in April 2021 and similar numbers in June 2021.

Then in August PricewaterhouseCoopers survey showed 65% of workers were looking for a new role.

What is causing this avalanche of resignations? The impact of Covid on people’s lives. Lockdowns and restrictions, home working and home schooling have had a once in a lifetime impact that only World Wars can come close to. Never before in our lifetimes have we had so much time at home enforced on us. Time away from our offices and work colleagues. This has broken the ties to our employers and employees. It has ruptured the team ethic which dominates the accountancy and legal professions. It has given us time to focus on ourselves and what we value. How many people have for example focused on their cooking, their health and fitness, their hobbies such as crafts. How many have spent more time with their children? Or indeed spent less time with extended family because of restrictions.

I’ve seen people resigning from tax roles for a range of Covid related reasons. Some want to move out of cities and into the countryside because Lockdowns have tarnished their city centre flats and made them appreciate greener spaces. Others got dogs in lockdown and don’t want to have to return to the office full time. Some enjoyed spending more time with their children and don’t want to return to a world of child minders and after school clubs. Others want to relocate to be closer to their families.

Some have decided to leave tax altogether to focus on a skill set that they reinvigorated over lockdown or have used it as an opportunity to launch their own business.

I’m seeing a split between tax professionals at manager level and beyond who have happily swapped their commutes for home working with those trainees and junior staff who want a return to office working, Christmas parties and socialising.

My gut reaction is that the hybrid model of working is here to stay as it offers the best compromise to keep tax teams happy. I also see a huge shift in the tax market which means that some roles will become 100% remote and this will open up the employment market on a National and even international level (though only as far as individuals having UK tax experience).

How we tie our teams together in the face of endless resignations is difficult. I think telling them about new hires and also going back to some of the things that worked early on in the pandemic such as online quizzes and socials with treats being sent to homes. Anything that can work to build team morale. As we are currently out of lockdown – outside events such as treasure trails and walks could be a way of getting people together in a safe way. Women in Tax in Manchester are for example running their first in person event for a year on 30th of September doing a guided walk round the City of Manchester and London branch are holding a legal walk on 18th October.

See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/women-in-tax-13431693275 for details.

Finally, the one upside of this resignation trend is that the tax market is extremely buoyant and salaries are on the increase. When the furlough money runs dry (and the deals market slows) we will see if the economy is impacted and whether this trend changes but currently tax recruitment is booming.

*Professor Anthony Klotz, Professor of Management at Texas A&M University, coined the phrase ‘The Great Resignation’ – also known as ‘The Great Quit

Georgiana Head is a tax trained tax recruiter, she is ATT qualified and a has worked in tax recruitment for over 20 years. For further information contact her at georgiana@ghrtax.com

Other routes to volunteering

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:57:09 GMT

Grorgiana Head takes a look at some other ways you can use your skills and volunteer in the community.

https://www.taxadvisermagazine.com/advertiser/georgiana-head-recruitment

All round tax and IT guru and former ICAEW Chair Paul Aplin’s report.

Fri, 14 May 2021 12:50:25 GMT

All round tax and IT guru and former ICAEW Chair Paul Aplin’s report on the ‘The Tax Technology Horizon’ for Tolley’s makes fascinating reading.

All round tax and IT guru and former ICAEW Chair Paul Aplin’s report on the ‘The Tax Technology Horizon’ for Tolley’s makes fascinating reading. He looks at the myriad mays in which new technologies are changing the face of taxation and the tax profession. Georgiana Head is quoted in the report on p14.

Paul Aplin was for many years a tax and IT partner for an independent West Country firm in 1997. In 1997 he filed the UK’s first electronic self-assessment tax return and has stayed closely involved with digital developments in tax ever since. He was a member of HMRC’s Charter Project Board which oversaw the implementation of Lord Carter’s proposals for digitalisation of tax returns. He currently sits on the HMRC’s Administrative Burdens Advisory Board and the Board of the Office of Tax Simplification.

A former Chair of the ICEW’s Tax Faculty , he was the ICAEW’s President in 2018/19 and now sits on the Tax Faculty Board, CIOT Council and the Tax Technology Committee of CFE. In 2009 he was appointed OBE for services to the accountancy profession and public service.

Download your free copy of The Tax Technology Horizon report today. CLICK HERE

A View from up here

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 08:15:07 GMT

A View from up here

I was looking back at some old blogs from January 2020 – pre Covid-19, pre home working – where on 5th of January 2020 I was discussing how ready I was to go back to work. Well, I don’t know about you but this year feels like ‘a whole new ball game’. First of all my whole immediate family, e.g. husband, 14 year old son and 75 year old mum all had Covid – for the second time across the Christmas holidays, So this year I feel I crawled back to work and really only came out of a blurry haze somewhere around the middle of January. For me the feeling of new start and optimism that usually comes with a New Year arrived with the presidential inauguration in the US. Whatever your politics the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris feels like a new start and another positive step for diversity.

For lots of tax folk the New Year begins at the end of January when personal tax busy season is over (though of course this year we have an extension to the end of Feb) or when corporate tax year ends are done.

