David Kelly

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

My first break into the world of International Tax was an 8 month work placement in my third year at University. I had a number of interviews with Banks, Law Firms, etc. but was struggling to get offers. My last interview was with a US tech company working in their in-house tax team and I was offered the job. I started with that company in January 2005 and have worked for them at various stages over the years, most recently from May 2011 to April 2019. Sometimes you need some luck, irrespective of your skill-set and ability. However, you need to take the opportunities luck presents to you.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

I work in an in-house International Tax team for a multinational technology company. A lot of people assume I prepare and file tax returns all day but most of my work is project based and involves working with stakeholders right across the business from Sales to Finance, as well as working with external tax advisors and meeting with Tax Authorities in different countries to ensure the company is fully compliant with all tax obligations in every country across the world that we do business in.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

The Head Teacher at my secondary school laughed at me when I told him what grades I needed just before I got my final results. I knew I had not obtained the required grades before I viewed my results which was quite demoralising. However, it drove me to work twice as hard to ensure that I got the course I wanted 12 months later. Since then I value the opinions of others but every decision I make in my career is my choice and based on what is important and valuable for me and my family.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

I worked in an Abattoir during holidays and some weekends. I worked as many hours as I could during those periods of time to earn enough money to focus on my studies when I needed to. In the process, I learned a lot about factory processes, what can go wrong when everyone is not working together as a team to be as efficient as possible and I think it enhanced my ability to work under pressure as we were constantly under time and resource constraints. I always say to people that any work experience you have done should have taught you something new about your character and your ability. All work experience is relevant work experience!

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

As I mentioned in response to an earlier question, I ended up working in International Tax because it was the only work placement I was offered after doing multiple interviews with banks, law firms, accounting firms, etc. In other words, it was pure luck! I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and have not looked back since.

How did you start building your network?

I was always quite a shy person growing up and it was probably the biggest obstacle to networking effectively. However, once I figured out that most people want you to do well and value your view / opinion / input, it gives you so much more confidence to put yourself out there. I started building networks through University, meeting new people in companies I worked for in lots of different functions, not just Tax and Finance. I then started speaking at different conferences, sitting on panels, etc. which expanded my network of Tax professionals significantly. However, my advice in the beginning is just speak to as many professionals as you can in whatever industry or role they have. You never know when that person may play a key role in future opportunities that present themselves.

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Be honest and be yourself. If people can relate to you and enjoy being around you, you will succeed. This is what differentiates two people of the same technical ability.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I had was lack of confidence and lack of belief in my ability. I now spend the majority of my "educational" time reading books and watching videos around understanding yourself and maximising your potential. There is so much material out there to help you with soft skills, confidence issues, management skills, teamwork, etc. Again, figuring all of that stuff out is what gets you to the next level once you have your base technical knowledge.

What is it like when your job gets tough?

Most jobs have moments of stress but there are multiple videos and books that teach you how to manage your mind and body's reaction to stress and how you can make it work in your favour and become a character strength and technical strength. If you find a job you really enjoy, even tough moments can give you moments of joy. Every tough moment in the workplace is an opportunity to excel - its how you react that differentiates you as a teammate or a manager.

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

If I'm completely honest, I did not get much useful advice when I was a student. However, when I started my career placement in my third year at University, I learned more about myself and what I wanted from a career than I had in all my years in secondary school and University. The best advice I ever received was to work hard and more importantly, work smart. You can risk assess every task you do to ensure that you focus your time on high risk, high value add work - that will bring you to the next level.