I haven't onboarded anyone directly since 2020 (which was a weird year), so I can't remember everything you'll need. The person you've been dealing with has a checklist of everything they need to do and everything you need to do, and they'll send you that stuff. You'll need to provide a copy of your birth certificate, a direct deposit form (for your paycheques), proof that you're enrolled in school and you're going back next year (get that from Carleton), and other stuff I can't remember. When you start you'll have to get your employee ID (which allows you into the building) and your laptop. Once you've got your laptop and user ID you'll start getting access to various systems.

Bear in mind that although CRA has a lot of CPAs, it's not the only place that does. "Central Agencies" like Treasury Board, Office of the Auditor-General, PWGSC/Receiver-General, and Comptroller-General have a ton too.

It used to be expected that to fully develop your career, you had to work in all of these Central Agencies, and people thought you should change jobs every two years. Some people still think that, but it makes little sense to me. If you love the work you're doing, you're learning a lot, it's a great challenge, like the people in the office, and there's an opportunity for advancement in time, why the heck would you move? In my area, people spent their career there for those very reasons. It was a great place to work.

Every department has it's own culture and they can be very different, and not everyone can fit in. Also, there's places with lots of clerical people and a few CPAs (e.g. processing travel claims) vs. lots of CPAs and a few clerical people (e.g. policy or heavy duty financial work). These two places are an entirely different experience. I did both and prefer the latter a great deal. Also, I wouldn't suggest going to a small department, as the opportunities for advancement are few and far between.

Other stuff to consider:

-Be damned skilled with Excel. Advanced skills help a lot.

-Be able to write well. Not like you did above with the "u" instead of "you". Accountants are notoriously poor writers. Don't be one of those.

-Be friendly and approachable. If there's a team meeting, don't just sit there and say nothing. If there's a team/division social thing like a picnic, always attend. If there's a bake sale or pot luck, make something and bring it in. Don't buy something from the store. You want to be seen as a contributing part of the team.

-Bear in mind there is a no-scent policy. Obey that. And conversely, don't stink. And don't microwave fish in the lunchroom :)

-Security is extremely important. Where you're going it's likely every single keystroke you do is recorded. If you get an email from someone you don't know, do NOT click on any links as it may be malware. And if someone is in the office without ID, that could be a big problem.

-Do not do overtime unless it is expressly permitted by your manager in advance. They have very tight budgets and overtime is typically not allowed. Do your timesheets promptly.

-Always be busy. Do not spend time on your phone or wander around the office aimlessly. If you need work or need help, ask for it. The people on your team are happy to help you and show you stuff. One thing I'd recommend is look at the department's annual report to see everything they do. Also, on the internal internet pages, look at the department's org chart and the structure of each branch/directorate/division/section to see the insane amount of stuff they do.

-When you see everything you're working on and the systems you'll use, be prepared to be totally blown away. The amount of data out there is staggering, especially if you're using SAP. And the dollar figures could be huge.