So what are you doing this year to ‘restart’ ? Have you booked in to do a further qualification? Perhaps the ADIT? Have you decided to go for fellowship for your professional qualification? Note if you are ATT qualified you can get fellowship after 10 years of membership. Are you determined that 2021 is the year you get a proper work life balance? Have you decided that pandemic or not - this is the year that you go for promotion, move in-house, or go part time? I think most tax folk would be surprised that even with a global pandemic all these options are still open. As a recruiter I’m incredibly busy and I am finding that my clients across all areas of tax from personal tax in small independent firms to trust roles in law firms, corporate tax roles in Top 20, Big 4 and industry and VAT roles are all looking for staff.

To those worried about being ‘last in first out’ (sorry but that always makes me think of LIFO basis) remember that in the current climate, only critical jobs are being signed off. This sign off is at a higher level and more thoroughly vetted than normal. This is not the market of speculative jobs –accountancy firms and in-house tax teams are only looking to fill key roles and needs in their teams.

I also think though that it is fair to say – that this is also a year that it is ok to consolidate, so you can just make the most of your current status, do a job you know how to do well and just keep your mental health stable, look after your family whether that might mean home schooling or meal delivery or whatever needs to be done to keep your status quo ticking over. It is enough to try and fit in some exercise, or anything which helps you get through lockdown. I’m trying to keep a sketch book going for example.

If you feel guilty then just follow the tax year and count April 5th 2021 the beginning of tax year 21/22 as a new start. Let’s hope the new tax year brings an end to lockdown.

Georgiana Head is a Director at Georgiana Head Recruitment specialising in recruiting tax professionals.

She trained in tax and is an ATT Council Member. In her spare time she is a school governor. georgiana@ghrtax.com www.georgianaheadrecruitment.com

A view from up here by Georgiana Head

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 08:11:37 GMT

A view from up here by Georgiana Head

I saw a post on social media this week that really caught my imagination it read:

‘’You’re a burglar…

But you only steal things that mildly inconvenience your victims. What are you taking?

I’m stealing the plate that goes in the microwave …’’

So obviously then I went down a ‘wormhole’ thinking of all the things that it would be inconvenient to not have such as tea spoons, the sugar, the malt vinegar, the tomato ketchup, the Branston pickle, the bath mat, and the hand towel in the down stairs toilet. As you can see the possibilities are endless.

Anyway it got me thinking about all the minor inconveniences that build up in one’s working life and prompt us to bite the bullet and make a move. Over the years I found that the smallest of things in a work place have pushed people to move jobs, whether it be the fact that the kettle and tea making facilities were in the gent’s toilets so a female candidate felt really uncomfortable ever taking a break, or the fact that a firm wouldn’t allow a tax professional paper copies of the legislation and insisted they use online versions. Another memorable one was where the office toilets were out of commission for months and so staff had to go outside in the rain in all weathers to use a portaloo.

I think becoming deeply annoyed by a small thing can be a sign that there is a deeper problem, it’s like any relationship really, if you really love your partner and they still make you smile 95% of the time you can cope when they eat too noisily or snore too loudly. However, if you are already unhappy in that relationship those late night snores will be the final straw that sends you to the divorce lawyer.

I think Covid-19 has made a lot of people reassess their lives, being forced to stay at home, work from home, home school, get home deliveries and become self sufficient has fundamentally changed British Society. It’s why people are moving out of city centre flats in to the countryside, why there has been an increase in pet ownership. People want more work life balance – and are wary about going back to an office environment. Others suddenly realise they don’t want to have to commute for hours to get to an office, now the systems are in place for remote working it seems stupid not to use them. They have enjoyed time with family, time in their garden or seeing changes in nature around them as the seasons go by, or simply getting another hour in bed in the mornings. Others would do anything to be able to get back in to a city a couple of times a week so they can get to a gym, climbing wall etc. In fact I don’t know anyone who wants to go back to the way that they worked before 2020. Maybe something good has come out of this pandemic – maybe we will all appreciate the little things a bit more, a good cup of coffee with a client, a glass of wine with work colleagues to celebrate a success. I just hope we also don’t loose out on the things that we gained this year such as new hobbies, cookery skills and an appreciation for the nature around our homes that we perhaps didn’t have time for when we commuted.

If you are dreading going back to a fulltime office environment then there are opportunities out there that can be worked remotely or with a minimum amount of time in the office. Different accountancy firms and in-house teams have different rules, despite Covid and Brexit the tax market is busy and buoyant so don’t let the little things get you down, you can make a change.

Georgiana Head is a Director at Georgiana Head Recruitment specialising in recruiting tax professionals. She trained in tax and is an ATT Council Member. In her spare time she is a school governor. georgiana@ghrtax.com

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON TAX JOB MARKET AND TIPS TO SECURE A NEW JOB WITH GEORGIANA HEAD

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:23:03 GMT

Coronavirus has taken its toll across the UK economy, and it is no secret that it has taken an impact on available jobs, including jobs within the tax profession.

Some working in tax have been furloughed for prolonged periods, and some will be at risk of, or have already been faced with, redundancy.

It is inevitably a difficult time, and I wanted to help in some way through the podcast, to help those of you who are in an unfortunate position and need to look for a new job in an unprecedented market.

So, Georgiana Head, an experienced and well-known tax recruiter, joined me on the podcast to explain from her experience what the current tax-job market looks like, how it is changing, and to provide you with tips to improve your chances of successfully landing your next job.

