Good morning,

Thanks for contacting me directly. I am glad you are considering the Tax Specialist Programme (TSP). It's indeed a great opportunity, and I feel that, since joining, my career path is clear and my tax technical skills have noticeably improved. I feel confident in my leadership and communication skills, and grateful to have good support around me. I go out of my way to recommend this programme to most people I speak to who show an interest in taxation.

As far as I remember, and please bear in mind that I last went through the process more than two years ago, you complete some information about yourself initially, and then focus on the online tests at stage one of the application process: Verbal, Numerical and Civil Service Judgement Test; rather than your CV. Remember that the tests are not timed, particularly when it comes to the Verbal and Numerical tests. You can find more guidance and some practice tests here. You can also search for more practice tests on the internet.

Stage two of the application process consists of a Civil Service Styles Assessment. You can find more information about this here. I recommend familiarising yourself with it and taking the practice tests.

Finally, successful candidates are invited to the assessment centre. You get more information about this when you are invited to attend the assessment centre. It usually focuses on behaviours at HEO grade. These are: Communicating an Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions and Working Together.

You can find definitions for each behaviour and how they are mapped out at different grades here. You can also find out more on how strengths are mapped out to behaviours here. Familiarising yourself with these definitions (Behaviours and Strengths), as well as knowing the corresponding strengths to each behaviour will help you a lot at this final stage.

I wish you good luck!

Mads

07 September, 2026 10:26