I started at Mercer & Hole just before the November lockdown last year, so in all I was only in the office for three days before we had to go back to working from home! But in a way I felt very fortunate for that time in the office as they gave me a chance to meet everyone in person and get to know my team a little bit. Obviously, it’s a very strange time to join a new firm, but the team was fantastic at getting me up to speed on how things operate here, and everyone has been so welcoming and inclusive. I chat to my team daily, so I don’t feel isolated at all, despite the distance and only meeting everyone in person so briefly.
Something I find very satisfying about my job is knowing that I take some of the burden off some of my colleagues. I bring a particular strength of knowledge of corporate and business tax, so knowing that my job takes the pressure off them in this area and allows them to focus on their specialities is great. I also really enjoy the challenge of ad hoc technical questions I get from partners – it keeps me on my toes and keeps me thinking about all different kinds of potential scenarios. It’s a part of my job to stay up to date with all the changes in tax policy and regulation which I enjoy.
In April, I volunteered to undertake a large project, which has somewhat evolved my role. It was a significant challenge that I could not have completed without help from my team – we are always looking for ways to support each other and balance our collective workload. The approachable nature of Mercer & Hole is something that really stands out to me. Anyone can talk to anyone here, for example, trainees know they can talk to partners without having to worry. This is quite different compared to the firms where to speak to a partner felt like seeing the headmaster! Everyone has been so friendly to me, taking time and effort to ensure that I feel comfortable and welcomed here, and I do.
St Albans