These are stories of hope, of determination and of courage to take those crucial career change steps from professionals just like you and me from all over Asia. Discover how they made their move and their retrospective thoughts once they followed their respective paths.

Life = Work = Life
Kim Li-Wen, 28, was just one of many in the legions of bankers, but he escaped the rat race to found Aranium.com, with two of his friends. He has since traded his business suits for casual jeans, cushy pay for none, and predictable hours for marathon sessions building up his fledgling company. "Getting into the next big thing - wireless technology - has been really exciting. Now, I don't distinguish between my work and the rest of my life anymore- all of it's my life, and for now that works for me".

Figure Out What You Love And What You're Good At
Samira Kohli, 34,started her career as a lawyer. Once she was into it, she did not enjoy the courts and knew that she wouldn't last for too long with a career she wasn't enjoying. "So it made more sense to look at my options and choose a profession that I would enjoy, would be challenging and where I could build on my natural abilities," she says.

Now, Samira moved cities and explored all her options from Sales and Marketing to Television to advertising and finally opted for a career in communications. She joined a leading multinational advertising agency as Senior Branch Services Director. It was then that the entrepreneurial bug bit her. She did a part time course in Web Designing and set up a team under her. Now she is a happy entrepreneur taking up Web Designing projects.

I have no regrets at all. My law background has helped me tremendously and gave me a grounding to look at all perspectives before taking any decision. My advice to those looking at career moves is, do what your heart desires and figure out what you are good at and don't try and be someone you are not! I have no regrets at all. My law background has helped me tremendously and gave me a grounding to look at all perspectives before taking any decision. My advice to those looking at career moves is, do what your heart desires and figure out what you are good at and don't try and be someone you are not! says a confident Samira. Definitely she means what she says.

Networking Works - Progress My Skills!
Not all of us make quantum leaps onto the Dot Com Express. Some move in more manageable steps. Grace Lim, 28, moved from her position as legal executive in a multi-national conglomerate to legal practice when she felt that she had levelled off on her learning curve there. "I wanted to progress my skills, to expand my experience" she says. Having determined to either move into another corporation or into practice, "Then I set about doing my homework - asked around, talked to people who dealt with that firm. I've always believed that that it's better to work on recommendations, and find out first hand from people who've been there. This reduces your margin of error." I sent feelers out to people in the industry whom I thought would be able to help, and one of the persons I spoke to was my ex-boss who had left the corporation two years earlier. The next thing I knew, he came back with an offer from the firm he was at. I sent feelers out to people in the industry whom I thought would be able to help, and one of the persons I spoke to was my ex-boss who had left the corporation two years earlier. The next thing I knew, he came back with an offer from the firm he was at. Says Grace, "I know of several friends who applied for jobs by responding to ads in the papers. After awhile, they found that they hated the place and they left."

"It's important to try and find out what it is you really want and where you can get it" she advises, "otherwise, you may be all over the place".

Networking Works - Making My Own Job Happen
Networking is also the best way to access people who can assist you with vital information about the industry you're interested in, or who can introduce you to other important contacts. After 7 years as a brand consultant for an international advertising agency, Lee Jia Ping, 32, didn't wait for a job to come along, she made one for herself. As an arts consultant, her company now provides a whole range of services to the arts industry. In exploring what opportunities are available in a new area, or when you're thinking of doing something novel, you need to talk to people" she says.

In exploring what opportunities are available in a new area, or when you're thinking of doing something novel, you need to talk to people" she says.

"Don't close off any doors at the beginning. Find out as much as you can about the field you're interested in. Then once you've decided to take the plunge, call the right ones."

Taking the Time to Think Things Through
Thomas Lew, 31, was a paediatric registrar at a public hospital before he decided to opt out of clinical medicine. It took him 2 years of soul searching. "It was a slow process, he says, "But I think you do need time to think it out." Thomas decided finally that the demands of his job did not align to his values and desire for better quality of life. He wanted more time for his family and interests. "Once you've decided," says Thomas "it's like a huge weight off your shoulders. I felt quite liberated!" He decided to join the burgeoning IT field by doing a Health Informatics course, thus allowing him to combine his interest in computers with his medical degree.

How did he go about it? "I talked to some people, who gave me some names, then I talked to them, and they gave me more names". Through someone who knew someone, Thomas even landed a unexpected part-time job as a medical adviser in a pharmaceutical company, a position that gives him some financial stability while he studies.

Having A Break and Staying Put
Before taking the plunge, you may want to consider taking a break. Jasmine, 27, had just about had it with the stress and frustrations at her workplace. She took time out to lie in the sun and frolic at an island getaway. "I needed to just go away and do nothing," she says "that made it a lot easier to evaluate my career objectively. I was relaxed, my mind was clearer, and I could think about the benefits of my job, instead of just focusing on the negative." "I needed to just go away and do nothing," she says "that made it a lot easier to evaluate my career objectively. I was relaxed, my mind was clearer, and I could think about the benefits of my job, instead of just focusing on the negative." She notes that negativity can act in a vicious circle, with one bad thing amplifying the next. "I gained some perspective, realising that my interest in what I do and what I felt the firm could offer still outweighed the things which were causing me to contemplate quitting."

