Parents facing a difficult labor market are increasingly paying for career coaching far earlier than traditional college-to-career pipelines, with some spending up to $15,000 before their children graduate. The report highlights Next Great Step, which markets one-on-one mentorship and group coaching intended to help students land competitive internships. The push reflects anxiety about AI-heavy job applications and weaker job outcomes for recent graduates, including cited Federal Reserve Bank of New York findings on graduate unemployment. Providers pitch coaching as a way to translate early career planning into specific application strategies and networking. For higher education leaders, the trend signals growing competition for the time students spend on career development, and it may widen inequities if coaching access tracks household income and resources rather than campus-supported supports.