A Day in the Life of Auckland tax graduate Favour Owoeye
If you’re curious about what a career in tax looks like day-to-day, Favour Owoeye offers some great insights. As a tax graduate in our Baker Tilly Staples Rodway Auckland office, his days are varied, practical and full of opportunities to learn.
7.30am: I wake up and do a few push-ups to kickstart my day. Living close to the office means I can enjoy a 20-minute walk to work in the mornings, which helps clear my mind before my day begins.
8.30am: I get into the office, fill up my water bottle, set up my laptop and prepare for a day of productivity. I start by going over all the jobs on my worklist, prioritising the ones that are the most urgent. Mondays are the days I send my workflow to my managers, detailing how busy I am for the week.
9.30am: This is when we have our weekly tax meeting. We receive updates from directors and managers. We also cover housekeeping matters and any issues encountered by the team during the week.
10.00am: After the meeting ends, I dive into my work. My days are filled with a range of different tasks. This can range from income tax returns to preparing voluntary disclosures and everything in between. Every client we work with is unique, so no two days are the same. This morning I am working on a GST return for a client who files their return monthly, which means there are not too many invoices to go through. As a result, I am able to work through it relatively quickly and get it finalised.
11.00am: After completing my GST return, I take a five-minute break to clear my mind and prepare for my next job. I dive back into my work and draft provisional tax emails to send to clients as a reminder of upcoming P3 payments.
12.30pm: Today is just a normal lunch for me. I regularly get my lunch from “Mr Katsu” then chill and talk with friends on Level 12 during my lunch break. However, there are times the tax team holds training sessions where we discuss the latest tax updates and share knowledge. These sessions are important and give everyone an opportunity to share opinions and ask questions.
1.30pm: After my one-hour lunch break, I get back into a work-oriented headspace and prepare to tackle my tasks for the afternoon. I spend my time assisting with a tax due diligence for a client. This pushes me out of my comfort zone but also provides me with a great opportunity to learn and grow. I get more clarity from the manager on the job. This makes it much clearer for me and knowing that there is always someone there who is happy to help is comforting.
4.30pm: We have staff announcements on the last Friday of every month, which comes with lovely food and drinks. It provides a good opportunity for everyone in the office to unwind and laugh together. The announcements highlight the progress we have made in the month.
5.00pm: Before heading home, I make sure I have done all the jobs I wanted to get done for the day. This allows me to go home feeling accomplished and ready to take on the next day. My walk back home gives me a chance to reflect on how my day has gone. I’m always learning something new, and I’m excited to continue growing while working in the tax team.