She returned 3 weeks later "rejuvenated and gung-ho about work". On top of that, she was also able to figure out her source of discontent and she decided to do something about it. A good frank chat with her boss about changes she felt needed to be made ended up being fruitful. "You'll never know until you try," she advises "and when they do listen, you feel valued." It convinced her that she was where she wanted to be.

When Your Family Come First
Where you want to be need not be permanent. Siew Yan, 32, left her job as a Security and Documentation Officer at a foreign multi-national bank to become an administrative co-ordinator for a kindergarten. The catalyst, she explains, was her young 4 year-old daughter. "I was prepared to have my career take a back seat for a few years so that I could spend more time with her" she says, "but I didn't feel I could do without working. So when a colleague of mine told me about this position, I felt that the shorter hours would really suit me." She approached the owners of the nursery, and everything fell into place. Her daughter now attends the same nursery, an arrangement which pleases Yan. "I'll probably resume my profession after she starts standard one," Yan says, "but for now, it's fulfilling to be there for her. At the end of the day, you really have to decide where your priority lies."

"I'll probably resume my profession after she starts standard one," Yan says, "but for now, it's fulfilling to be there for her. At the end of the day, you really have to decide where your priority lies."

Take A Risk And Do Your Own Thing!
Fulfilment is really what makes it all work, agrees Nuyen Tan, 28, who was a flight attendant with one of Asia's leading airlines for 71/2 years before she decided to become a nail technician. "The hours are longer and the pay is definitely less" she notes "but for me, there has to be satisfaction in what you do, otherwise you will always want more".

When she realised that having her schedules planned for her was not something she wanted, Nuyen took steps to prepare running her own business. "I knew that I wanted to be in the beauty line" she says, "so I started part-time on an easily accessible course at the time: nails." The training gave her confidence, but she didn't stop there. Each time her air routes took her to the US, she would pick up the Yellow Pages and start dialling people in the nail products line to talk to them about distributing their products in her country. "With no business background," she says "I learnt the hard way, step by step, not without getting slapped in the face many times."

But she pressed on, learning about the industry, visiting factories to understand products, talking to practitioners, suppliers, distributors. "You have to be daring" she says. She realised that to make it work, it could not be just about selling a product, but total professional nail care. She quit her job, and Nuyen's Nail Room opened soon after that. "I believe that sometimes you have to go with your instinct."

It wasn't easy at first. "When business didn't pick up despite my marketing efforts, I nearly gave up!" she recalls, "But I told myself, you've started this "you'd better make it work!" Then as luck would have it, one of her clients, a reporter, chose to do a feature on her special spa pedicures. Nail Room's reputation grew steadily, and Nuyen's enthusiasm with it. It's been 4 years, and her clientele has grown enough for her to take in two assistants. "It's very hard to find something you love doing," she says "but when you do, you put your heart and soul into it."

Money and Dreams
Phill Clarke, 26, Site Content Manager with eBay Australia, switched jobs 4 times in his "short" 5 year working career. Not one to do things in halves as you can see. After moving through two earlier editorial jobs, he landed a contract with Westpac Banking Corporation as Quality Co-ordinator in the PC Provisioning Department.

"My move to the world of contracting was primarily financially driven as I was looking to save a lot of money and backpack around Africa and the UK for 6 months. The 3-month contract at Westpac turned into 9 months before I eventually decided that it was time to move on and have my holiday. Not only did I save the money I needed but I'd also managed to pay off all my debts - to parents and to the bank!"

"My move to the world of contracting was primarily financially driven as I was looking to save a lot of money and backpack around Africa and the UK for 6 months. The 3-month contract at Westpac turned into 9 months before I eventually decided that it was time to move on and have my holiday. Not only did I save the money I needed but I'd also managed to pay off all my debts - to parents and to the bank!"

"After following my dream and backpacking for the planned 6 months I returned to Australia and began looking for work. I decided to be quite picky about my next employer as I felt that now I had a broad skills base and could afford to pick and choose. After a number of unsuccessful interviews (never lose heart over them!) I was offered a position with eBay Australia as Site Content Manager. Working for eBay I receive a lower salary than I did when contracting but there are other benefits including share options and medical benefits insurance. I have been working here since August 1999 and am once again starting to feel itchy feet and am exploring other avenues. My goal at the moment is to find an overseas position with a vibrant Internet company looking to build a strong online community and business."

"Sometimes financial benefits was key if I had a specific financial goal. At other times it has all been about personal growth, broadening my skill set and having fun. There is nothing worse than waking up 5 mornings per week and dreading the thought of spending another day in the office."

Robert Frost wrote:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference"

Which one will yours be?