School2lifemedia

Parents, I think we’re asking our college students the wrong question.

Many of us ask:

“What are you studying?”

Or…

“Have you started applying for internships?”

In 2026, I think there’s a better question.

“Can you clearly explain the value you bring?”

Here’s why.

Employers increasingly expect graduates to use AI, but they’re also raising the bar for communication, judgment, teamwork, and leadership. Entry level roles are no longer just entry level. Companies are looking for young professionals who can think, collaborate, and solve problems in ways that AI can’t. (Business Insider)

That’s why I’ve spent my career years coaching students and professionals at all levels to market themselves with sophistication, relevance and confidence .

Not because people necessarily need to become better at talking about themselves.

Because they need to become better at communicating their value, or as I refer to it, market themselves.

Can they explain what they learned from an internship and how it relates to the discussion at hand?

Can they connect a class project to a real business problem?

Can they walk into an interview with confidence and authenticity?

Can they use AI responsibly while still demonstrating their own thinking and judgment?

Those are the conversations that open doors.

Degrees matter.

AI skills matter.

But the ability to market oneself may be one of the greatest competitive advantages your student develops before graduation.

As a parent, here’s one question I’d encourage you to ask at dinner this week:

“If someone interviewing you asked, ‘Why should we hire you?’ what would you say?”

Their answer may tell you more than their GPA ever could.

Parents often ask me, “What should my college student be doing this summer?”

My answer has changed.

Of course they should learn AI.

But that’s only half the equation.

Employers still tell us they need young professionals who can communicate clearly, think critically, collaborate with others, solve problems, and build trust. At the same time, AI skills are quickly becoming an expectation rather than a bonus.

The students who stand out won’t be the ones who simply know how to use AI.

They’ll be the ones who can explain their ideas, present their work with confidence, ask thoughtful questions, and demonstrate good judgment while using AI responsibly.

That’s what I call Professional Fluency.

Technology changes.

The ability to communicate your value lasts a lifetime.

As you prepare your student for internships and their first job, don’t just ask:

“What AI tools are you learning?”

Also ask:

“Can you explain your thinking?”
“Can you present your work professionally?”
“Can you help others trust your judgment?”

Those skills will continue opening doors long after today’s AI tools evolve.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that careers are built during job interviews.

They’re not.

They’re built through conversations long before there’s a job to apply for.

That’s why I encourage every college student and every professional to schedule informational interviews.

Not to ask for a job.

To ask for insight.

To learn how someone built their career.

To understand an industry.

To practice professional communication.

To expand their network.

Most people approach networking as a transaction.

I encourage students to approach it as relationship marketing.

Relationships built without an agenda are often the ones that create opportunities later.

Every informational interview helps build confidence. Every conversation improves communication. Every connection expands perspective. And every relationship has the potential to open a door you didn’t even know existed.

Professional success isn’t built by collecting business cards.

It’s built by earning trust, staying curious, and investing in relationships over time.

That’s one of the most valuable career lessons I can share with students and parents alike.

Who was the person that gave you advice early in your career that changed your path?

One of the biggest skills I consult on isn’t on most college syllabi.

It’s professional fluency.

Professional fluency is the ability to communicate your value, build meaningful relationships, earn trust, and create opportunities throughout your career.

It isn’t something you’re born with.

It’s something you learn.

Here are three exercises I ask clients to complete before we ever talk about resumes or LinkedIn.

1. Identify 15 single word attributes.

How do you want people to describe you?

Examples:

Reliable.

Curious.

Strategic.

Collaborative.

Creative.

Prepared.

Your reputation is being built whether you’re intentional about it or not.

2. Write five phrases that describe the experience of working with you.

Not what you do.

What is it like to work with you?

Do you simplify complex problems?

Do you make people feel heard?

Do you consistently follow through?

Do you elevate the people around you?

Those experiences become your professional brand.

3. List three to five people you admire and ask yourself why.

They don’t have to be famous.

What qualities do they consistently demonstrate?

Integrity?

Courage?

Humility?

Vision?

