Only you will truly know yourself and what you do and do not like. When you are deciding on a role you have to weigh up is it appropriate for you, but also what is your 'gut feel'. Not just about the role, but the people and organisation. You will spend many years of your life in the workplace, so it is critical you enjoy what you do. I have been fortunate in that 95% of time I have loved the work, experiences and people I have worked with. There will always be tasks we don't quiet enjoy, but it is my fondness for the role which has kept me here for 22 years

I started as a Pensions Administrator when I first joined the company. Since then, I have worked in Finance, Mortgages, Testing and then onto Analysis where I became a Lead managing others to develop in their role. The company is large, and opportunities are presented regularly to allow you to try out jobs you may have an interest in until you find the right job for you. The company also supports staff in life changing events allowing me to go part time and then when the kids are older to increase my hours to ensure I have the right work life balance.

I was once told your network is not everyone you know but instead everyone you have helped as these are the people who are likely to help you when need be. This was excellent advice. Always help others when you have the capacity to do so, of course your day job still must be done also which is where this can get challenging but also doable! It is often tasks outside of my job description I find rewarding. On top of this it is great for both personal and career development to work across different functions when given the opportunity.