Career & Networking Center

What Career & Networking Center does

Career & Networking Center (CNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit career services organization headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, serving job seekers, career transitioners, and growth-oriented professionals in DuPage County. Founded in 1996 as the Community Career Center (CCC) and rebranded in 2019, CNC operates a membership-based model with two pricing tiers — a 3-month membership at $75 and a 6-month membership at $125 — that grant access to an integrated set of services including 1:1 coaching (intake appointments, brand development, interview practice, resume and LinkedIn optimization, ATS optimization, networking strategy), live virtual webinars, weekly virtual Job Club Networking, and monthly in-person Networking Mixers (hosted at Go Brewing/Blind Corner in Naperville) with paid professional headshots. The organization is supported by volunteer career coaches with diverse corporate backgrounds and a 10-member Board of Directors, with Kimberly White serving as Executive Director and Natalie Garcia as Administrative & Operations Manager, implying a core staff of two plus volunteer capacity.

CNC's revenue mechanics combine membership dues, individual donations and corporate sponsorships, and event proceeds from the annual Dancing with the Celebrities (DWTC) fundraiser (sponsorship tiers ranging from $75 Friend of CNC to $1,000+ Cha-Cha VIP). Operational funding is anchored by long-term partnerships with DuPage County, DuPage Foundation, Naperville Township, Lisle Township, and Diverse Facility Solutions, which subsidize the discounted membership pricing. Distribution is entirely digital and local: a Wix-hosted website, online booking calendar, email newsletter, and organic social presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X. There is no proprietary technology platform, no mobile application, no API, and no disclosed use of AI/ML in service delivery. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, township and county partnerships, and recurring community events for member acquisition.

Name

Career & Networking Center

Legal name

Career & Networking Center

Website

https://careernetworkingcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Career & Networking Center (CNC) is a Naperville, Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides subscription-based career coaching, resume and LinkedIn support, webinars, and networking groups to job seekers and career transitioners in DuPage County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career Coaching and Job Search Support Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Job Market Intelligence & Employer Networking Services (BPACAOAJ), Professional & Career Networks (BPAMABAB)

Keywords

• Career coaching services
• Job search support
• Networking events
• Resume writing assistance
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Naperville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CNC generates revenue through membership subscriptions. Two tiers are offered: 3-month membership at $75 and 6-month membership at $125. Members receive unlimited access to 1:1 coaching sessions, accountability and networking groups, webinars, events, and other resources. The discounted pricing is enabled by community funding.
2. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CNC relies on community donations to fund operations. Donations are solicited at various levels ($75, $100, $250, $500, $1,000+). The organization hosts an annual Dancing with the Celebrities fundraiser featuring corporate sponsorships and ticket sales.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from paid events and services including professional headshots at networking mixers ($35 for members, $50 for non-members). Corporate sponsorships for the Dancing with the Celebrities event range from Friend of the CNC ($75) to Cha-Cha Sponsor ($1,000+).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Career & Networking Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community career center that sells individual memberships ($75 for 3 months, $125 for 6 months) granting members unlimited access to 1:1 career coaching sessions (resume, LinkedIn, interview prep, job search strategy, brand development, networking), live virtual career webinars, and accountability/networking groups. Services are delivered by experienced volunteer career coaches and are complemented by monthly in-person networking mixers and an annual fundraiser.

