My early career aspirations weren't too well thought out. I'd had an idea about joining the police, but never really explore that at all.

My early career within both Asda and Sainsbury's wasn't too exciting or ambitious, I fell into this by starting with Asda part time, and then was encouraged by colleagues to work full time once I left school, with the idea that I'd progress up to manager. That didn't work out at Asda, and I subsequently moved to Sainsbury's but didn't manager to stay too long there. Some internal employee relations issues made me want to leave this job, and so I applied for a role as Branch Manager in Boots.

I loved this job to start with. However, the pressure of sales and targets started to overtake the customer care side of the job, and after another few years I was ready for my next challenge. Prior to leaving Boots, I'd seen an advert in a local paper for a Trading Standards Officer and the thought of the role was one, for some reason, I couldn't let go of! Whilst I didnt have the qualifications, I left my job at Boots, took on a part-time role at the Royal Bank of Scotland, and put myself through 3 years of Uni as a mature student to achieve a first class degree in Consumer Studies and Management. Hey presto! I was then qualified for the job I really wanted, and within a few weeks of leaving Uni, I was there at Edinburgh Council doing what was then my dream job!

When a move to a new part of the UK came about, my expectation was I would find a new role in Trading Standards with a new local authority, but my career took another amazing turn when an opportunity for a fraud investigator role came up, and I applied and got it! This really has been the job of my dreams - using my investigating skills, investigating crime and fraud, and becoming an expert in digital investigations, as well as seeing cases right through to court.

I really can't imagine wanting to leave this job - whilst I didn't know it all those years back, this one has to be the job of my dreams....