Georgiana first trained in tax, becoming ATT qualified and working for PwC, before moving to recruitment. She works closely with candidates to help them understand suitable and available jobs, even if this is for a role which she is not recruiting for, and helps them to increase their chances of being offered a tax job by improving CVs and helping them to properly prepare for interviews.

Take a listen to find out what Georgiana has to say! HERE

SALARY ADVICE

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:26:41 GMT

SALARY ADVICE

At Georgiana Head Recruitment Ltd we are happy to provide salary benchmarking for both clients and candidates.

Whether you are considering relocating to a new area and want to know what you should be expected to be paid there or if you are a client wanting to make sure that your tax department’s pay is competitive. We are happy to tailor a bespoke service for you.

We can give you up to date information on your local market place, on how practice compares to industry or help give you an idea of reasonable pay rises.

We have an overview of the entire tax market from the Big 4 to tax boutiques, and from FTSE 100 Plcs to law firms.

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:22:35 GMT

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING

Psychometric testing is frequently used within the taxation profession from the civil service tests for the HM Revenue & Customs to the entrance tests for the Top 20 firms to partner assessment centres. It makes sense to prepare for such tests as it has been proven that practice can improve your score on some formats. This form of testing is a way of evaluating how candidates are likely to perform when dealing with tasks or reacting to a work situation. Nowadays they are often administered on a computer. Psychometric tests tend to fall into two main areas:

Ability or Aptitude Tests - look specifically at the extent to which a candidate is able to carry out various aspects of a job. Typically they focus on areas like verbal reasoning, numerical ability, logical reasoning and spatial awareness. In the main in the tax profession aptitude tests focus on verbal reasoning, numerical ability and areas like organisational skills. They can range from graduate tests aimed at finding potential and a minimum level of literacy and numeracy, to such things as in-tray exercises which simulate a working environment.
Personality Tests – these aim to measure whether an individual’s personal attributes would suit a particular work environment. They can be used to assess aspects of an individual’s behaviour, attitudes or opinions, as well as their motivation, interests and values. Your results can then be compared to the characteristics considered essential for the job. Some firms also use them during an interview process to access what future training will be needed and they can form the basis of a future personal development plan.

Sample tests are readily available. A good starting point is to buy a book or DVD on testing from www.amazon.co.uk , Waterstones or WH Smiths. The Times do a series on them. At Georgiana Head Recruitment Ltd we are happy to lend our candidates versions to help them prior to interviews.

As well as trying some of the websites listed below, you should think about some basic preparation. As with any interview if you are to attend an employer’s offices to take a test you should dress appropriately in smart business dress. You should ensure you have plenty of time to get there so that you don’t arrive feeling flustered. As with any exam situation you should listen to the instructions that you are given and follow them exactly.

Before the test you may be given practice examples to try – it is ok to ask questions about anything that you are unsure of at this stage. Some of the Big 4 accountancy firms ask candidates to do the tests on-line at home, so ensure that you have a quiet environment, a reasonably quick internet connection and a reasonable chunk of time set aside.

The key is to try and work through quickly but also accurately. Try not to get too bogged down in any one question and remember questions often get harder the further into the test that you go. Educated guesses can be worthwhile if you are running short of time. If the test is at an employer’s offices they will tell you whether you are allowed to use a calculator or not. Your recruitment consultant will find out the details prior to the test and give you as much background as possible. You will find that if you practice, you will feel more confident in the real test interview and that you will be able to see some of the ‘patterns’ within the tests more quickly. Practice should take some of the pain out of the interview as much of a candidate’s disquiet before a meeting is the ‘fear of the unknown’.

The most commonly used tests are Saddle & Holdsworth (SHL) so it is advisable to look at the sample tests on www.shldirect.com . They have free examples of both aptitude and personality tests on the site. You can work through them on a timed basis and get feedback from the site.

For Personality style Tests you could look at:

www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/common/contents.htm this has an example of one of the most commonly used Personality tests the ‘Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – so it can give you an indication of your personality type.

http://www.advisorteam.com/temperament_sorter/register.asp?partid=1 this has a personality questionnaire that again assigns you a personality type. Be careful what you click on, only parts of this are free.

www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/personality/index.shtml An interesting and thought provoking test. Takes about 15 minutes and has a thorough description and follow up.

www.testing-direct.com this is a way of assessing your personality, motivation and work interests. Try the free tester site.

For Aptitude tests you could try:

The Civil service employer selection tests at www.faststream.gov.uk and www.gchq.gov.uk

For the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions tests (which test verbal, numerical and logical ability for those applying to business schools and MBA’s) try www.gmattutor.com https://www.mba.com/global/gmat-mini-quiz.aspx . https://www.petersons.com/articles/gmat/sample-gmat-test-questions

For those going for positions at director and partner level it is well worth looking into the Watson Glaser tests as these are commonly used as part of partner assessment processes. It’s a demanding test aimed at complex decision making, strategic planning etc. So again look at https://www.assessmentday.co.uk/watson-glaser-critical-thinking.htm

For ways to improve you literacy and numeric skills and sample tests try www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise

Finally www.ets.org gives a mix of practice questions for GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) and even the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Go to the practice section as the main section tests are not free.

As mentioned Georgiana Head Recruitment Ltd can provide candidates with practice materials and most firms will also suggest some practice source materials prior to any test.
For further advice call Georgiana on 0113 426 6672.

