Tax Managers

Keep up with news and developments in the tax field by regularly visiting the Web sites of professional associations and reading their publications, research, and blogs. For example, the National Association of Tax Professionals has a Tax Knowledge Center, with federal tax information and government news: https://www.natptax.com/TaxKnowledgeCenter. The National Society of Tax Professionals has a blog that features articles covering a variety of tax-related topics: https://www.nstp.org/blog.

A good way to gain insights into the tax management field is through an internship or part-time job in a tax planning and tax management company. Search for opportunities on the Web sites of companies that interest you. School career services offices can also help locate internship and part-time opportunities. Professional associations and sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and SimplyHired, to name just a few, also post part-time and full-time employment openings in tax planning and management companies. An information interview with a tax manager is another great way to learn more about what this job entails. Prepare a list of questions beforehand. Suggested interview questions include: What made you want to enter this career? What do you like most and least about your job? How did you train for this field? What are some key skills for success? What advice would you give to young people about preparing for the field and being successful on the job? How will the use of advanced artificial intelligence and other technology in tax management and accounting change the field? Ask your school's career services office for help with setting up an interview with a tax manager who's interested in talking about their work with students.

Join student business organizations—such as Junior Achievement (https://jausa.ja.org), DECA (www.deca.org), Future Business Leaders of America (https://www.fbla.org), and Business Professionals of America (http://bpa.org) to learn more about the business world and participate in activities that develop your leadership, managerial, and financial management skills.