Often, the qualities we admire most are the qualities we aspire to develop ourselves.

Personal branding isn’t creating an image.

It’s becoming intentional about the reputation you’re already building.

That’s where professional fluency begins.

One of the greatest gifts of my career has been having a front row seat to thousands of students as they prepare for what’s next.

Every semester reminds me of the same thing.

Most people have far more potential than they realize.

I watch students walk into class believing they don’t have enough experience, enough confidence, or enough to talk about in an interview.

Then, over the course of a semester, something changes.

They begin to recognize that a part time job taught them leadership. A volunteer experience taught them resilience. A class project taught them problem solving. An internship taught them professionalism.

They don’t become different people.

They simply begin to see themselves differently.

That’s one of the reasons I love what I do.

Helping someone recognize their own value is incredibly rewarding. Watching them learn to communicate that value with confidence is even better.

Whether you’re a student just starting out, someone considering a career change, or a parent encouraging your child along the way, remember this:

Don’t underestimate what you’ve learned from the experiences you’ve already had.

Sometimes the biggest transformation isn’t building new skills.

It’s finally recognizing the ones you already have.

Parents of rising college juniors and seniors…don’t let your student waste this summer.

Many people think recruiting starts in the fall.

It doesn’t.

The students who will land Summer 2027 internships and post graduation opportunities are already preparing.

Not by submitting hundreds of applications.

By strategically building their LinkedIn profile, intentionally expanding their network, reaching out to professionals for informational interviews, and learning how to communicate their value.

After 15+ years of teaching students and consulting professionals at all career stages how to market themselves and build a professional brand, I can tell you this:

Opportunity rarely goes to the student with the best GPA. It often goes to the student who is best prepared and most visible.

This summer isn’t just about doing a current job or internship.

It’s about creating a competitive advantage for Summer 2027 through strategic outreach, relationship building, and intentional career preparation.

If your student is a rising junior or senior and you’re wondering how they should be preparing right now, I’d be happy to point you in the right direction to identify, organize, and communicate their value with confidence.



Source: NACE Job Outlook 2026.

People ask me all the time, "What do you actually teach when you coach people on personal branding and marketing themselves?"

Here's a behind-the-scenes look.

Every client leaves our session with a personalized action plan like this one. This particular clinet is a student pursuing a career in Cosmetic Chemistry and is absolutely thriving in her internship, which we worked together to get during the Spring term.

I intentionally work with no more than 10 private clients at a time because I want to be available when they need me. My clients know I'm "on call" between sessions because that's when the real learning happens, while they're networking, interviewing, and putting the work into practice.

Here's part of today's follow-up email...
__________________________________
Great job today. We hustled!! And you sound like you're really happy with the internship experience. I am so happy for you!!

Now that we have a running list of everything you've accomplished and the projects we want to kick off in July (great work, by the way!), I'd like us to focus on networking for these last two weeks of June.

As we discussed, you're now just one year away from graduation, which means networking matters more than ever. Let's set a goal of **at least 10 LinkedIn outreach messages each day.** Remember, it's a numbers game!

Next week, we'll review who responded and start crafting more strategic follow-up messages. Ideally, we'll reference something specific you're working on at your internship to show you've invested in their business and are genuinely interested in learning from them. From there, we'll begin asking for informational meetings.

The same way you got this internship (strategic cold outreach + informational meeting = internship offer) is the exact same process you'll use to land your first full-time job after graduation.

I'd love to work through the first few informational meeting requests with you next session, so you can see just how impactful one small, personalized, relevant detail can be when you're asking someone for their time.

I've included a sample LinkedIn outreach script below. And remember, if you have any questions while you're reaching out, just call or text me. I want to be available while you're doing the work so I can help in real time.

Let's build some momentum!!! It's game-time!! (my catch phrase:)
___________________________________

This is what personal branding looks like.

It isn't just a résumé.
It isn't just LinkedIn.
It isn't just interview prep.

It's identifying opportunities, building relationships, following through, and consistently putting yourself in rooms where opportunities happen.

