Danielle Grant, Trainee Tax Consultant, Grant Thornton

Degree subject BCL Law, AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) Qualification
Job title Trainee Tax Consultant
Employer Grant Thornton

Often people find themselves in a career they didn’t intend to have. I did my primary degree in law and hoped to get a career in that sector. However, there were very few jobs and so I began to research alternative careers. I got a job at an IT company where I stayed for three years, while I figured out what I wanted to do.

Quite a few people suggested working in tax, as it requires similar knowledge to the law sector. I decided to give it a go and I began studying for the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) Qualification. Soon after, I applied for graduate roles in advisory at various tax firms.

I now work at Grant Thornton as a trainee tax consultant, where I meet clients and colleagues to discuss tax-saving strategies.

For the first year and a half, I studied for the exams alongside my day-to-day work. It was hard combining the two, and I had to do most of my revision at the weekends. The Irish Tax Institute was really supportive though, providing a mentor to call when I had questions. It took me two years to complete the exams, and it was a great achievement when I passed.

The thing that I enjoy the most about being a tax adviser is that I get to see businesses from a different perspective. Tax is at the heart of business decisions, and so the advice that I give affects what companies do. A few years ago, I would have been working with wealthy individuals. However, because of the recession, I am working on several projects with debt-management companies, which is really interesting.

The work is varied, and we constantly have to update our knowledge as tax laws change. There are also a lot of benefits that come with having the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser Qualification. There are opportunities to travel and work overseas, and it also allows you to work with a range of clients. It gives you greater flexibility to enjoy a varied career.

Danielle was interviewed for gradireland Finance 2013