From Lawyer To Thespian

"I wouldn't call what I do now my passion; to me, it's the same concept as breathing - you wouldn't call it your passion. It's become [what I do and] a part of my identity."

- CHERYL LAI-LIM

Do you like your job? Or wonder what it would be like if you'd gone against your parents' advice and pursued your dream career? Her World's Career Confessions column spotlights the professional journeys of individuals, revealing how their career path and choices impact their personal finances, psychological health, and interpersonal relationships.

WHO: Jo Tan

HIGHEST EDUCATION: LLB (Hons) Law

JOB TITLE & INDUSTRY: Actor/Writer

WORK EXPERIENCE: More than 20 years

SALARY: It fluctuates every month from $2,000 to $10,000 (occasionally, if I really hustle)

In 2005, law graduate Jo Tan was called to the Singapore Bar after she had completed all the requirements for legal education and vocational training to become a lawyer. Unlike most of the other lawyers in her cohort, she quit the profession the very day she was admitted.

“When I got offered a part in a play that was taking place after I was called to the Bar, I just thought: ‘I promised my mother I would qualify as a lawyer; now that I have, it’s time to go’," explains the 40-year-old. “I also realised that what I was mostly excited about in law was courtroom dramatics. It’s lucky for the population at large that I didn’t practise; I just wasn’t systematic, empathetic, and careful enough at that point in time. Ironically, I might be a much better lawyer now.”