Located in Chinworth 104, Manchester University’s Career and Professional Development (CPD) is directed by Leticia Kalita ’08. CPD’s mission is to aid students on their unique career paths and “provide career coaching, events, resources and services that will assist in every stage of development and preparation,” according to Kalita.
A number of services and resources are available for current students. To help students find employment, CPD provides opportunities through Spartan Jobs—an app powered by Handshake which highlights jobs, internships and events from employers who have requested to connect with Manchester students and alumni.
CPD also offers self-assessment tests for students to explore their interests, values and skills as they think about potential career paths and opportunities. “Understanding more about yourself can help you consider careers, work environments and other preferences that can be used to guide research and exploration,” Kalita said.
Interview Stream, an online mock interview platform, helps students practice and prepare for job and internship interviews and receive feedback from CPD staff. Other offerings to students are resume and cover letter reviews, individual career coaching, employer information tables, networking opportunities and Career Course—a class students can register for which teaches decision-making, self-assessment and career exploration and planning.
These same services are available to Manchester alumni at any point in their career. “We work with alumni who are relocating and need to find a new position, trying to advance within their organization, applying for a graduate program, and those wanting to change career paths,” Kalita said. “Alumni often join us for career events and panels to share their experiences and knowledge to fellow Spartans. Several alumni also reach out as recruiters looking to fill jobs, provide service opportunities, or promote graduate programs.”
According to Kalita, staying connected with alumni is important because career planning is a lifelong process. “We are constantly gaining knowledge, skills and experiences that shape who we are and what we want in a career,” Kalita said. “If alumni wish to evaluate or change their career path, CPD wants to be here to help.”
Alumni can also help provide experiential and employment opportunities to current MU students and other alumni. “They know what it was like to be a Spartan and understand the value of a Manchester education,” Kalita said. “We want to make it as easy as possible for them to connect and hire qualified students or provide the opportunity for them to share their knowledge and expertise.”
CPD can be contacted at CareerDevelopment@manchester.edu.
-Chloe Leckrone ’22