Nicole Kapioltas (MBA '99)

As a new MBA student in August 1997, Nicole Kapioltas (MBA '99) was introduced to the MBA Career Management Center (CMC) during orientation week. It has proved to be a mutually beneficial relationship ever since.

"From the very beginning of the program," Kapioltas recalled, "the CMC staff encouraged students to start considering all aspects of their career development-from assessing personal goals, skills, and personality traits to creating detailed descriptions of ideal jobs. They also introduced the many CMC services, resources, events, and seminars that would assist the students throughout their career-development efforts."

Before entering the program, Kapioltas worked in the Partnership/Promotions Marketing Department at Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in Hawaii. Unlike many students returning to graduate business school, she was not looking to change her functional role or move into a new industry. Rather, she wanted to strengthen her business skill set to complement her liberal arts background and then secure a strategic marketing leadership position in the travel and hospitality industry upon graduation. The CMC provided Kapioltas with a range of services and support to help her achieve her objectives.

"The CMC's résumé-writing class proved to be extremely valuable," Kapioltas stated. "My strong résumé definitely put me ahead of the competition when I started looking for jobs. The mock-interviews also were useful in my job-search efforts because they provided me with free, constructive criticism from successful professionals. In general, the CMC staff members were knowledgeable about what employers were looking for in new hires. They also shared their personal experience and contacts."

While she was in school, Kapioltas and a number of her classmates expressed to the CMC their interest in seeing more opportunities in marketing and consumer brand management. The CMC responded by inviting a nationally recognized recruiter who selects top MBA students to attend recruiting forums for top consumer brand companies, such as Frito-Lay and Pepsi. The CMC also added several marketing and brand-management executives to the Associate Board Executive Mentoring Program to give students increased access to successful leaders in those fields.

In Kapioltas' second year of the program, the CMC brought an opportunity at American Airlines to her attention. In addition, by networking with her peers in the program who had worked at American Airlines, she identified other key people in the company and sent them her résumé. After rounds of interviews, the airline offered her a full-time marketing position in its Cargo Revenue Management Department.

"In my initial position with American," Kapioltas commented, "I was responsible for increasing the revenue and profitability at key cargo hubs such as Boston and New York City. I applied many of the skills and experiences I'd acquired at Cox to build relationships with key clients and develop smart marketing and pricing strategies."

One of the things that attracted Kapioltas to American Airlines was its practice of allowing new employees to rotate through different positions every 12 to 18 months. This gives new hires broad exposure to the airline's operations, while the airline benefits from a steady flow of fresh perspectives in every department. After a year in Cargo Revenue Management, Kapioltas moved into the AAdvantage® Travel Awards Program, where she managed and developed partner relationships with hotels and companies in the car rental, financial services, and retail industries. After a year, she was promoted into a team lead position in which she manages fewer but larger accounts, which allows her to focus on shaping the strategic direction for her team.

Since graduating from the Cox School in 1999, Kapioltas has maintained close ties to the school by serving as a member on the CMC Employer Advisory Board. In that role, she communicates to the CMC the type of attributes, skills sets, and interpersonal skills that American Airlines looks for in new hires. She also helps the airline's human resources staff identify strong candidates from the Cox talent pool for the AAdvantage® Department. In addition to representing American Airlines, Kapioltas and other board members represent Cox alumni, helping the school ensure that students are well prepared through CMC services to find attractive jobs within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and throughout the United States.

"As an MBA student, the CMC helped me take control of my career development through its research library, résumé-building classes, mock interviews, and mentor breakfasts," Kapioltas remarked. "Now, as a representative of American Airlines and a member on the CMC Employer Advisory Board, I've found the CMC to be responsive to my company's recruiting needs."