SUIT, ANSWERS, AND ABOVE ALL… MINDSET CARMEN FIGUEROA A.

Reinvention often follows a pause— perhaps maternity, illness, loss, or unemployment. Sometimes we feel disconnected from the professional world, and returning feels overwhelming. But I assure you: anyone who has done inner work during that time comes back different.

With more focus, more clarity, and often a renewed sense of purpose. That too is part of your story—and it deserves to be told.

So, what are the key takeaways I want to offer you as a strategist and mentor?

1 Take care of your image— not from vanity, but from alignment. Let your appearance reflect who you truly are today.

2 Prepare your answers—not to impress, but to connect. Think about your milestones, challenges, and values. Be clear about how your story brings value.

3.Work on your mindset. Breathe. Visualize. Use affirmations that ground you before walking into the room.

4.Embrace your full story. Don’t hide career gaps or changes. Use your life experience as an asset, not an excuse.

5.Remember: an interview or negotiation is not a test. It’s a conversation where both sides are exploring whether you can grow together.

This article is not just a checklist. It’s an invitation to recognize yourself. To see your next professional conversation as a place of power, not judgment. And if you’ll allow me as the CEO of this magazine, as a coach, and as a woman who has also reinvented herself—I’ll leave you with this:

It’s not about convincing someone to hire you or approve your proposal. It’s about expressing yourself with such clarity, confidence, and authenticity that they instantly understand why you are the right choice. And if it’s not this door, another will open. But you will no longer be the same. Because you ’ ve learned to stand firmly in your story and that, no one can take from you.