Valerie Capers Workman
Chief Talent Engagement Officer
Handshake
Episode 195
Unlock Gen Z Talent: Your Survival Guide for the Retirement Cliff
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleMay 12, 2025 · 5:50
Thesis
“Employers must proactively adapt their talent strategies to attract and retain the incoming Gen Z workforce, focusing on employer branding, effective internships, modern onboarding, and AI skills, to survive the looming 'retirement cliff' and thrive in the future of work.”
Show notes
Valerie Capers Workman's Insights on Talent Engagement and Gen Z Recruitment
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host Dave welcomes Valerie, who discusses her unique career journey from compliance attorney to Chief Talent Engagement Officer at Handshake.
Valerie emphasizes the importance of early talent hiring strategies and shares how Handshake helps organizations connect with Gen Z candidates. She highlights the growing necessity for companies to build a talent brand and implement effective internship programs to prepare for the workforce's imminent generational shift.
Valerie also offers strategic advice for employers on supporting Gen Z's transition from college to the workplace and the critical need for AI proficiency.
The episode wraps up with Valerie's parting advice on incorporating AI skills into recruiting strategies.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:54 Valerie's Career Journey
01:44 Importance of Early Talent Hiring
02:22 Handshake's Role in Connecting with Gen Z
02:52 Employer Branding and Internship Programs
04:02 Supporting Gen Z Transition to the Workplace
05:02 Final Advice on AI Talent
05:42 Closing Remarks
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What you'll take away
- 1Gen Z will constitute 30% of the workforce in 5 years, necessitating urgent, proactive early talent hiring strategies for employers.
- 2A strong employer brand, specifically crafted to resonate with Gen Z, is as crucial as the recruiting strategy itself for attracting future talent.
- 3Internship programs are no longer optional but are an imperative for successfully transitioning early talent into professional careers and mitigating the impact of the baby boomer 'retirement cliff'.
- 4Onboarding must evolve beyond administrative tasks to provide comprehensive insights into workplace culture, daily expectations, and 'a day in the life' for new hires, especially early talent.
- 5Regardless of a defined AI strategy, companies must actively source and hire talent with AI acumen and skills to prepare for future demands.
What most organizations get wrong
- •The guest highlights that some companies still do not grasp the critical importance of internship programs, viewing them as a 'nice to have' rather than an 'imperative' despite compelling workforce demographic shifts.
In Valerie's words
“I started out in compliance. So I was a compliance attorney for several years, ultimately becoming the chief compliance officer for Tesla. And then during that time, I was promoted, voluntold, volunteered to lead people.”
This quote highlights Valerie's unconventional and rapid career transition into HR leadership from a compliance background.
“The number one issue that is facing virtually every employer right now is the fact that Gen Z is going to make up 30% of the workforce in the next 5 years.”
This emphasizes the urgency and scale of the generational shift impacting talent strategies.
“having a talent brand that speaks to Gen Z so that Gen Z knows who they are and what they do and what's important and why they should want to come work for these companies is as important as a recruiting strategy.”
This stresses the critical, often overlooked, role of employer branding in attracting the younger workforce.
“an internship program is not a nice to have, it's an imperative.”
This concise statement asserts the non-negotiable importance of internships for future talent pipelines.
“Onboarding used to be, how do you get paid and how do you set up your 401(k) and how do you get benefits? But now it's become, What's it like to work here? What's a day in the life? What do we expect of you?”
This illustrates the necessary evolution of onboarding from administrative to experience-focused, especially for early talent.
“you have to acknowledge that you're going to need to hire talent that has AI acumen and AI skills.”
This provides forward-looking advice on integrating AI skills into current recruiting strategies, even without a fully formed AI strategy.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Employers face significant challenges in attracting and retaining Gen Z talent due to the demographic shift and 'retirement cliff' of baby boomers.
- •Companies struggle to develop an employer brand that effectively communicates with and appeals to Gen Z candidates.
- •Some organizations fail to recognize and implement robust internship programs, missing a crucial opportunity for early talent development and pipeline building.
- •Outdated onboarding processes inadequately prepare early talent for the realities of professional work, company culture, and daily expectations.
- •Organizations are grappling with how to integrate AI into their workforce and identify/hire individuals with necessary AI acumen and skills.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Your career journey is a bit different to HR
Top HR Executives on Their Career Paths
Handshake helps employers develop early talent hiring strategies for Gen Z
Talent Acquisition: The Need for Gen Z Talent
Valerie, what strategies have you seen work with employers helping Gen Z employees transition
How to Help Gen Z Employees Transition From College Into the Workplace
Valerie, thank you so much for joining us on Built by People podcast
Valerie on Built by People
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
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