Currently...

I will shortly be a Senior Lecturer in HRM at the University of Chichester putting my 11 years experience of HR and learning to good use by helping others to learn from my successes and mistakes. I will be working with undergrad, postgrad and businesses to help them develop and improve their knowledge and skills in the HR arena.

Alongside teaching I am looking forward to resuming my research and writing activity which I never got time to do when I worked in the city.

• Preparing and delivering learning interventions around the full range of HR specialisms.
• Advising and counselling students and learners on how to progress and develop.
• Creating opportunities for further research and writing up findings or preparing prsentations for conferences.
• Supporting my colleagues and other university staff.

Before I escaped...

I was working for the biggest UK bank, firstly as an international Management Development specialist for 6 years, and then as a HR Generalist for 4 years.

My moment of truth...

Forever. It was always the plan to escape the city and find a role with some intrinsic value and satisfaction, and that also gave me some time and freedom to achieve my personal goals.

Moment of truth: Waiting on a platform with hundreds of others on a dark and cold morning for an expensive, crowded train to take me to London to do a job I had no interest in, or opportunity to succeed in.

Planning for it...

When I started with the bank I had a choice to make which was about starting a PHD. I knew this was an essential requirement if I was ever going to go into academia. I chose to do the PHD part time and stuck it out for 6 years because I knew this was my ticket out of the mindless drudgery that work had become.

I had a clear goal and I knew what was needed. My PHD study also gave me an escape mentally as it allowed me to gaze beyond the immediate and focus on something interesting with positive a future. I paid for the study out of my earnings from the bank. Moving to an academic role will invole a significant pay cut but my desire is to simplify and enjoy work and life; it is not all about the money. My belief is that where a company pays high, they will generally expect blood and feel that they are fully justified in 'beating you up', so long as you continue to take the cash its your choice.

The worst and best bits...

Worst: Remaining confident that the plan would work. You won't get the first job you apply for; keep swinging and eventually you will find the role and the place you need.

Best: Full vindication that the plan worked. The satisfaction that I can use my experience and skills for something more meaningful than shareholder value.

Best advice...

Never stop learning; the day you do, you are totally prepared for yesterday. You ned to become a 'learning machine' in the knowledge world; those with the best and most current knowledge win.

Get yourself a plan, be clear on what you want to achieve, set out the clear steps, don't be put off, and watch the time. I took 11 years to achieve what I could have done in 7.

Manage your profile effectively. Be a known player using the web for your publcity, have your own website, blog to raise awareness so that people come to you.

Useful resources and information...

Personal resilience, confidence and belief. If your plan is good and sound, you must believe in it and work towards it every day.

Internet searches are also good. You need to be on the various noticeboards and sites where your job or goal will be advertised.

Also your professional network - they will offer you advice and guidance from what they do.