I was doing some research with a colleague. He started his tax career less than a year prior.
He’d already done some research for me in the past, and was going through the pain barrier of learning the skill. He was keen to get good at it.
When we were doing this research, he asked me a question that made me reflect. He’d asked how I knew where to find the information I want when using HMRC manuals. I thought it was a good question.
My mind went back to when I first started using manuals.
I would spend hours going through them. There was so much information. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.
It was so rare that I came across a page that gave the exact answer for the scenario I had. So once I thought I had the answer I then had to become confident in my conclusions and check to make sure I’d not missed anything.
It’s hard to know what you don’t know in the early stages of your career.
I now just ‘do’ research on autopilot. When using manuals, I have a good idea where the information I need is, and can usually locate it fairly quickly. I hadn’t really thought about ‘how’ I now do that.
Talking with my colleague made me realise how I now take what I’ve learnt for granted, and it took me a while to learn these things.
I share the advice I gave my colleague in this episode, plus some extra tips to help you master using HMRC manuals.
Listen to hear them!
You’ll Learn
- (2:30) Why you should use manuals
- (4:30) Tips associated with using them so you can find the information you want quickly
- (17:00) Some things to watch out for and be aware of
- (26:15) How to implement the tips
Related Episodes and Resources
TTPP37: Master Using Tax Legislation (and the Benefits this Brings)