INTERVIEW PREPARATION

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:14:15 GMT

INTERVIEW PREPARATION

The Absolute Basics:

If you consider that on average you have just over an hour to impress a future employer its worth putting in some time beforehand to do some preparation. After all as a tax professional you wouldn’t do a pitch to your clients or to the Board without a considerable amount of preparation. No matter how good your CV, experience and qualifications - we recommend the following:

Research the organisation thoroughly. An obvious starting point is their website. Ensure that you have read their press release section and are aware of any recent transactions. For accountancy firms the websites of the Top 50 can be found in the surveys section of www.accountancyage.com . You could also use this site to look up recent news articles on the firm. If the organisation is a company – try and get hold of their most recent accounts from either their own website or try Company’s House. If it’s a law firm look them up on www.icclaw.co.uk to find out what they specialise in. Also look at their rating in www.chambersandpartners.co.uk . Look to see if there are any relevant tax articles written by the interviewers (try googling their name and company name). Talk to any of your friends who work for the firm. Remember to try and ensure that you subtly mention some of this research in the interview.
Another obvious point, that is frequently forgotten, is to ensure that you are aware of exactly what role you are being interviewed for. You shouldn’t make assumptions, always ask for a job spec and get your recruitment consultant to brief you on the position. Its sensible to then try and match your own experience to the job spec, work out where you might be light on experience and think about how you would answer questions on any part of the spec. Try and think about things you have already done which match the spec and which you could bring up in interview.
Review your CV, try and look at it from an employer’s point of view and how it in turn compares to the job spec. Think about what you would ask if you were the interviewer.
Make sure you know the exact location, date and time of the meeting. Ensure that you have plenty of time to get to the meeting – even if it means a trial run of bus or train routes the day before. Always arrive at least 5 minutes (ideally 10) before the meeting is due to start. You may find you are delayed by having to sign in at reception and so arriving slightly early will allow for this. At Georgiana Head Recruitment Ltd we provide you with detailed confirmation letters, maps and directions.
Make sure you know who is interviewing you, what their grade is and who you should ask for on arrival at the company’s offices.
In line with diversity laws you may be asked to bring along a copy of your passport and a photocopy so ensure you have an up to date one.
Always dress smartly, as a general rule a dark suit with white shirt or blouse is the safest option. If there is any chance of bad weather remember to bring an umbrella. Even if an office has a dress down policy most companies expect candidates to wear a suit to an interview. I always think its like client’s they expect their tax advisor to look like a tax accountant or tax lawyer, a suit is reassuring.
Think about your body language, don’t slouch or fidget, start the meeting with a firm (but not circulation limiting) handshake.
Always remember to be polite – its good form to thank the interviewer for their time at the end of the meeting.
Don’t ask about interview expenses in the meeting – it comes across as impolite and as if you are more interested in money than the role. Ask your consultant to sort these out. Remember the general rule of thumb you pay your own expenses for the first meeting (unless it is very far away from where you live) and the firm pays for the second onwards.
Be positive – don’t focus on the negative elements of your current role, and no matter how unhappy you may be at your current company be careful not to criticise as it can make you appear bitter. Focus on the reasons why you want the new position, why you think you can do the job rather than the reasons why you want to leave your current role. Remember this is your chance to sell yourself. Be honest, but don’t emphasise anything detrimental to your application.
Don’t ask about salary or benefits in the meeting. An employer does not want to think that your only motivation for moving is monetary. You should only discuss financial package if asked directly by the client. Many interviewers find talking about money embarrassing and they also may not be the person who has the authority to agree a salary package. It is best to let your recruitment consultant do the negotiating round salary package – it is after all what they are trained for.
Humble Bragging – In 2015 Harvard University researchers discovered that candidates who tried to dissemble and make a ‘strength out of a weakness’ during interview questioning came across as dishonest. Whereas an honest assessment of weaknesses came across well see https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=49114 for the 2017 revised paper. So honesty really is the best policy.
If you want to run through some practice questions, feel free to call Georgiana on 0113 280 6766 or Alison on 0113 280 6764 they will be happy to help.

Types of Interviews

There are three main types of interviews - Hypothetical, Technical and Competency based. Some interviews will have mixture of all three types of question.

Hypothetical interviews are where an interviewer asks you how you would deal with a situation, or what you want out of a role. An example of this would be for an interviewer to ask ‘’ so how would you market this department internally?’’. It is aimed at looking at your potential and how you would deal with a situation. This style of questioning can lead to more of a discussion format.

Competency (also sometimes called 'behavioural' or 'situational') based interviews are where an organisation has developed a set of competencies or capabilities to which they interview to. To give you an example for a senior manager role they may have identified the competency ‘leadership’. The interviewer will therefore be looking for you to give him/her concrete examples of when you have shown leadership skills in the past. These questions are aimed at getting proof of previous success as an indicator of future performance. Once you have given your example the interviewer will then funnel down with further follow up questions such as ‘’ what was the outcome of this action?’’, ‘’If you had to do this again – would you change anything?’’ and ‘’What did you learn from this?’’.

Competency interviews can be quite tough as they feel like more of an interrogation than a two way discussion – however from an interviewer’s point of view they give a more fair account of what a candidate has actually done.

