🎁 The Unexpected Gifts of a Changing Career World

🎄It’s the eve of Christmas Eve, and like the mature 61-year-old I am, I’m already shaking and sizing up the shapes of wrapped gifts under the tree well before the paper flies.

Some years you know it’s cool tech or a great toy. Other years you know: Definitely socks.

But this season I find myself thinking about a different kind of present—one our kids aren’t even aware they’re unwrapping. Because while holiday anticipation feels cozy and magical, the career world our kids are stepping into feels anything but.

Entry-level job openings have plummeted. Companies are automating tasks once done by newcomers, shrinking the classic “first rung” on the career ladder. Recent grads aren’t just facing stiff competition—they’re running into bottlenecks older generations never saw. Trade schools are becoming increasingly competitive as well.

And yet… beneath that nail-biting uncertainty are opportunities so big they could redefine career paths for an entire generation.

AI tools that can teach, coach, design, code, edit, and create at near-zero cost.
Platforms that flatten barriers to entrepreneurship and freelancing are at all-time highs.
Kids with initiative can build real proof of work in weeks, not years.

Here’s the distinction your emerging adult needs to internalize:

Producers earn. Consumers spend.

In today’s world, that’s truer than ever. The people who build almost anything real—skills, projects, portfolios, even micro-businesses—are the ones employers and buyers actually notice.

But to unwrap those gifts, your kid needs to start now. These gifts won’t always be uniquely available.

I’m getting socks this year—I just know it. But I’m hoping your kids feel a lot more promise as they shake up the future.

🛠️ One parent coaching move to consider this week:

See if you can open this conversation with your young person over the holidays:

Then let them sit with it. It might even get them thinking about the time they spend consuming social media and everything else.

This isn’t a performance review; it’s a mindset shift—from consumer to producer.

📰 The news that proves it

👉 The challenge (entry-level jobs shrinking)
Graduate and entry-level roles have declined sharply in 2025, with postings now at their lowest levels in years—especially in competitive fields. Many young job seekers are finding fewer openings and fiercer competition than prior generations did. (Personnel Today)

👉 The reality (AI reshapes early work)
AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s changing who gets hired for what. Employers increasingly expect candidates to bring skills and proof of capability from day one, because routine tasks that once trained new hires are now automated. (Stanford Social Innovation Review)

👉 The opportunity (tools aimed at career discovery)
Google just launched a free tool designed to help early-career individuals explore roles, identify key skills, and build a career identity—making self-directed planning more accessible than ever. (The Economic Times)

👉 One simple ask

Hit reply and tell me:
What’s one thing your kid could realistically build, ship, or test in the next 30 days?

I read every response—and many shape future issues and resources. I’d love any other feedback you’d like to share. [email protected]

Wishing you and your family a grounded, hopeful holiday season—and the kind of clarity that turns disruption into opportunity. 🎄

— Barry (Who looks only vaguely like 🎅)

P.S. If this resonated for you, please forward it to one parent who’s quietly worried about their kid’s future. They’ll thank you. Here’s the link to subscribe.