Before she knew what an elevator pitch was, Sukanya had five years of software engineering experience and the drive to rebuild her career in a country she was still learning to navigate. Sukanya spent five years as a software engineer in India before moving to the United States in 2007. When she was ready to return to work after taking time off to raise her children, she found herself facing an unfamiliar landscape. Her skills were sharp. Her work ethic was unquestionable. But the job market she was stepping back into operated by a different set of rules, and she was not sure where to begin. “Since my past work experience was not from the U.S., I really wasn’t sure what kind of format to expect from applying for jobs.”

Finding the Going Places Network

The turning point came through a friend. After watching her complete Dress for Success Triangle’s Going Places Network and land a job, Sukanya looked into the ten-week program offered through Wake Tech Community College. She read stories of women who had come through it, and she was convinced. She signed up. Through the Going Places Network, Sukanya learned how to format her resume using language that U.S. hiring managers actually look for. She built an elevator pitch from scratch, practiced behavioral interview questions, and participated in mock interviews at top Triangle businesses. The program gave her more than skills. It gave her back something she had not realized she was missing.

“The class helped me to identify my strengths and it helped me to gain my confidence back. Even my kids notice my confidence. They see me doing so much to prepare for my interviews and they hear the way I present myself to job recruiters.”

A Returnship and a New Sense of Confidence

By the eighth week of class, that confidence had already started paying off. Sukanya applied for and landed a returnship program at a Fortune 500 company. Returnships are competitive paid programs designed for professionals who have stepped away from the workforce for several years, offering the opportunity to sharpen skills and get up to speed with the latest technologies. The mock interview practice proved to be the key.

“I didn’t know what an elevator pitch was, but it really set me up for success in my interviews.”

Staying Connected and Looking Ahead

When the pandemic paused her returnship program, Sukanya did not slow down. She continued applying, continued preparing, and even joined three mock interviews through a current Going Places Network cohort to stay sharp for an upcoming opportunity. The community she built in the program has stayed with her too. Her classmates remain connected through a WhatsApp group where they share resources and words of encouragement long after graduation.

Sukanya’s goal is to return to work as a software engineer and one day give back alongside the women and volunteers who helped her find her footing. Her story is proof that a career pause is not the end of a professional story. Sometimes it is the beginning of a better one.