I have already described the projects I work on, and these are all running along fine with a few additions for the new financial year. However, if you are anything like me then you want to know what else the job allows you to do!
Well, quite a lot I have to say. The trick is to know when to say no to the abundance of opportunities that will come your way. As part of promoting a healthy working environment, a new group has formed within HMRC, called the Women in KAI group. The aim is to deal with issues in the workplace which may be specific to females. This is not to say that gender is a particular issue within the department, but it helps the balance amongst the analytical posts. I have been a part of this group for a few months now, and it has provided some fantastic opportunities to carve out a work plan and areas of interests, as well as meet with people outside of my immediate team.
Besides this, I have also had an opportunity to help run a fast stream recruitment event for 30 students at the London School of Economics. Along with 2 other fast streamers, I ran a simulation exercise of the typical tasks and issues a civil servant may come across, in the hope to drum up further interest in the scheme. This was followed by a really challenging question and answer session with the students. I’m pleased to say by the end of the event, the number of students interested in applying for the scheme had more than tripled (honest)!
Another opportunity I am looking forward to taking up is becoming an assessor at a development centre aimed at providing a mock assessment centre experience for those that would not typically apply for the fast stream. This is something I believe very much in and am glad that I have been given the chance to be a part of it. Full training will of course be provided, so there is no excuse for not putting yourself forward for new and different things.
These are just a few examples of the additional activities I have had the chance to take part in my first 6 months on the job. They have helped provide me with a better overview of the environment I work in, meet more people and add variety to my day job. Bottom line…there are no excuses for getting bored and not trying your hand at new things.