If you have been told that you will have a competency based interview, it can help you structure your interview preparation. If you can work out what the basic competencies for the role are (these are often on the job spec, or on the organisations website), you can think of examples prior to the meeting. Common competencies for tax jobs are:

Working to tight deadlines,
Dealing with conflict,
Leadership,
Attention to Detail,
Decision Making,
Negotiation,
Coping with pressure,
Teamwork,
Persuasiveness,
Planning and organisation.

Technical Interviews – as the name suggests are aimed at discovering your technical knowledge and can range from a client asking you to talk through your portfolio to asking for section numbers in the legislation. It is harder to prepare for these meetings, but a good starting point is to review your CV and remind yourself of the work that you have already done. That way you will be able to talk fluently through the areas that you have dealt with.

Practice Interview Questions

The best starting point for interview preparation is to imagine that you were the interviewer and what you would want to ask a candidate. Remember that the interviewer is on your side they want you to get the job so they don’t need to spend further time interviewing other people. Basically what they need to find out is:

What contribution you can make to their organisation.
Why they should employ you and what you bring to the role.
How you will fit in with the current team.
Whether you are talking to other organisations.

You need to be able to talk through your CV and your moves to date. You need to be able to back up any questions about your CV with examples. It is essential that you are able to tell the interviewer why you want the job and why you think your experience is relevant to it.

In terms of team fit, you may be asked questions about your aspirations as an employer may want to know how you want to progress. One obvious thing to say is that it isn’t very tactful to tell the interviewer that you want their job.

The interviewer may also ask you some more general questions about your personality and social life, in part to build rapport and put you at ease and also to see how you would get on with other team members.

The interviewer will also want to know whether you are talking to other firms, what he is trying to find out is how interested you are in the position he is interviewing you for, whether he is in competition for you, and whether if he makes you an offer – you will accept it. It is important not to be seen to be contradicting yourself at this stage in the interview – so if you have already convinced the interviewer why you want to work for his organisation you need to be careful to explain why you might also be interviewing at a totally different sort of company.

The way in which an interviewer gleans this information from you may vary, but some practice questions follow:

Tell me about yourself.
Talk me through your CV.
What are you most proud of?
If your best friend walked in now what 3 words would they use to describe you?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What do you think you can bring to this role?
What do you know about our organisation?
What’s making you consider making a career move?
What’s your management style?
Give me an example of a time when you have had to deal with a difficult situation at work. What was the outcome? What did you learn?
Give me an example of a time when you had to give a client a difficult piece of news.
Give me an example of a piece of successful business development that you have been involved in.
Have you made any other applications? Are your interviewing elsewhere?
Have you had any other job offers?
What role do you tend to play in a team?
Where do you want to be in 1, 3 or 5 years time?(NB don’t mention anything that isn’t relevant to the role).
What do you like about your current role? What do you dislike about it?
What is your ideal role? (Again be sensible - don’t say coach for Man United when you are interviewing for a tax role).

Questions for You to Ask

At Georgiana Head Recruitment Ltd, we often tell candidates that they should also think about what they want out of the interview. It is your chance to ask about the role and see whether it is what you want. An interview should ideally be a discussion – a ‘two way street’.

Your questions will also show off the amount of research that you have done.

Potential questions follow:

How do you see the team/group growing in the next few years?
If, I am successful what would the next step in the interview process be?
How would you describe the culture of the firm?
I notice from your website that XXXXX has happened – how will this affect the tax department in the short term?
How did the position become vacant?
What training and support will I have in the role?
How many people are there in the team?

DIVERSITY - THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT?

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 10:55:01 GMT

Georgiana Head examines how education is the key to diversity and explains how your firm can play its part in reaching out.

Over the last few months I’ve been thinking about diversity in the tax market and how we can improve on it. Ask yourself how you started your career in tax? Did you apply as a graduate? Did you do the Civil Service Milk round? Did you know someone who worked as an accountant? When did you first know about tax as a discipline? Did you, like me, subliminally absorb the names of large accountancy firms by seeing them on the sides of the pens and pencils in a parent’s office?

Read the full article by pages below, clicking the relevant page

Page 24 and 25 of the Tax Advisor Magazine or the publication HERE

SO WHAT IS CORPORATE TAX?

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 15:54:04 GMT

Areas of Work: Corporate Tax

In an economy which is coming out of recession, Corporation Tax (or corporate tax) is suddenly in the spotlight again. In this article we look at what corporate tax is, and the types of role it encompasses.

So what is corporate tax?

Corporate tax is a direct tax that HMRC describes as follows: ‘Corporation Tax is a tax on the taxable profits of limited companies and some organisations including clubs, societies, associations, co-operatives, charities and other unincorporated bodies’. What is important is that it is paid on profits rather than turnover. As the old accounting saying goes: ‘turnover for vanity, profit for sanity’. Most people don’t appreciate that large businesses can have huge turnovers but actually be loss making. This is the crux of much of the media attention around the tax affairs of companies like Starbucks and Amazon at the moment.

Any company or organisation which is based in the UK has to pay Corporation Tax on all their taxable profits – no matter where in the world those profits arise. Companies which are based overseas but operate in the UK – perhaps they have a branch or office here, but are headquartered abroad – only pay UK corporate tax on the profits arising from the trade in the UK.