That's what I love helping people do. I was born to do this, and absolutely love it! And, I'm pretty good at helping people identify their value and find their unique voice to share their capabilities and potential with sophistication, relevance, and confidence:) DM if I can help you out!!

People ask me all the time, "What do you actually teach when you coach people on personal branding and marketing themselves?"
Here's a behind-the-scenes look.
Every client leaves our session with a personalized action plan like this one. This particular clinet is a student pursuing a career in Cosmetic Chemistry and is absolutely thriving in her internship, which we worked together to get during the Spring term.
I intentionally work with no more than 10 private clients at a time because I want to be available when they need me. My clients know I'm "on call" between sessions because that's when the real learning happens, while they're networking, interviewing, and putting the work into practice.
Here's part of today's follow-up email...
__________________________________
Great job today. We hustled!! And you sound like you're really happy with the internship experience. I am so happy for you!!
Now that we have a running list of everything you've accomplished and the projects we want to kick off in July (great work, by the way!), I'd like us to focus on networking for these last two weeks of June.
As we discussed, you're now just one year away from graduation, which means networking matters more than ever. Let's set a goal of **at least 10 LinkedIn outreach messages each day.** Remember, it's a numbers game!
Next week, we'll review who responded and start crafting more strategic follow-up messages. Ideally, we'll reference something specific you're working on at your internship to show you've invested in their business and are genuinely interested in learning from them. From there, we'll begin asking for informational meetings.
The same way you got this internship (strategic cold outreach + informational meeting = internship offer) is the exact same process you'll use to land your first full-time job after graduation.
I'd love to work through the first few informational meeting requests with you next session, so you can see just how impactful one small, personalized, relevant detail can be when you're asking someone for their time.
I've included a sample LinkedIn outreach script below. And remember, if you have any questions while you're reaching out, just call or text me. I want to be available while you're doing the work so I can help in real time.
Let's build some momentum!!! It's game-time!! (my catch phrase:)
___________________________________
This is what personal branding looks like.
It isn't just a résumé.
It isn't just LinkedIn.
It isn't just interview prep.
It's identifying opportunities, building relationships, following through, and consistently putting yourself in rooms where opportunities happen.
That's what I love helping people do. I was born to do this, and absolutely love it! And, I'm pretty good at helping people identify their value and find their unique voice to share their capabilities and potential with sophistication, relevance, and confidence:) DM if I can help you out!! Susan Newman, school2life

Call now to connect with business.

Your college student doesn’t need to be extraordinary.

They need to know how to communicate their value.

The job market has changed. Employers are hiring for skills and potential, not just degrees. Yet most students still graduate without knowing how to market themselves.

A resume is a document.

A personal brand is the story that makes someone remember you.

The students who land the best opportunities aren’t always the smartest or the most experienced. They’re the ones who can confidently explain what they’ve accomplished, why it matters, and the value they’ll bring.

That’s why personal branding isn’t optional anymore. It’s a life skill.

Teach your student how to market themselves before they graduate. It may be the most valuable lesson they learn in college.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to host a job search workshop, and speak with 20 recent graduates who have degrees, internships, solid GPAs, and dozens of applications submitted.

Many still aren’t getting interviews.

As a parent, that’s frustrating to watch.

As someone who has spent decades helping students and professionals navigate their careers, I can tell you the rules have changed.

The challenge isn’t just finding opportunities.

It’s knowing how to position yourself for them.

Today’s employers continue to prioritize skills, experience, communication, and demonstrated value. A degree matters, but it’s no longer enough on its own.

That’s why at school2life, we teach Marketing & Branding Yourself.

Not because people are products.

Because every student needs to know how to:

✔ Communicate their strengths

✔ Translate experiences into value

✔ Build professional relationships

✔ Leverage LinkedIn strategically

✔ Use AI as a career advancement tool

✔ Stand out in a competitive market

The students gaining traction aren’t always the smartest.

They’re often the most prepared.

A degree creates access.

What happens next depends on how effectively someone can turn that access into achievement and advancement.

Access → Achievement → Advancement → Prosperity

Parents: What’s the biggest challenge your graduate is facing right now