SUEANN SO WAS a flight attendant with a leading airline and used her awareness of trends and opportunities to her advantage when she decided to change career direction. After a period of reflection, she already knew that her preference was to stay with her current employer, that she was interested in marketing and that she had some of the right qualities to succeed in the field. But she also wanted a path that would provide a long-term career and opportunities for future growth. She therefore spoke to colleagues and read the industry news. This research revealed an increasing demand for communications specialists in the airline industry. 'The more I explored, the more I realised that public relations is very important to a big organisation and that there would be lots of opportunities. That's how I decided which area to focus on,' Ms So said. Just a few years later, following her postgraduate studies in public relations, she secured her dream job as a cabin crew communications executive. It seems that keeping her finger on the pulse paid off. 'I love my job and the prospects are very good,' she said.