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CDF’s vision is to develop the next generation of leaders who are committed to social justice and improving the lives of all children in America. We encourage and support young leaders as they work to grow both professionally and personally, and we want to provide you with resources that will help you reach your goals. That’s what the Learning Center is all about – connecting you with professional development resources that will help you build power, so that you can use the skills you have gained to improve the lives of children.

The following sections will link you to a variety of professional development tools and information that are available online. This is by no means an exhaustive list of resources – there are many more great resources out there, so we encourage you to review these sites but to also research other useful information that is available online and offline. 

Personality and Leadership Test

Interested in knowing what kind of leader you are?  Want to find out more about your personality traits to help inform what kind of career you would succeed in? Take a look at Human Metric’s personality and leadership test to answer these questions and more.

Explore Career Profiles

Not sure what career path you want to follow?  Or do you have something in mind but want to read more about the field?  If so, check out CollegeGrad’s Top 30 Careers.  This website will give you profiles with tons of information – including job descriptions, salary statistics, training information and more – on 30 top career choices.

Careers in the Nonprofit Sector

Many non-profit organizations have missions aimed at creating change in the world.  Non-profits do work at a variety of levels – community, national and international; the first step is deciding what level you want to work on and then researching organizations that match your interest. Take a look at this resource to learn more about careers in the nonprofit sector.

Create a Winning Resume

Effectively explaining your skills, experience and accomplishments on paper can be tricky, but it’s important that you do it well to land the job that you want. Check out CollegeGrad’s resources on writing resumes to learn more about creating a resume that will speak for you.

Cover Letters

When you’re applying for a job, it’s likely that you’ll need to submit both a resume and a cover letter. Cover letters offer you the opportunity to provide additional information and insight into who you are, why the employer should choose you and what you will uniquely bring to the table. Read more about how to write a winning cover letter on CollegeGrad’s cover letter page.

Researching Employers Through Informational Interviewing

A great way to learn more about a profession or a particular field of work is to speak to people who are doing the work.  Do some research on your end to determine what field of work you’d like to explore and who is doing that work in your community. Read more by reviewing information on researching employers through informational interviewing.

Interviewing Information for Recent Grads

If you’ve landed an interview with an organization or company, the next step is preparing for the interview.  During the interview it will be important for you to present your best self by effectively describing your skills so the employer knows you’re the best candidate for the job. Be sure to give yourself ample time to prepare for the interview.  As you prepare, check out some of the resources on Interviewing Information for Recent Grads that is available on College Grad’s website.