Published on: 2026-07-15
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The World Youth Skills Day, celebrated annually on July 15, is designed to emphasize the importance of preparing young people for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme — “Skills for a Common Future” — poses an important question: how can youth prepare for a labor market that is constantly changing?
To find the answer to this question, Leila Bilalova from the UN News Service spoke with Francesca Fanelli, Senior Deputy Director for Career Development at Columbia University. She works with students and alumni, helping them identify professional goals and prepare to enter the labor market.
LB: On the eve of the World Youth Skills Day, there is much discussion about how to prepare young people for the labor market in a rapidly changing world. With the development of artificial intelligence and new technologies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict how various professions will evolve. In your opinion, what should young people consider when choosing a profession in order to remain in demand and successfully adapt to changes in the labor market?
FF: Artificial intelligence is truly changing hiring processes and the work environment itself. I believe that today, proficiency with artificial intelligence tools has become one of the skills employers pay attention to. They want to see that people coming to work can correctly use these tools and know how to formulate requests properly to get truly useful results. Artificial intelligence should be used as an assistant, not as someone who solves the problem for you. Decisions are still made by humans.
As for choosing a profession, in my opinion, it should still be based on your interests and abilities. But today, young people also need to be more open to new things, more flexible, and ready to adapt to changes. We often advise students to apply for jobs in two to four different industries at once. This means considering several fields, organizations, and positions in which they would be interested in working.
I also believe that it is very important to emphasize your human qualities. In your resume, cover letters, and during interviews, don’t be afraid to show your individuality.
It is indeed very difficult to make any predictions right now. I know that some college graduates are increasingly paying attention to manual trades, as such work still requires direct human involvement. Many believe that these professions are less susceptible to automation.
Photo from Francesca Fanelli’s personal archive. Francesca Fanelli, Senior Associate Director for Career Development at Columbia University.
But it is impossible to say for sure which professions will actually be protected from the influence of AI. Therefore, in my opinion, it is important for young people to try themselves in different roles and acquire as many diverse skills as possible. Essentially, it is about forming a broad set of skills that can be applied in various fields and positions.
LB: You mentioned that artificial intelligence can be a useful tool in the job search process. Could you share some practical tips on how young people can use AI when looking for a job?
FF: I think that artificial intelligence can really be a very useful tool, and we recommend that students use various AI services to help themselves with preparing resumes, cover letters, and, of course, with interview preparation.
One of the best ways to use AI is to first assign it a specific role. To start, you need to find the job opening you want to apply for. Then you take the job description, upload it into the AI, and say: “Imagine you are a qualified career consultant” or “an experienced career consultant.” Ask it to highlight the keywords in the job description.
After that, you can ask the AI to help draft a cover letter. It does a pretty good job at this task if it has first analyzed the job description and highlighted key words. Then you can upload your resume, and it will supplement the cover letter with more specific information.
It is very important, however, to carefully read the resulting text. Make sure it sounds like something you would actually say, and that it contains no phrases you would never use yourself. This is important because, in my opinion, AI has a rather recognizable style.
As for interview preparation, I myself use AI to come up with questions for students. If I conduct a mock interview, I upload the job description into the chatbot and ask it to imagine itself as an experienced HR manager who drafts questions for the first 30-minute interview. Often it suggests very precise questions that allow a deeper assessment of the candidate, rather than sticking to the standard “Tell me about yourself” or “Why do you want this job?”.
LB: As a career consultant at one of the world’s leading universities, you work with students daily. What issues do they most often come to you with when preparing to enter the labor market? Are there difficulties that, in their perception, they are not ready for today?
FF: Many students come with a sense of defeat even before they start looking for a job. They understand that their resume is likely first reviewed by artificial intelligence, that it is increasingly difficult to reach the decision-maker, that companies receive a huge number of applications, and that they will probably have to send out a lot of responses before they manage to find a job. The whole process seems very tough.
Moreover, students are very concerned about the lack of experience. I work with students from Columbia University – they have an excellent education, but not always enough practical experience. Therefore, many find themselves in a situation where they simultaneously feel both overqualified and underqualified.
Finding the first job after graduating from university is usually the most difficult. Sometimes students have to accept part-time positions, internships, or combine several types of work to ensure financial stability. Currently, the labor market is very competitive, with fewer vacancies, so this is indeed a challenging time. A significant part of my job is to help people maintain a positive attitude, develop a job search strategy, and ensure they can stick to this strategy for as long as necessary.
LB: It’s probably especially difficult for those who have already received an education but realize that their skills no longer meet the labor market requirements. According to UNESCO estimates, about 40 percent of the skills existing today no longer correspond to the current market needs. What would you advise people who have finished their studies but feel they need to adapt to the new situation?
FF: I think there are two important points here. First, it is worth remembering that skills such as teamwork, collaboration, and effective communication are still listed in almost every job vacancy. I see them in practically every job description. Most likely, these are exactly the skills you develop during your studies. You just need to learn how to explain to the employer that you truly possess them.
It seems to me that much here depends on how you translate your skills into language understandable to the employer. Virtually any educational program teaches you to communicate, write, work in a team. And here, for example, at Columbia University, many students also acquire research skills.
These are very broad, versatile skills that can be applied in a wide range of professions. It may not be explicitly stated in the job listing that research experience is required. But consider what research work has given you. You have learned to find information, analyze and summarize it, and then convey your conclusions to others—either verbally or in writing.
Therefore, it is important to think not only about the skill itself – for example, research work – but also about the specific actions it consists of. What tasks did you perform? What competencies did you acquire? And how can they be applied in another field? Consider your universal skills and how to use them in a new role.
Secondly, if you realize that you really lack a particular skill, it can be acquired. But there are also many other opportunities: you can take an online course, find a volunteer project where you can apply new knowledge in practice, or arrange to study a new skill together with a colleague, using, for example, materials available on the Internet.
LB: It turns out that throughout the entire search for the dream job, you really need to be flexible and find unconventional solutions.
FF: Yes, of course. But I also wanted to add that we try not to promote the idea of a “dream job.” In fact, even a dream job can turn out to be quite different from what you imagined.
I think it is more important to find a job that brings satisfaction in at least some way. And, to be honest, I don’t believe that a person can find the entire meaning of their life solely in work. It can be found in family, friends, beloved activities, and their community.
I try to remind people of this. Sometimes work is simply a way to ensure financial stability. And there is nothing wrong with that. Therefore, you shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself, trying to find a job that you will unquestionably love.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.