6 Inexpensive Strategies for Early-Career Talent

Attracting and developing early-career talent is something that’s very difficult to excel at. But there are actionable steps you can take.

In an episode of HRMorning’s “Voices of HR” podcast, Paloma Thombley, the CHRO (and former VP of people) at Handshake — an online resource for preparing early-career talent for the workforce and connecting college students and employers — offered insightful perspectives on engaging Gen Z workers. Most of these can be successfully accomplished even with a tight budget.

Align Your Benefits With Your Values

Thombley emphasized the importance of structuring benefits that resonate with your company’s core values. At Handshake, they offer financial advising services to all employees through a partnership with Origin. This approach ensures that even early-career talent has access to the kind of financial guidance that’s typically reserved for more experienced professionals.

“I do encourage employers to really think about all the things they’re offering, whether it’s financial, whether it’s wellness and mental well-being, whether it’s core benefits, they really should be thinking about this from a strategic perspective that’s part of a portfolio that connects back to what do you want employees to remember about your company? Is it what you do? Is it how you do it? Is it why you’re all here? How can you make sure that is interspersed within all of your programs?” she said.

Consider the Student Loan Debt of Early-Career Talent

The SECURE 2.0 Act allows employers to treat student loan payments as elective retirement contributions, and Thombley noted that this provision can be leveraged to structure benefits that appeal to recent graduates with student loan debt.

“The share of job descriptions … that [mention] student loan repayment programs as a benefit has more than doubled since 2019,” Thombley noted. “We’re seeing it come from a variety of industries.”

Acknowledge the Mental Health Concerns of Early-Career Talent

With a significant portion of Gen Z entering the workforce with mental health diagnoses, employers need to prioritize well-being support. Thombley suggested that companies offer sustainable work-life balance and proactively supporting employee mental health, as this generation is acutely aware of stress and burnout.

According to Handshake, 69% of students are more likely to apply to a job with a flexible schedule, for example.

Enhance Onboarding for Early-Career Talent

Thombley recommended a four-pronged approach for onboarding early career talent:

1. Build cohorts and communities for new hires to foster a sense of belonging
2. Make what might be implicit role expectations explicit
3. Clearly outline company norms, and
4. Incorporate fun and excitement into the onboarding process to balance the intimidating aspects of entering the workforce.

Offer Internships

Internships benefit both students and employers.

“When you talk to students, they’re very focused on having an internship because they know that it’s almost kind of a requirement to get that full-time job. If you don’t have that on your resume, the question is why? Why have you not done that?” Thombley said. “For the students … I think it helps teach you and prepare you for the professional world. It helps you learn what an office is like, what are dynamics in a professional setting, what are … those norms that a lot of people … take for granted, but you don’t come in knowing right off the bat? I think it’s incredibly helpful for that kind of preparation.

“For employers, it’s an opportunity to build a brand and build loyalty with a workforce that’s going to become the leaders or the really significant [individual contributors] within a company within the next five to seven years.”

She also mentioned mentorship programs and apprenticeship programs, which don’t cost anything upfront except an investment of time. If you do them well, these programs can improve the business, the retention of your employees and your talent brand.

Be Consistently Authentic

Thombley also advised HR to be transparent about company challenges and budget constraints. Honest communication helps build trust with new employees.

By implementing these strategies, HR professionals can better attract, develop and retain early-career talent in today’s job market. As the workforce continues to evolve, staying attuned to the needs and expectations of Gen Z will be crucial for long-term organizational success.