What's your job about?
As an ATO Graduate Officer, I’ve been part of three different teams undertaking three different types of work. I have worked in Client Engagement and Assurance, which involves review and audit-focused work on privately owned and wealthy individuals and groups. Some examples of my daily tasks in this rotation included law interpretation and advice, research, participating in team workshops, financial analysis, drafting reports or letters, and receiving training sessions and mentoring.
I’ve also worked in Service Delivery which involves front-line work responding to enquiries from taxpayers and their agents. In this rotation, I would receive a request from a taxpayer and then investigate within our ATO systems their compliance history and surrounding circumstances. I would then consider the request by weighing up their personal factors with the guidance in legislation and ATO view documents. This work involves contacting the taxpayer or their agent for more information or advising them of their request’s outcome.
I’m currently in training for my third rotation, which is again in Client Engagement and Assurance but will involve shorter-term audit work on individual taxpayers. This work will involve receiving multiple cases at a time, profiling the taxpayer in terms of their history and circumstances, contacting them for information, making a decision, and practising good case management.
What's your background?
I grew up on the beautiful Central Coast of NSW, which is where I still live and work today! I attended school to year 12 on the Central Coast, in which time I was very academically focused and less focused on the few (unsuccessful) sporting ventures I attempted. I undertook five years of study at the University of Newcastle to achieve a double degree in Business and Law in 2021. I enjoyed holidays to Far North Queensland, Gold Coast, Fiji, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, and the top end of Australia during this time. During my university studies, I worked part-time in hospitality which was both a rewarding and challenging job that gave me fundamental customer service skills. I enjoyed many facets of my university studies but wasn’t sure which area I wanted to pursue as a career.
Once I found that the ATO Graduate Program was available on the Central Coast and offered such a range of experiences and opportunities for growth, I knew I had to apply! I was always concerned that the fact that I didn’t have corporate job experience would hinder my ability to find a graduate role. However, I was pleased to see that the ATO values customer service experience, critical thinking, problem-solving, and other skills developed through part-time work and university studies. I began in the ATO casually as part of the University Partnership Employment Program in October 2021 before starting the Graduate Program in February 2022.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Absolutely! A fun fact about me is that I knew nothing about tax before joining the ATO Graduate Program. As a graduate, you will have dedicated training in fundamental taxation concepts, taxation law, law interpretation and accounting concepts. The program is open to a range of degrees, and as such, each graduate will bring with them strengths and weaknesses that they can develop and help others to develop. Diverse perspectives and backgrounds are highly regarded within the ATO. I believe I have taught new things to colleagues at all levels, just as they have taught me new things!
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The coolest part of my job is the level of responsibility and autonomy I have in completing my work. A lot of the work I have undertaken has a direct effect on taxpayers, and my decisions are trusted and enforced. While this is sometimes challenging, it’s great to know that the work I’m doing has an impact on the community and that the ATO trusts their employees at all levels to feel confident and empowered when doing their job.
What are the limitations of your job?
A limitation in my job is that no matter how long you are in the ATO, it is very unlikely that you will get to a point where you know all there is to know about tax! There are so many facets of taxation, and the law is constantly changing. Luckily though, you will never need to memorise everything about tax. You will likely be working in a team where you focus on a certain area of tax, and with ample resources at your fingertips and supportive people all around, you will feel like an expert in no time.
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