From TikTok to TEDx: Using Content to Build Your Career with Jade Walters

Jade Walters (00:00.23)
And then it went viral. I didn't even have to apply. I don't even know what the application looked like for that role. And I remember just during that period, like that first month, when we started my TikTok page, I grew to 10,000 followers, which was insane. I was putting out like six to nine pieces of content a day. Creating content is like a lottery ticket. Like you're gonna keep buying it until eventually you win. I wanted to create a resource that, one, I wish I had, but two, that would help other students.

definitely helps you address the elephant in the room.

And with my brand, with my business, this is a form of income for me. I would say the biggest misconception is that Gen Z doesn't want to work. And I'm like, no, like, I'm not gonna lose my mind over a paycheck.

So it doesn't get more Gen Z than making a TikTok to get hired at TikTok. That's what Jade Walters did and it changed the trajectory of her career. From landing roles with content to the TEDx stage, she's redefining what it means to build a career out loud. Today, we're digging into how Gen Z is using content as a career tool and why their boundaries aren't red flags, they're blueprints. Jade, welcome to Workfluencer.

Hello, hello, thank you for having me.

Rhona Pierce (01:22.904)
So I've seen you online for many, years and have followed you. And I was intrigued to learn that your story, it's like you literally got your first post-grad job at TikTok by making a TikTok video. That feels like such a Gen Z move, but also genius. Walk me through how that even like occurred to you. Like how did that happen?

Yeah, so at the time, so I'm a May 2021 graduate of Howard University. And that same year, TikTok launched a pilot program called TikTok resumes. And it was the opportunity for people to apply for a select number of roles with some companies who are part of the initiative with a TikTok resume. And at that time, I was struggling on my post-grad job hunt. I wasn't getting many leads. I wasn't having a good time.

as I was trying to find that first post-grad role. So I was like, let me just shoot my shot. Let me put myself out there. I had always been a fan of TikTok way before it blew up during the pandemic. So I saw that video as just something very Jade to do because I'm a creative and I love to create content and making this video, I was like,

This is how I can show employers who I am and what I'm about versus a resume, a boring resume. I had a portfolio that I was really proud of, but I felt like no one was reading my application materials. So with my video, I saw that as a way for me to shoot my shot. And then it went viral. And then I decided I wasn't just going to let it go viral. I was going to do something about it. And I went on LinkedIn and some way, somehow I was connected with a TikTok recruiter and I slid in her DMs. Cause I know with brands like

I know how the marketing brand, the brain works. Like I'm bringing good PR to the company. I knew that, but then also I was like, let me see if they're hiring. So I shot my shot, told her my video. I told her all the different publications that I got featured in. And she was like, yes, I would love to have a conversation with you. That one conversation turned into a full blown interview process. I didn't even have to apply. I don't even know what the application looked like for that role. And

Jade Walters (03:37.678)
I made sure to put it, give my all through every single interview. had about, I had about five to six interviews and every single one I showed up bigger and better and just ready to really make my mark. Even though I didn't have that work experience that they were looking for in that candidate, it's a very, it was a very advertising sales role. And I was just making that pivot from maternal health into the tech space, ideally marketing. So.

After that, I ended up getting that opportunity and I accepted the offer and I chose to relocate to Chicago. So I was born and raised in New York and I went to school in DC and I was like, I want to try something different. So it's been four years since I accepted that offer and moved to Chicago, all because I decided that I'm just going to put myself out there. Whatever happens, happens. If they say yes, they say yes. If they say no, I'm going to keep going. But it was without a doubt.

I knew I just had to try, I had absolutely try.

I love that. And as someone who's used, I created my first video resume in 2013. Before it was like the thing people were doing. I want to ask you as someone who's used it, do you think like having that video and the response that you got from it gave you that confidence to go into those interviews and be like, yeah, I could do this.

Yeah, definitely the response was a nice reassurance. With this online, I'm always prepared for someone to troll or be mean. And when I think back to that time, there was no one who was ever really mean to me about it. They were all really nice, very supportive. They were rooting for me. I even have other companies reaching out saying, like, I saw your video. I would love to interview you.

Jade Walters (05:34.036)
Also too, I found someone who had done that role and I was leaning on them for their support. So she gave me a lot of support throughout the interview. So I went in feeling very prepared. I didn't feel blind and it was, it was a lot. Like I remember one of my interviews, it was an hour block, two back to back interviews. I was talking for a straight hour with these interviewers and that was, yeah, that was most of my interviews. It was always one hour, two back to back. So it was a very intense process.

but because I felt the support of everyone online as well as feeling prepared because I knew what I was walking into, it helped with that confidence. didn't feel, there was never a point where I'm like, wow, like I don't think I can do this. Like I knew and the interviewers knew that I wasn't qualified on paper, but I had a lot of transferable skills and transferable experience that I was able to talk on that brought, you know, helped, you know,

address the elephant in a room. Like it wasn't a need to be like, I can tell that you don't have this experience. It was like, you don't have this, what we're looking for, but you have everything else. So it's clear that you can get the work done when needed.