Product overview

The Career & Networking Center (CNC) is a nonprofit organization that operates as a career services platform offering a membership-based model with multiple integrated services. The core offering consists of CNC Memberships (3-month at $75 or 6-month at $125) that provide access to: (1) 1:1 Career Coaching sessions including Intake Appointments, General Career Coaching, Brand Development, Career Exploration, Interview Practice, Job Search Strategies, LinkedIn Optimization, Networking Sessions, Resume Improvement, and ATS Resume Optimization; (2) Career Webinars covering topics like personal branding, resume writing, interviewing, and LinkedIn; and (3) Networking & Accountability Groups such as Job Club and Networking Mixers with professional headshots. Additionally, CNC hosts an annual fundraising event called Dancing with the Celebrities (DWTC). The organization operates from Naperville, Illinois and has been serving job seekers since 1996, originally as the Community Career Center (CCC) before rebranding in 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNC 3-month Membership A $75 individual membership providing unlimited access for 3 months to personalized 1:1 career coaching sessions, accountability and networking groups, webinars, events, and career resources, available to job seekers and career transitioners.
• CNC 6-month Membership A $125 individual membership providing unlimited access for 6 months to personalized 1:1 career coaching sessions, accountability and networking groups, webinars, events, and career resources, available to job seekers and career transitioners.
• Intake Appointment Required first-step coaching session for new CNC members in which a coach works with the job seeker to create a personalized plan to navigate the job search or maximize skills for growth.
• General Career Coaching (45-minute) A 45-minute 1:1 coaching session providing personalized dialog to discuss the member's career process, concerns, challenges, and areas of focus.
• Brand Development A 1:1 coaching session helping job seekers identify, create, and communicate their personal and professional brand, including building elevator pitches for various professional scenarios.
• Career Exploration A coaching session to identify the member's strengths and evaluate goals and objectives to determine next steps in the job search.
• Interview Practice A session covering common and behavioral interview questions, the STAR method, virtual interview best practices, elevator pitch practice, and personalized feedback for the member.
• Job Search Strategies A session to establish and organize job search priorities, learn methods of staying focused, set job search objectives, and stay motivated during the search.
• LinkedIn Optimization Strategies An appointment helping job seekers create a productive LinkedIn profile and learn tools and techniques to improve online networking.
• Networking Sessions Coaching to help job seekers learn how to plug into existing opportunities, expand their networks, and create new opportunities using digital profiles and elevator speeches.
• Resume Improvement One-on-one help in updating or creating resumes that effectively highlight the member's achievements.
• ATS Resume Optimization A 45-minute coaching session focused on strategically tailoring an existing resume for a specific opportunity, including keyword optimization, ATS compatibility, and job description alignment.
• Career Webinars Live virtual workshops on career-focused topics including personal branding, resume writing, employer spotlights, interviewing, job search strategy, networking, and LinkedIn optimization.
• Job Club Networking A dynamic virtual job search and networking group supporting professionals actively seeking opportunities or navigating career transitions, with peer support, accountability, and shared job search strategy.
• Networking Mixer and Headshots A monthly in-person networking event held at Go Brewing in Naperville, with optional professional headshot photography (two professionally edited photos for $35 members / $50 non-members) to help job seekers build professional connections and update LinkedIn profiles.
• Dancing with the Celebrities (DWTC) Annual Fundraiser Annual fundraiser featuring local community leaders dancing, with tickets and corporate sponsorships ranging from Friend of CNC ($75) to Cha-Cha Sponsor ($1,000+), with proceeds supporting CNC's mission of empowering job seekers through coaching, networking, education, and career development resources.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Arthur MurrayminorOthersArthur Murray Naperville is a dance studio partner for the Dancing with the Celebrities annual fundraiser, providing dance expertise and support for community leaders performing.
• IJWDSminorOthersIJWDS is a dance studio partner for the Dancing with the Celebrities annual fundraiser.
• Aura Club & ConventionsminorOthersAura Club & Conventions (808 Route 59, Unit 100, Naperville, IL) is the venue for the Dancing with the Celebrities annual fundraiser.
• Go Brewing / Blind CornerminorOthersGo Brewing/Blind Corner (1665 Quincy Ave #155, Naperville, IL 60540) is the venue for monthly CNC Networking Mixers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries International: Large 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates community-based career services, job training, and placement programs across the U.S. - structurally similar to CNC's nonprofit + community-funded + job-seeker coaching model.
• Year Up: Nonprofit providing career training, mentorship, and employer connections to young adults - operates community-funded career services with structured coaching and corporate employer networks similar in spirit to CNC.
• Per Scholas: Nonprofit providing tuition-free tech and career skills training with employer partnerships and career coaching - comparable mission model of bridging job seekers to employment through community-supported programs.
• Dress for Success: Global nonprofit offering career coaching, professional attire, and job-readiness support - closely mirrors CNC's blend of job-seeker services, community/sponsor funding, and 1:1 coaching model.
• Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): Nonprofit career services organization that provides job coaching, resume help, interview prep, and employer networking - very close functional overlap with CNC's coaching and accountability groups.
• National Able Network: Nonprofit workforce development organization delivering career coaching, job placement, and employer connections to job seekers - mirrors CNC's career transition and employer networking value proposition.
• Workforce Development Boards (American Job Centers): Federally funded local career services network (often called America's Job Center of California, Illinois workNet, etc.) providing free career coaching, resume help, and job search support - directly competes with CNC for the same job-seeker segment in DuPage County.

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn (Microsoft): Dominant professional networking platform with career coaching, resume building, and job search tools - broadly substitutes for some of CNC's offerings (LinkedIn Optimization, networking events) at zero direct cost to job seekers.
• Robert Half: Large for-profit staffing and talent solutions firm offering career resources, resume help, and job placement - adjacent to CNC's coaching/networking suite but specialized in paid placement rather than community-funded services.

Emerging players

• i.c.stars (Inner-City Stars): Nonprofit workforce development program offering intensive tech training and leadership coaching to job seekers - overlapping with CNC's career transition coaching mission but with a narrower technology focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CNCNaperville
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@careernetworkingcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/careernetworkingcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/careernetworkingcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/careernetworkingcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Career & Networking Center