Reporting corporate tax

It is not enough for a company to simply pay over its corporate tax to HMRC – the company also has to report its tax liability and the supporting calculations. Unfortunately, HMRC like to have proof, and won’t accept a guess or estimate of what the tax due might be! These calculations are called returns. The company also has to show in its accounts that it has made provisions from its profits to pay for the tax. This is the most basic way that a career in corporate tax begins, as someone has to analyse the company’s accounts, review its income and expenditure and work out what constitutes a profit for tax purposes. This is called tax reporting and tax compliance (called so because it is being ‘compliant’ with tax legislation).

At graduate level

So how does this affect you? Many tax professionals make their careers from tax reporting and compliance. They train in accountancy firms or within in-house tax teams in large companies or banks. Usually they complete a qualification such as the ACA, ICAS, ATT or CTA or a combination of them. Graduates training in corporate tax in accountancy firms usually start off by learning how to do tax calculations and tax returns. Even if they work in advisory teams, they usually have to complete some part of their training in compliance. As they become more experienced they move on to reviewing the work of more junior staff and then on to managing teams and projects.

Some of the larger firms such as the Big Four have compliance centres which prepare the basic computations – some of these centres are in the UK and some are abroad. Often as a trainee in a Big Four firm you will complete a secondment or work placement in a compliance centre.

Transferring between big and small firms

It is not just large companies that pay corporate tax – any UK resident company that makes a taxable profit has to pay. So even small businesses such as your local takeaway or drycleaners may have to file a corporate tax return and pay corporate tax. These businesses also need tax advice, so if you don’t like the idea of working for a large international accountancy firm you could still have a career in tax working in a smaller local practice.

Luckily, tax experience is transferable, so if you start your career in a small practice but find yourself beckoned by the bright lights of a big city, you can always look at moving to a larger practice once you qualify. Similarly, many people who train in large firms later decide that they want to deal with smaller local businesses. Others decide that instead of advising a multitude of clients they would rather work in-house within a company and help it to get its tax right. In fact, being a tax adviser is rather like being a doctor – you can choose the type of specialism like general practice or surgery to suit your personality and aptitude.

Graduates looking at starting their career in a law firm can complete a ‘seat’ in corporate tax to help them decide if this is what they want to specialise in. Tax lawyers help companies to calculate the tax due on transactions, such as the sale of one company to another. They look at the ‘due diligence’ of the transaction, making sure that the sale is done in a legal way and that all tax is accounted for. They also advise on points of law related to tax (there are over 9,000 statutes relating to tax, so there is plenty to advise on).

Further specialisation

Corporate tax advisers can develop specialisms such as capital allowances, mergers and acquisitions, research and development (R&D) or transfer pricing. R&D, for example, is linked to government backed schemes to try and create innovation in the UK. HMRC gives tax relief for companies which spend money on researching and developing new products or processes which could in future add value to the UK economy. R&D specialists help companies to claim these reliefs.

Challenges, skills and incentives

One of the key reasons people decide to start a career in tax, and why they remain in the profession, is that tax changes all the time. The government changes tax legislation to take account of changes in the UK and global economy and also changes legislation to close loopholes. Tax advisers make their money by advising businesses of these changes and how they affect them. A key attribute of being a tax adviser is the ability to communicate with clients, business leaders and the team that you work with. It is not just verbal communication, but the ability to write clear reports covering complex points of tax law in such a way that the client understands how it affects their business. As your career progresses you may also need to develop sales skills to pitch to businesses for their tax work.

Ultimately, a career in corporate tax can lead to partnership in an accountancy or law firm, or a Head of Tax role in industry. As accountancy firms become increasingly accommodating to lifestyle requirements, the modern corporate tax specialist can have the best of both worlds: a lucrative professional role which can be comfortably balanced with family or other external commitments.

Read Georgiana article on Career advice HERE

SENDING A MAN TO THE MOON

Thu, 10 May 2018 11:56:01 GMT

Georgiana Head considers the skills needed for a future in tax

Key Points

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

The UK is about to enter a period of great change and to survive and thrive we need to also think about what will be the equivalent of ‘new metal alloys’ for our profession.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

Advisers need to become increasingly technologically confident as well as maintaining their technical skills.

WHAT CAN I TAKE AWAY?

The tax industry is changing rapidly, and advisers should be analysing what new skills they need to stay up to date.

In September 1962, seven years before they put a man on the moon, US President John F Kennedy gave a speech at the Rice Stadium about his plans to reach the moon, and the technology they would need to develop to do this: ‘We shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth’.

Read the full article HERE

CHANGING THE GAME

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 12:06:00 GMT

Georgiana Head looks at how the tax profession will change as a result of the Making Tax Digital agenda

Key Points

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

The tax profession is undergoing a tremendous amount of change as a result of the MTD agenda.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

The MTD proposals are on the mind of every tax adviser, and it is time to start preparing.

WHAT CAN I TAKE AWAY?

Most direct tax advisers will have to rethink how they brand their practices and what added value they bring to clients.

In the March 2015 budget the then Chancellor George Osborne announced the demise of the ‘complex, costly and time consuming’ tax return. He promised a ‘revolutionary simplification for tax collection’ and the plan to Make Tax Digital (MTD). Two years later the tax profession is still wrestling with the impact of MTD and getting their clients ready for the brave new world of digitalisation. Now is a good time to take stock of how MTD is likely to impact the tax profession and how we can ‘future proof’ our tax departments and our careers against it.

So what will the tax profession look like after 2020 when the last tranche of returns has gone digital and we are all working from our digital tax accounts?