I love that and yes, video definitely helps you address the elephant in the room. It literally, it's, just, I could talk about this for hours. I probably have. Be honest, you're probably coming back next week anyway. Make it official, like and subscribe. It helps other people find workfluencer and it gives me one more reason to keep doing this. So that worked obviously, right?

And you, I love that you used a viral moment and they just like, okay, dopamine. You're like, no, we're going to do something about this viral moment, but all right, you got there. You got the job. You used it. How did you think about your content after that? Cause you did continue creating content. Yeah.

Jade Walters (07:31.118)
So I've always been a content creator. I've been content creating since I was 14 in different mediums. But when it came to career content, around that time, I was already starting to dabble in the content that I do now for the ninth semester. But at that time, I didn't have a name for it yet. It was content that existed on my personal blog. And I realized I wanted to separate that from, you know, my personal content to just having a dedicated career space and starting that new job really

amplified my goal to create that content and see how far it can go. And I had realized a lot during my job hunt that there weren't a lot of early career resources out there for students like me, whether that was first gen students or students who are making a career pivot. So a lot of the learnings and the lessons that I had to experience, I wanted to create something that can house all of that. Like I wanted to create a resource that

One, I wish I had, but two, that would help other students who would come after me and they wouldn't have to struggle as much as I did. So having that new job and even working at TikTok, I just knew too that I was gonna really learn how to make TikToks and what it really means to create that type of content and get that insights in terms of advertising and marketing because that was my role. So I saw it as like...

I didn't know the word for it, but I was like, I'm really immersing myself in it. Let me go all in. So the first platform where I really grew a lot of my content on was TikTok. And I remember just during that period, like that first month, when we started my TikTok page, I grew to a 10,000 followers, which was insane, but I was cranking out content. I was putting out like six to nine pieces of content a day. I was building this content library, building this ecosystem that has now expand to other platforms and also starting

I was in my first month of a new job. So it was a lot, but it was like the passion of being on a new journey, betting on myself, creating something that I wish I had. It helped fueled my ideas and my motivation.

Rhona Pierce (09:38.274)
That's a lot that you were doing at that period. Where were you getting your ideas from? Was it like from what you were doing on a day to day? it like, talk to me about your content calendar or strategy at that time.

Yes, so at that time and even now, one of the biggest questions that I get is where to find early career opportunities. And that was a question that I had, because I would see a lot that were labeled as entry level, but then they wouldn't hire the new grad. So it was very, very weird. So the first few months of my content really answered that question of where to find those opportunities. So I gave jobs for strategies. I gave actual jobs and programs that you could apply for.

as well as sharing application material tips. So I shared tips on writing your resume and interviewing with my big niche. That was, that's really one of the first pieces of content I created for the ninth semester when it was on my personal blog, all about interviewing. So I started to, had an interview, I still have it, an interview prep ebook. So I started to take that, the pieces of the ebook and turn that into video content. So it was sent, rendered around where to find those opportunities, the actual opportunities to apply for.

and how to get your application materials ready to apply for those things.

love it. So a lot of people create content, right? This is the age where it happens. But everyone doesn't get noticed. Like what do you think helped your voice, your specific voice cut through?

Jade Walters (11:08.846)
One thing for sure is the amount of content that I was putting out there. You'll hear it a lot in the content space. Creating content is like a lottery ticket. Like you're going to keep buying it until eventually you win. with your, the more content that you put out there, the more opportunities for winning, more opportunities for visibility, the more opportunities for people to just find you. But one of the biggest feedback that I've gotten from my content is how I really break things down.

There's no sugarcoating. Like I keep it honest with folks. Like I keep it real and I keep it detailed. Like I don't like when things are too ambiguity, too much ambiguity. It is not easy to understand too much jargon to use. Cause especially when you're getting into corporate for the first time, you're going to hear a lot of terms that you just never heard before. So with my content, I break it down and I simplify it to where.

anyone can really understand what I'm sharing, the resources I'm sharing and how to apply it. So that has really helped me make my mark because one of the common feedbacks that I get is that people, they've spent like an hour on my page, whatever page it is, and they now have a new idea of how to strategize in their job plan and what to do. And they don't feel confused. They feel they come in with questions and my content answers those questions. So that has helped because

In this season where people are confused about what to do, how to stand out, how to navigate, I have these resources where I'm like, hey, let me hold your hand. Let me give you the tea about how to actually act in this space, how to maneuver and get to where you want to be.

