“The class helped me to identify my strengths and it helped me to gain my confidence back.”
Sukanya worked as a software engineer in India for five years before moving to the United States in 2007. After taking some time off to raise her children, Sukanya was ready to go back to work, however finding work in a new country proved to be a challenge. “Since my past work experience was not from the U.S., I really wasn’t sure what kind of format to expect for applying for jobs,” says Sukanya.
Sukanya’s friend shared that she found a job after completing Dress for Success Triangle’s job acquisition program, the Going Places Network. Sukanya looked into the ten-week program offered through Wake Tech Community College and read stories of women who completed the program and was convinced. She signed up to take the class earlier this year.
Growing Confidence
Through the Going Places Network, Sukanya learned how to format her resume using common phrasing for U.S. resumes, crafted an elevator pitch, and prepared for job interviews by participating in mock interviews at top Triangle businesses. “The class helped me to identify my strengths and it helped me to gain my confidence back,” shares Sukanya. “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.”
By the eighth week of class, Sukanya applied for and landed a returnship program at a Fortune 500 company. Returnships are competitive paid programs that work with people who have been out of the workforce for several years to sharpen their skills and get them up-to-speed with the latest technologies. “I didn’t know what an elevator pitch was,” says Sukanya, “but it really set me up for success in my interviews.” Sukanya also shared that her interviews consisted of mostly behavioral questions instead of technical questions, something she was able to perfect through her mock interview practice.
Continued Growth
Although Sukanya’s returnship program was paused due to the pandemic, she has not slowed her pace. She is still applying to returnship programs and jobs. In fact, she has one coming up. How is Sukanya preparing? She has joined three mock interviews via our current Going Places Network cohort to make sure she is feeling ready and confident for her upcoming interview!
Sukanya’s friendship with her Going Places Network classmates has continued to blossom. She says that they are in a WhatsApp group together where they share resources and words of encouragement. Sukanya hopes to be working as a software engineer in the future and wants to one day give back alongside those who helped her.
Learn more about the Going Places Network.