Building a career with Companies House

From a young age I'd planned to join the Royal Air Force.

Throughout my time in school and college, I built up a range of qualifications to help me with this goal. At the age of 19 I went to my local recruitment office and excitedly began the recruitment process.?

My life was turned upside down when, mid-way through the process, I was informed that a previous injury to my wrist made me permanently medically unfit for military service.

I remember the feeling of the ground falling from beneath me. The overwhelming thought that I didn’t have any future prospects due to my average grades and the fact that I'd chosen not to go to university.

Joining the Civil Service

In 2017 I decided to apply for a job in the Civil Service - an administrative officer role at Companies House. ?Before applying I had no knowledge at all of the organisation and I remember searching the internet asking: what's a limited company??

Before my interview, like many people, I had preconceived notions of what the organisation would be like. Would my lack of higher education prevent me from fitting in? ?

These expectations were shattered from that first moment when I was welcomed through to my interview. I was surprised by the diverse nature of the office, so many interesting individuals and a relaxed and positive atmosphere.?

I began my career in Companies House that summer and was allocated a role in the secure register team. I was part of a small, friendly team tasked with exciting work.

Gaining experience and confidence

I continued to build on my knowledge of Companies House and made a number of lateral transfers to different teams, making many friends and gaining a wider understanding of the organisation.?

I’d always had the mindset that I must 'keep my head down and try to fit in'. This for some time made me feel that it wouldn’t be safe to become a union rep. I'd always seen myself as a proud trade unionist but I believed this would prevent future progression. How wrong I was.?

I took my first steps as a trade union representative in 2019 and was pleasantly surprised by the willingness to engage by management and the opportunities for networking that this opened up for me. I took the opportunity to undertake free training courses from both Companies House and the union, representing our branch both locally and nationally.

Over time I built up the confidence to apply for my first promotion. Companies House invested in me and made me feel valued. At times when I had struggles with my mental health, my employer was compassionate and provided me with resources and help.

I’d entered the Civil Service believing that I was worth less than my colleagues due to my educational background and experience, yet in a short amount of time, I've witnessed how the organisation has invested in my learning, skills and wellbeing.?

I currently work as an executive officer in our knowledge and learning team - helping with complex queries from across Companies House - and I recently returned from a 6-month temporary promotion as a campaigns manager in the external communications area. ?

Reflecting on my career so far

These different roles in different areas of the organisation have given me the opportunity to develop new skills that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to experience.

From day one at Companies House, I’ve been supported both professionally and personally. I've built a career from the ground up with no prior knowledge of the organisation and I truly believe that I would not have had these opportunities outside of the Civil Service. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far and look forward to where my future career will take me.

If you’re looking for more than just a job, and want to find out more about what it’s like to work for Companies House, check out our careers hub.?