Is Tax the right graduate path for you? Harrison Vanags on building his career at Deloitte

If you're weighing up graduate paths and Tax & Legal isn't at the top of your list, you're not alone. It's one of those areas that tends to get overlooked, partly because most students don't have a clear picture of what the work actually involves.

Harrison Vanags didn't overthink it. He joined Deloitte's Tax & Legal team as a graduate, stepped into a role spanning both compliance and advisory work, and found more variety, responsibility and opportunity than he expected.

Here's what he's learned, and what it might mean for you.

What the work actually involves

If you picture tax as mostly returns and regulatory paperwork, the advisory side of the role will surprise you.

Harrison's work sits across two functions. Compliance covers preparing income tax returns and managing regulatory requirements for clients. Advisory is a different kind of challenge - helping clients navigate complex tax regulations, think through their financial strategy, and work out how to approach problems specific to their business.

"What I enjoy most about my role is the variety of work. It gives me exposure to a diverse range of industries, clients, and scenarios and that mix keeps things dynamic and gives me constant opportunities to learn."

Working across ASX companies and multinationals means the client list is broad and the problems are rarely the same twice. If you're someone who wants to build knowledge quickly across different businesses and industries, that variety is a real advantage early in your career.

Responsibility that arrives earlier than you'd expect

One of the most common things graduates say about Deloitte is that real responsibility arrives sooner than they anticipated. Harrison's experience reflects that.

"One thing that has pleasantly surprised me is the level of responsibility and opportunity I've been given, even at a junior level. From early on, I've had the chance to contribute meaningfully to projects, take ownership of tasks, and engage directly with clients."

For a graduate who wants to feel like their work matters from day one, that early exposure makes a difference. Leading junior team members, managing client deliverables, building direct client relationships - these aren't things Harrison is working towards. They're already part of his role."

"Having the opportunity to lead junior team members has been incredibly rewarding. It's a chance to mentor, guide, and collaborate - which not only strengthens the team but pushes me to continually improve my own skills."

If you're someone who wants to be trusted with real work early, rather than spending your first year watching from the sidelines, that's worth knowing.

The support behind the growth

Early responsibility only works if the support structure around it is solid. At Deloitte, every graduate is assigned a career coach who works with them throughout the program - covering professional development, goal setting, and the more personal side of starting a career.Beyond the formal structure, Harrison points to the people around him as the thing that's made the biggest difference.

"Everyone is approachable and genuinely invested in your success - always ready to provide guidance, feedback, or just a listening ear when needed."

The connections Harrison has made across the organisation extend well beyond his immediate team. For a graduate starting out, that network builds faster than you might expect.

"I've had the opportunity to meet and connect with so many genuine and inspiring people across Deloitte. I've built strong friendships that extend beyond work, making it not just a workplace but a community."

Where Tax can take you

A graduate role in Tax & Legal at Deloitte isn't a narrow starting point. The career paths it opens up are broad with cross-industry client work, international secondments, leadership opportunities within projects, and the technical depth that comes from working on complex problems for some of Australia's biggest businesses.

If you're curious, adaptable, and want a career that keeps moving, Tax might be exactly the right call.

Exciting careers start here.

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