Graduate Life in Tax: My path from MSc in Finance to VAT Assistant - Anish

My name is Anish Sharma and I’m a VAT assistant in the VAT team here at RSM, based in the London office. I joined as a graduate in August 2023 after completing my MSc in Finance, and it’s been an amazing journey ever since. I’m in the middle of my CTA qualifications - it’s been intense but intellectually rewarding.

Anish

VAT Assistant

RSM

How I started at RSM

When I was going through a list of jobs that I'd be interested in, I stumbled across RSM’s ABA function and I had originally applied to the ABA graduate programme.

I thought it would be mostly business advisory, not realising it involved quite a bit of accounting, which I wasn’t fully prepared for. I performed well at the assessment centre and was advised that there might be other opportunities at RSM that would suit me better. That’s how I transitioned into tax. Credit to the early careers team - I think they made the right call.

What I do as a graduate VAT Assistant

Most of the clients that I work with are corporate. I like working across sectors, so I'm not specialising in one particular area of VAT just yet.

I support with preparing VAT returns, such as the paperwork and correspondence with HMRC. I help with advisory reports that we might do for clients, particularly with companies such as the NHS and in sectors like healthcare, real estate, land and property, and occasionally financial services. I also really enjoy working with some of our member firms abroad. We’ve had engagements where we liaise with our member firms in Europe, Asia and Australia, which has been very exciting.

It’s hard to generalise and say what a typical day looks like - there’s a lot of variety, and each day brings something new. That keeps you on your toes. My role involves helping clients navigate their VAT obligations, interpreting VAT legislation and case law. It can be a bit of a minefield, and our job is to help them get it right.

Why I enjoy working at RSM

The best part about working here at RSM is the people. I have been so incredibly fortunate to have a team around me that's so invested in my growth and well-being.

I've been fortunate to make some wonderful friends here, not just at my level but also with my line manager and at the partner level as well.

The support I’ve received has been immense. From day one, I had a well-structured work shadowing process, and I felt comfortable asking questions, no matter how basic they were. That kind of environment makes learning so much easier.

I was completely new to VAT, but the structure of our tax qualification pathways that are baked into my contract has really helped with my technical development. You can’t be a good tax adviser unless you truly understand the law you’re working with. The structured support from our training providers has been invaluable, and I’ve learned a lot on the job too, like best practices for dealing with HMRC or insights from colleagues working on similar engagements.

What's great about my job is that there is a really good mix of on-the-job and off-the-job training. Studying for exams while you work isn't the easiest thing to do. It can be taxing, (pun intended), but at the early careers level, I think it's important to find a job where you're always learning and I definitely feel like I get to do that.

My life outside of work

I’ve always loved music. Learning an art form is a big deal in my community. Most kids grow up doing some kind of art, and it’s almost like a rite of passage, a tradition we all share. I started learning to sing when I was about four years old. I’m also a violinist, pianist and percussionist. Music has been such a fundamental part of my life that it’s hard to imagine who I’d be without it.

I also love movies and reading. I’m a massive history buff. But more than anything, I love talking to my family and friends. That’s probably my favourite part of life outside of work. I’m not particularly religious, but I do like visiting a temple now and then. It helps me reconnect with the identity I grew up with, being around people who speak the same language and eat the same food as I do. Music helps with that too. It’s a great way for me to stay connected to that side of myself.

I feel really fortunate to work at a place like RSM where I can express that part of who I am. I don’t feel like I have to act a certain way. I have the space to just be myself, and not every workplace is like that. I’d be remiss not to mention how important my family has been in supporting me through everything. Whether it’s day-to-day life or the job application process, both my parents were involved and helped me re-centre whenever I needed it.

I’m very blessed to have such a close relationship with my family, and that support system means a lot.

My advice for future graduates

The first thing I realised is that you don’t need to have everything figured out when you’re applying. It’s a tough recruitment market, and I know it can take a toll on your mental health. You feel like you have to do everything to stand out. And I think what a lot of people need to do is just pause. Breathe. Say, look, I don't know everything, but this is what my job is, which is to learn. As cliché as it sounds, I think people need to just be themselves. We don’t want someone to come in and turn out to be someone completely different from who they presented themselves as.

We’re a business made up of real people. And I think a lot of students forget to just be their authentic selves. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put your best foot forward, but it does mean recognising what you bring to the table, what you can improve and what you’re eager to learn. That kind of authenticity goes a long way, especially in a business where collaboration is so important.

You have a story to tell, and we want to hear it.