Read the full article HERE

FUTURE OF THE TAX PROFESSION

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 12:17:49 GMT

FUTURE OF THE TAX PROFESSION

During the last two years, taxation in the UK has probably been the most talked about since the advent of the notorious ‘window tax’ in 1696, when King William III tried to impose income tax by stealth taxing the size of properties. In this article Georgiana Head explores the tax profession today and the ways in which it is adapting to public attitudes, changing legislation and the uplift in the economy.

Read the Full article HERE

FOCUS ON CORPORATE TAX

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 12:12:14 GMT

In an economy which is coming out of recession, Corporation Tax (or corporate tax) is suddenly in the spotlight again. In this article Georgiana Head looks at what corporate tax is, and the types of role it encompasses.

Read the full article HERE

THE QUADRILLE

Sun, 18 May 2014 12:23:57 GMT

The nuances of networking can be similar to learning new dance steps

Georgiana Head teaches IFA magazine how to work the room.

Ten second summary

People, preparation and punctuality
Ask the right questions and have the correct responses ready
Exchanging business cards and following up

In the course of presenting a recent seminar on networking, two clear points emerged. First, I like people and successful networkers enjoy meeting new people. Second, it is much easier to talk to people by finding out what they do and who they want to meet and thereby helping them achieve their goals than it is to try to push one’s own agenda. Effective networking can produce an increase in contacts, new suppliers and work, and profile. Building and maintaining an active networking circle can also boost one’s social life as well as laying the foundations for long-term client relationships.

Read the Full article HERE

ONE MINUTE WITH…SIMON NUTTALL OF BODYCOTE PLC FOR TAX JOURNAL

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:21 GMT

This week Georgiana Head interviews Simon Nuttall of Bodycote Plc for Tax Journal:

What difference do you see between working in practice or in industry?
In a lot of ways it is similar, albeit for just one demanding client (and minus the time sheets of course). I think the breadth of tax issues that have to be dealt with at a good working level is far wider in industry than one individual would experience in practice, but practice offers greater depth of knowledge in specific taxes.

What is the biggest problem facing tax directors today?
Lack of time, and increasing complexity. The level of tax reporting has increased significantly in recent years which reduces the time available to provide tax advice and business support.

Name a recent piece of work of which you are most proud
Getting 30 Finance Controllers from around the world to understand tax accounting in just three hours and seeing them actually enjoy it too. The seemingly impossible achieved!

Where do you stand on the introduction of a GAAR?

A GAAR strikes me as a cop out against specific rules, and would therefore create more uncertainty. Adam Smith was correct in saying that one of the canons of a good tax is certainty, and I don’t believe a GAAR would provide that. The tax disclosure rules have significantly reduced tax ‘mischief’ because the Treasury $nd out about loopholes faster and are able to block them sooner. Adding to uncertainty will simply slow the system down, and make the UK a less attractive place.

If you could make one change to UK tax law, what would it be?

Significantly lower corporate tax (how about 5%)? That would bring in a huge amount of investment, additional jobs, and a significant addition to payroll taxes for the Exchequer. It would free up a lot of HMRC’s time spent on corporate tax scrutiny, when the bulk of the tax take relates to PAYE and NI.

Tax competitiveness – are we moving in the right direction?

A tentative yes – I think the political will is there, but the dra!ing detail remains to be seen. The probability of a significant number of the FTSE 350 rebasing themselves overseas was very high two years ago, but recent announcements appear to have stemmed the tide.

What has HMRC got right?

CFC reform, and tentative acceptance that not all business transactions are tax motivated.

What has HMRC got wrong?

Calling taxpayers ‘customers’ – a real customer has a choice. I also don’t think HMRC invests enough in its people, and as a result it doesn’t reach its full potential.

What are your views on the 50% income tax rate?
The 50% tax rate is purely a political tax and perhaps achieves a political aim as a result, but it does dent the attractiveness of the UK to investors and is at a level where the people impacted by it, start to look at ways around it. It should be removed as soon as possible, but that will be driven by politics I fear.

If you weren’t a tax director, what would you be?
A builder. I like building and creating things, it gives me a sense of satisfaction, and a completely different set of problem-solving skills.

ONE MINUTE WITH…STEPHEN HOYLE, HEAD OF TAX AT DLA PIPER

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:47:08 GMT

This week Georgiana Head interviews Stephen Hoyle, Head of Tax at DLA Piper, for Tax Journal:

“Name a recent piece of work of which you are most proud?
It is a transaction; the acquisition of HSBC Rail by an infrastructure consortium in late 2010. It was complex, with some very stimulating tax points. Indeed, so much of the taxation arising around leasing companies can be challenging.

Where do you stand on the introduction of a GAAR?
I have strong views on this. Graham Aaronson QC is the leading tax advocate of his generation – but there is a trap that he has to avoid – a trap into which barristers can fall – which is thinking that a problem can be solved by a turn of phrase. A ‘turn of phrase’ can work well in an opinion or in argument, but be much less successful in a judgement. We have a precedent for this with MacNiven v Westmoreland Investments Ltd. Lord Hoffmann’s attempt to define the limits of Ramsay using a distinction between legal concepts and commercial concepts took us nowhere. In my opinion there is no simple formulation of words which could claim to answer this complex question without falling into a ‘Hoffmann’ trap.