I love that. I absolutely love it. like, yeah, bingeable comment content is always going to be the content that helps people in our space, especially in our space. Like they don't want to see your like random, like surface level, not really explaining anything. If you want people to binge and like spending an hour on someone's TikTok, that's like binge, serious binging of content and amazing. love that.

Rhona Pierce (13:16.888)
How have employers responded to your online presence over time?

in terms of employers I work with or like employers that I have had a full-time job at.

Yeah, people that you've had a full time job with because you're not at TikTok anymore. So you've moved on. How have they responded? Like, have you ever had to navigate like feedback or friction from other places where you've worked out?

Honestly, I was very grateful for it. know, at TikTok, a lot of people had platforms, they had communities. So it was like the norm. And my second job, which was at an HR tech company called WayUp, I actually got hired because of my content. So I used to be an influencer partner with them and they loved the work that I was doing. And at that time I had left TikTok because I knew I wanted to work in early career recruitment full time. And the influencer partner at the time, WayUp,

their VP of marketing, she found out that I was on a job hunt and she literally created a role on her team just for me. And it was because I had established myself as a thought leader for Gen Z in the workplace and they were looking for someone on their team to do exactly that. So for me, my role, I was their employer branding specialist. So I served as a consultant for early career recruitment teams on how to attract and engage with Gen Z.

Jade Walters (14:37.314)
built this whole portfolio and proven work that I was capable of doing that. And I was able to be that voice that to sit between both the employers and the students that they're trying to hire. So it was amazing to know that someone wanted me specifically because of my voice and what I was able to put out there in this space where Gen Z and level of talent, they're trying to find their mark. And it

It is honestly, you know, one of the most like memorable moments of my career. I no longer work there. I'm doing the ninth semester full time as I'm on this pivot of figuring out what I want to do. Like I'm also trying to go back into corporate, but I'm curious to see like where I land next, whether it's still something within early tour recruitment or if I go a different lane, because I think one of the coolest things about working in

my industry is that I can continue to build my skill set and my knowledge there. But I can also pivot into different forms of marketing or different aspects of branding that can help me be a more well-rounded candidate. Like don't want my only expertise to be early career recruitment. Like I want to have another set of skills that is completely different. And this helps me stay strong and sharp and competitive in today's job market.

Yeah, I love that. And I mean, when you start creating content, and a lot of the people that I've spoken to and also like my own experience, most of the time it's positively received by employers because employers who aren't into that, they're never going to talk to you because they can see that you're out there, right? So it's like they're just going to skip over you. And that's great. Like, I don't want to waste anyone's time. But any advice for people who are worried about how their content might be?

perceived by current or like future employers.

Jade Walters (16:38.894)
Yeah, I, that is a very good question. I think it's a matter of trying to put a bit into spaces that are welcome, welcoming of what you do. I will say when you create content, obviously, you know, making sure you're looking at your company's social media guidelines, making sure you're not showing anything in the office. Like none of the content I've ever done has been in the office space. It's always been at home or when I do vlogs. So.

being mindful of where you're filming your content, but then also what you mentioned in your content. I think it's definitely a weird, it is a weird time because I have heard horror stories of people whose company have not been receptive of the fact that they create any form of content. But I think just making sure that you have a separation of who you are online and who you are at work and making sure that creating content doesn't get in the way of your work. Employers will be very happy about that.

I think, cause even right now, I will say on my job hunt, it is a little hard as I try to navigate because I have built such a presence online to where if I did try to hide it, if you Google my name, you're going to see it. And I might, people might assume, okay, she has a strong brand. She's doing all these amazing things, blah, blah.

She doesn't want to work for us. She doesn't have the time to work for us. So I have been finding myself in situations where I do feel like I'm being passed off, passed on because of the brand that I built on myself. But it's like a cash 22 because it's like, can't hide it. So I'm at this season where I'm waiting for the right people to see it and not be turned off by it, not think that I don't need them because I can admit I have amazing things going on with the brand and the things that I'm doing.

but I still have professional growth that I need to do and I wanna do it in a corporate setting. So don't worry about what I got going on over there. Worry about how I can show up in that workspace and allow me to prove to you that I can balance both because I have. I balance having a brand and working full time for over four years. So I know I can do it, but you can't just assume that I can't do it just because I have a lot going.

Rhona Pierce (18:53.87)
Yeah, that is a thing. And I think we're moving into a period where the more and more people have brands out there and are on social media, companies are going to start changing that mentality. But that is definitely 100 % of the thing. As someone who's led recruiting teams, there's definitely people who think that it's like, no, but it's like, wait, what?

