The article argues that AI is shrinking the value of credentials, so students should avoid resume-stuffing and focus on durable signal. In a world of scarce attention, clear positioning often beats more APs. It highlights two skills. Students need to state how they create value with proof, and ask sharp questions that reveal where opportunities are forming.

For the first, students pick an area, learn the basics, ship a small project, and share their work in a consistent public narrative that cuts through AI noise. For the second, they talk to practitioners, track where startups are hiring, and reach founders before roles hit public job boards and AI filters. The piece urges a few focused hours each week that compound over time, while noting that schools and policymakers still bear responsibility for the wider labor market shock.

In my last article, I discussed how companies and policymakers can step in to help in an AI-driven labor market. What about educational institutions? While students themselves can develop skills to prepare, educational institutions can play a role in guiding them on which skills to develop.

A college education implicitly promises increased access to career opportunities and higher earnings. But students often don’t know what they don’t know when it comes to preparing for careers. Upon entering college, they usually can’t name the particular skills they’ll need to succeed as, say, a data scientist. Instead, they place their trust in key college courses to provide relevant material.