Skills have become commodities…

For decades, students were told a simple story: learn the skills, get the degree, and the jobs will follow. AI is changing the employment landscape, we all know it. And as a reaction, many of my clients are hiring more for persona rather than resume…

AI is no longer a novelty; it’s the new intern who never sleeps, never forgets, and doesn’t take coffee breaks. It writes code, drafts marketing plans, and even helps recruiters (like me) evaluate resumes. What used to set professionals apart—technical proficiency, certifications, specialized knowledge—has become easier, faster, and in many cases, cheaper to replicate.

In the new AI world, skills are becoming a commodity, but there’s one thing AI can’t fake yet…authentic connection.
It can simulate empathy, but it can’t feel it.
It can write your email, but it can’t build your network.
It can craft a beautiful sentence, but it can’t look someone in the eye and make them believe in you.

The differentiator is communication…

In a world where ChatGPT can summarize a 300-page book in 30 seconds, your differentiator isn’t your ability to know…It’s your ability to relate.

The students and young professionals who will stand out in the next decade won’t be the ones with the longest list of technical skills. They’ll be the ones who:

• Communicate clearly and confidently.

• Advocate for themselves without arrogance.

• Build authentic connections instead of transactional ones.

• Navigate ambiguity with curiosity instead of fear.

These aren’t “soft” skills anymore. They’re survival skills. They’re what separate the ones who get hired from the ones who get replaced.

Networking Isn’t Optional

Networking used to sound like a corporate buzzword. Now, it’s career oxygen.
When algorithms decide who sees your resume, human relationships are what break through the noise.

A professor who knows your name and advocates for you.
A mentor who makes a call on your behalf.
A former boss who writes a sincere recommendation.

Those connections create context—and context is the currency AI doesn’t understand.

Self-Advocacy Matters More Than Ever

The workplace is shifting toward automation and efficiency, but self-advocacy is still a deeply human skill. You must be able to articulate your value—to say, “Here’s what I bring to the table that no algorithm can.”

That might be creativity, It might be leadership under pressure, It might be emotional intelligence, humor, or calm in chaos.

Whatever your edge is, own it out loud. Don’t wait for someone else to notice it.

The Bottom Line

In a marketplace where skills are a commodity, your ability to connect, communicate, demonstrate urgency, commitment, agility and provide value early and consistently will separate you from your peers.