`I like meeting new people'

Maeve O'Sullivan works in the media, but this is a far cry from the career path she started out on. While in school, she discovered an aptitude for science and languages. Deciding that science was more practical, she took a degree course in science at UCD, majored in geology and went on to work in this area for a while.

However, she soon realised that she was not best suited to this career. "I found geology theoretically fascinating but I didn't like working out doors and I don't have a good sense of direction so I really was not very suited to that career."

Maeve O'Sullivan soon decided it was time to take a different direction. She had an interest in communications and was good at dealing with people so decided that marketing was the route she wanted to take.

To gain skills in this area, she completed a FAS course which trained people from technical backgrounds in marketing and PR skills. She enjoyed this new career and even set up her own marketing firm which she ran successfully while continuing her studies at night. However, after two years she had a decision to make: "I reached a crossroads, either I would have to invest in and expand the company or go back to a normal paid job and I picked the paid job."

A job for managing the Network Agency, a PR agency for arts organisations based in the city arts centre came up which she was offered. With an interest in arts and experience in PR, this was a good opportunity and the beginning of a career in arts and administration for Maeve, an area she worked in for almost 10 years with a wide range of companies and organisations.

While keeping in the area of communication, she moved her career in yet another direction, to the media. She completed a course in radio broadcasting in Waterford. Work placement was part of the course and through this, she had the opportunity to work in RTE and East Coast Radio, an experience she really enjoyed. At this time despite the emergence of many local radio stations, there still were not many opportunities: "A chicken and egg situation existed, employers wanted people with experience but there was no way to gain this experience."

She continued her arts and administration work for Art House. Reducing her hours to part-time, she decided she wanted to develop other interests. She had always been involved in writing and began co-hosting an arts show entitled Writing Inc on Anna Livia radio station. "It has been a great experience. I have learnt a lot - especially about writing and have met lots of other writers." She took an MA course in Journalism in DIT Aungier St and made the move completely to working in the media. She has just completed her course and currently works on a number of different projects, often at the same time, and has kept on her slot on Anna Livia and now also works part-time as a newscaster for 2FM.

She also writes the Literary Live column each week in the Event Guide and has written a number of feature articles for the Examiner newspaper. On her current career she says: "I am happy to be where I am at the moment. I'd like to keep a balance between print and broadcast as I enjoy them both in different ways."

Maeve O'Sullivan has no regrets about the different directions her career has taken despite a lack of job security. Asked what aspect of her career she enjoys the most, she says: "At the risk of sounding like a Miss World contestant, I like meeting new people."