 From 1982 to 1984, Cárdenas was the Administrative Director of the Research Institute SER.She became Head of the Planning for the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit's Economic and Fiscal Analysis Office in 1985 and from 1989 Advisor to Minister, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit.In 1996, Cárdenas became Commercial Director at Naturandina Ltda, International Trading Co. She then entered politics from 1998 to 2000 as a City Council Member of Bogota D.C.