Sarah Dave

Age at time of shift

24

Gender

Female

Education level

Graduate

Universities attended

Lancaster University and Cardiff University

Shifted from

New Media Analyst

Location

Winchester and Farnborough

Salary

£0-£20,000

Years in old career

6 months

Shifted to

Journalist

Location

Reading

Salary

£20,000-£30,000

Years in new career

6

Year of shift

2000

What was your role in your old job?

Working for IBM on internet sites, mainly for the Vauxhall account.

What is/are your new role(s)?

News Editor and journalist for the Reading Evening Post, Sunday Times and British Army Review.

Why did you change?

Always was and wanted to be a writer/journalist and realised I did not want to regret not trying to be one 10 years down the line.

Are you happy with the change?

Undoubtedly.

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

Only the better wages.

How did you go about making the change?

I researched what courses in journalism were available, the cost, length, location, how I could fund myself while not working.

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

Nothing really. I had not been really working for IBM that long before I made the leap - I had done an industrial year during university and then joined them as a graduate. Six months later I had left.

What help did you get?

A supportive family and friends and self belief.

What have you learnt in the process?

Trust your heart. Only you will know if you should be making the change. Luckily for me it was the right decision.

What do you wish you'd done differently?

Nothing.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation?

Do as much research into your new career as you can so you can make an informed decision rather than a whim and crossed fingers. Then just go for it.