If you could make one change to UK tax law, what would it be?
I actually wouldn’t invest any more money in changing UK tax legislation. Instead I would invest money in attracting really good people into HMRC. I’d like a return to the days when you dealt with someone from the Revenue on a concept like ‘the meaning of distribution’ and you discovered that their expert was a really clever guy with a PHD in potatoes. So I would like to see the return of more of their intellectuals. I imagined them to be quietly subversive.

Do you think chartered accountants should get the equivalent of legal privilege?
Yes, I do. I was a partner in a Big 4 accountancy firm for a while after I left banking, impressed by the quality of my colleagues and by the level to which their work was internally audited. Legal privilege rests on the historical role of lawyers and the regulation of the profession. However, chartered accountants are also highly regulated, I think most lawyers would be amazed by the scope of the Big 4 ‘Total Quality Reviews’ where every element of your work including when you signed engagement letters, what notes you have on file to back up advice you gave and so on is audited.

Was the bank payroll tax fair?
Alistair Darling predicted bank payroll tax would raise £500m and he thought it would change the banks’ bonus policies. The politicians seemed totally unprepared for what happened and to me this showed a lack of understanding of modern banking. I’m sure the politicians wanted to raise a token amount and change the bank’s behaviour but they hadn’t factored in that most non-UK banks’ bonus pools are global and not fixed nationally. Many of the foreign banks mutualised the cost of the payroll tax so people in Hong Kong and Singapore, for example ended up sharing the cost, together with shareholders to varying degrees. He missed the global perspective. This and the 50% income tax rate have made the City less competitive a location and made us enemies. For a while the City was the place to be. It isn’t any more. International bankers have been leaving the UK because they can do the same international work in another location but with a lower personal tax burden.

ONE MINUTE WITH…KAREN HORNE OF ERNST & YOUNG

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:34:32 GMT

This week Georgiana Head interviews Karen Horne, People Leader for Tax for UK and Ireland, Ernst & Young:

What are your views on the 50% income tax rate?

While I accept that the government needs to generate income from somewhere, I do worry about the impact on businesses trying to incentivise key employees at a difficult time in the economic cycle. Most businesses are currently trying to maintain employee morale and motivation whilst minimising their cost base. The increase in the top rate of income tax has the practical impact of reducing salary package values of top executives at the exact time many businesses are relying on those individuals to drive their businesses through the tough economical circumstances.

Where do you stand on the introduction of a GAAR?

While I can see there is a definite advantage in stopping blatant abuse and anti avoidance, I am not convinced that a GAAR would actually achieve this. The practical application of a GAAR is very difficult to manage and it would be too easy for uncertainty to creep in – a definite disadvantage for clients trying to plan their business and organise their tax affairs. Furthermore there is a risk of over reliance on the GAAR, making it difficult for clients to do legitimate tax planning. Graham Aaronson QC’s suggestion that an advisory panel be created should help address these issues, but I remain to be convinced that it will be sufficient – the very fact that the panel’s status is ‘advisory’ means it can be ignored.

The best piece of advice anyone has given you?
My father told me that ‘even in the most difficult situation there is always the opportunity to find something positive’. I try to live by this and experience has shown me that he was right

What is your view on the public sector cuts?

I sympathise with the individual public sector workers affected by the new pension proposals as it is always hard to deal with a change of direction which affects you financially. However, it does demonstrate the huge disparity between public and private sector pay – most businesses in the private sector have already had to go through these changes to keep costs in control. In the long term, the changes in pensions will put the public and private sector on a more equal footing in terms of reward and recruitment, leading to a more competitive market for talent. I see this as a positive change, although clearly it is a painful process to get there.

What’s the difference between working in a law firm and an accountancy firm?
I originally trained and worked as a solicitor and so have been lucky enough to work for both types of firm. To be honest the only real difference is the area of focus.

How do you combine being a mum with work?

I am fortunate to have phenomenal support from my firm, family and friends. In particular, Ernst & Young are superb; they have been really flexible, allowing me to choose a working pattern that works for me, as well as offering support and informal time off for things like Christmas plays and sports days.

If you weren’t a tax partner, what would you be?

I love travel and so if I wasn’t in tax I would be a tour guide.

Read the full article here in the Tax Journal HERE

THE EAST MIDLANDS TAX MARKET PLACE

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:58:02 GMT

THE EAST MIDLANDS MARKET PLACE

The East Midlands tax market is hard to quantify as it covers an extremely disparate area ranging across Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester. Many of the tax partners who I talked to even include Lincoln into the mix. Nottingham is very much the hub for tax and the base for the larger firms. Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst & Young all have offices in the centre of town. PwC has moved out to Castle Donnington near East Midlands airport. Only KPMG of the Big Four has an office in Leicester.

Read the full article HERE

MANCHESTER – A BOOM TOWN FOR NORTHERN CORPORATE TAX

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:52:00 GMT

MANCHESTER – A BOOM TOWN FOR NORTHERN CORPORATE TAX

While the North West’s wealth was built on its industrial manufacturing past, Manchester is now a centre for retail, financial services and of course sports and leisure. The city centre is unrecognisable from even 10 years ago, with deluxe stores such as Selfridge’s and modern architectural complexes like Urbis. The gentrification of this Victorian city has spread to areas such as the Lowry complex at Salford Quays or the American-style shopping experience at the Trafford Centre.

Read the Full Article HERE