Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education Research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. 

Julia explores how student success is shaped not just by what they know, but who they know—emphasizing the critical role of social capital in college and career readiness.

Julia, author of Who You Know, shares research showing that approximately half of jobs and internships are accessed through personal connections, making network-building an essential component of opportunity.

Many educators focus on expanding students’ networks by introducing them to new people, but Julia encourages a shift in mindset: networking can start with deeper, more intentional conversations with existing contacts—family, teachers, coaches, and community members.

Research from six career-connected learning programs reveals that students often know more people than they realize but aren’t having meaningful conversations about their futures with these connections.

There’s a wealth of “under-capitalized social capital” around students, and schools can help students tap into these existing relationships for guidance, mentorship, and opportunity.

Students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds inherit broader professional networks, giving them a significant advantage in the knowledge economy, which is why Julia encourages schools to develop systems that unleash students’ natural networks and help to build stronger ones.

Data shows that young people whose parents attended college are twice as likely to know professionals like lawyers, CEOs, and policymakers.

Julia says that technology offers powerful tools for connecting students with professionals and mentors beyond their immediate community, breaking down geographic and socioeconomic barriers.

Julia argues that the “unit of change” isn’t just relationships, but the quality of conversations students have about their futures.

Students benefit from both “career chats” (guest speaker-style, informational sessions) and deeper “career conversations” (two-way, trust-based discussions about aspirations and anxieties).

Julia shares that OECD research shows that students who experience three to five useful career chats each year see measurable wage premiums a decade later, but only if they find these interactions meaningful.

Career conversations are especially impactful when adults: 1. Affirm students’ career-related anxieties; 2. Highlight skills students are already demonstrating; 3. Share their own career wisdom and experiences, regardless of field.

She reveals that these practices boost long-term career satisfaction, clarity, and alignment between ambitions and actions.

Julia encourages students and educators to map their existing networks and identify who they could talk to about their futures.

She wants schools to equip all students with conversation starters and questions to spark new, future-focused discussions with familiar adults.

We must regularly measure and update students’ relationship maps to track progress and ensure every student is building and diversifying their network as part of the post-secondary plan.

The ultimate goal: students leave school not just with knowledge, but with a network that supports their long-term success, life-time earnings, and happiness at work. 

If you want to learn more about supporting internships, work-based learning experiences, and other ways to help students build their network, book a time to see a demo of the MaiaLearning. 

If you want to talk to the host of the show about college and career readiness, book a time to meet.