Want to Work for the IRS? Former Agency Officials Offer Insights
Partner Nicole Elliott, weighed in on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employment opportunities for an article by Bloomberg Tax. Ms. Elliott previously worked for the IRS as a healthcare counsel and senior director of operations for the Affordable Care Act implementation.
After years of declining employee numbers at the agency, the IRS is reportedly searching for its next generation of leaders, according to practitioners, and will be looking for brand-new professionals as well as experienced people who can take on the challenge of implementing the new tax law. In 2015, the IRS had an average of 79,890 full-time positions, its fewest in more than three decades.
The falling numbers, coupled with an increasing workload, make it important for the IRS to "find the people that will stay," stated Ms. Elliott. "Institutional knowledge is so important," and the prospect of not finding people to replace experienced staff "is a scary proposition."
Adding that although the function and public perception of the government agency may weed out some job seekers, Ms. Elliott added that: "The IRS is an appealing place for the right person, who wants to be part of something bigger and play an important role in some ways private industry just can’t offer."
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