From junior to senior: interview with Iosif Coman, Senior Tax Consultant

Hello, Iosif! What is your current role within Forvis Mazars in Romania?

Hello Alexandra, hello everyone! Firstly, thank you for the invitation to be part of today’s discussion. My name is Iosif Coman and I’m currently a Senior Consultant within the Tax Department of Forvis Mazars in Romania.

How does a day in your life look like? What are your responsibilities, the projects that you take on?

Well, a day at Forvis Mazars looks like an eight-hour journey through the most unique and interesting places.

The morning starts, of course, with a good coffee, as any road trip would. In the first half of the day, I make sure to get through all the emails received and to organise my list of priorities for the day. Only then can the journey start.

The first important stop of the day is usually at my manager’s desk, with whom I revise and debate any new fiscal change in the law or client need. After that, I go back to my desk, where I start my consulting activity, preparing responses for our clients on different topics. Those can vary from the latest fiscal digitalisation systems to complex situations, with specific requirements.

The lunch break is the most delightful moment of the day, when we get to socialise, discuss and have a good time all together, as a team.

The second milestone of the day is reached in the meeting room, where all the members of the indirect taxes team gather frequently. Here, we analyse our priority list and come up with ways in which certain tasks can be improved. More than that, we go through specific legal cases that can have an impact on our activity and our perception of some situations.

At the end of the day, after the eight hours have passed, a new journey begins, this time a personal one, in which physical activity and sports are my way to relax after a challenging day. 

How did your journey of growth look like within the company?

My journey in Forvis Mazars started in my current team, Indirect Tax, as a Tax Trainee, in 2022, when I was still a student in my second year of university.

Once I finalised my studies, I stepped into the role of a consultant, and after two years in the company and alongside my team, the moment came for my role to expand, becoming a Senior Consultant.  

How was your transition like, from a junior position to a senior role? How did your team’s support impact you within this transition?

I must admit, when I received the proposal to step up to a Senior Consultant role, I was somewhat skeptical before accepting. This was due to the questions I kept asking myself about how my activity will continue in the new role and how this will impact the relationship I’ve built with my colleagues.

However, after my promotion, the support received from my team managed to blow away any of my previous fears. My managers were with me every step of the way, and my colleagues never failed to show understanding whenever I didn’t have the answers to all the questions.

This year, Forvis Mazars celebrates three decades of trust on the Romanian market, a period in which we have built relationships based on trust and constant support, as well as created success stories together. 

Thus, to mark the occasion, let’s offer our readers three elements to take with them at the end of our discussion!

1.    What book, movie or podcast influenced you the most in recent years and you think will be able to inspire a junior at the beginning of their career?

I think Atomic Habits, by James Clear, is a book that can help and inspire any person at the beginning of their career. It shows you how small habits can produce a significant impact and how you can develop yourself professionally and personally through simple methods that have a real effect.

2.    What is the most valuable skill for your role?

I think that two of the skills that make my job both pleasant and easy, that I use regularly, are my orientation towards problem solving and the ability to communicate efficiently.

The first one helps me in any situation I encounter within my role, and the second one contributes to the strengthening of my professional relationships, as the information I pass on is fully understood by the people I work with.

3.    What piece of advice would you give to the young folks at the beginning of their professional journey?

I think the most important piece of advice I can offer to young people at the beginning of their career is to define a work-life balance within the first stages of their professional journey, so that they can continuously work on maintaining it afterward.

More than that, I consider patience and resilience to be essential aspects in all areas of life, as things don’t usually happen as fast as we would expect. Last but not least, I encourage all of our readers to be ambitious and to work for their dreams, whether personal or professional. 
 

Thank you, Iosif, for all your insights and stories, you really managed to take us through a journey, similar to a day in your life! Keep making us proud! :)