Why don't let's have a conversation. Yeah, that can be true for some people, but like not making assumptions and having conversations is how you really get to understand that. And the truth is people are going to continue doing this and they're going to, and I encourage them to. And the reason is the job stability isn't the same thing it used to be back in the time of our parents and our grandparents and stuff like that. It's like, I'm a millennial and

I would have never expected from everything that you've been told when you're growing and at the beginning of my career that I would have been laid off four times and not like fired for a cause, like laid off because the economy, because of everything that has been happening in these years. And that's why people are always going to have a side hustle. So whether it's content creation or whatever else, I think the days of companies being like,

No, I can only work with this one person or this person who only does one thing and doesn't do anything on the side are gone. And the faster people catch on to that, the better for them because they could be and are missing up on great talent.

I definitely agree. I think that and that's one of the biggest drivers of why I have my brand is because I'm seeing people get laid off. People have been at companies for decades just get laid off just because. And with my brand, with my business, this is a form of income for me. This brings in so much professional growth. I have grown so much professionally because of the nine semester.

Jade Walters (21:00.044)
that in comparison to my other two corporate jobs, I wouldn't have grown as fast. So I'm creating opportunities for myself that sometimes you can't find in a corporate setting. And I think sometimes that scares companies because they know that if you have a life outside of here, you could leave. If that other version of your life is doing better, you could leave. And that's what they're worried about. They're worried about the numbers. But there is growth. I feel like there's a lot of

in hiring someone who has a side hustle that has helped them grow because they can bring a different set of skill sets or a different mindset shift to your company, your team, your organizations, because they've had all these different work experiences that have allowed them to see the world in a different way. So I hope that companies continue to be more welcoming of these multi-passionates because they're the ones that are actually gonna help drive the company because

They've seen the world in different ways, so they have a different hustle mindset. They have a different way of how they can approach a problem that someone who has only had one straight path in their corporate journey may not be able to see.

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Rhona Pierce (22:56.046)
So let's switch gears. recently did a TEDx talk. Congrats. Your talk was called, I have a career I made. And like that title feels like it came directly from your content first approach and just everything. How did you end up on that stage? Yeah.

So I, few months before that, I was invited by the TED conferences for their TED next conference in Atlanta. And this is where they do their major TED talks. I was invited as a creator and being in that space, I met a lot of other fellow TEDx speakers as well as getting to see TED talks. And I remember just like watching those talks and I loved every one of them. Like they gave us a notebook for notes. My notebook was completely filled with notes and

I left feeling so inspired by their stories, by the fact that they had that confidence to go up there and in front of hundreds of people and then now globally, cause it's on YouTube and share their stories, share their thoughts. And I told myself, and I left that conference that I want to give a Ted talk and around a few months later, Tedx, Montclair, their applications opened up for their Tedx.

it, the theme was called the domino effect and it was focused on social mobility. And it really drawn to me because I had always known that I was going to probably do a TEDx about just, you know, from the TikTok resume to the Knife semester to just all, just the journey of what brought me here today. And I felt very drawn to both the theme, the location, Montclair, New Jersey is close to where I grew up in New York. And I felt very drawn to it. So I applied.

shot my shot. went above and beyond in terms of like we had to create a video with our resume. mean, create a video about our talk. And some people just got on camera and shared what their thoughts were. I decided to go back into making it very Jade, making it very personalized. And I created a whole video. I made a compilation of different clips and just telling the whole story. I made it very Jade and

Jade Walters (25:06.698)
I ended up getting the opportunity and I spent over the last three, four months preparing for this talk, writing this talk, memorizing this talk. And when the day came, it is a very, it's a core memory of mine because I had one goal going into that day and that was to make no mistakes. For me, I was the only black woman. I was also one of the youngest people. So I know I, I'm representing a lot of folks.

at that time and I had to give my best performance and I did. Like I can genuinely say that I did. made no mistakes. I got a standing ovation and now I'm like anxiously waiting for the video to come to just relive it. Cause it's one thing to be on that stage, but to actually see, you know, how it came off it's.

Very, very, very proud moment of my career. And one of my favorite things after the talk was that it resonated with lot of folks because I talked about being first gen. I talked about how grief pushed me to have this drive and have this confidence as I maneuver in my life. And, you know, just really emphasizing like there is no straight path for your journey. Like you can go many different directions. I'm going in a different direction now as I try to pivot into corporate. So

to have so many people come up to me after and tell me that they related to my story, they felt seen by my story, it warmed my heart. And I'm really excited for the world to watch it and other people to feel seen and feel like they're not, to not feel as lost or confused to understand that like everyone is going in that journey and to give them that inspiration to keep moving forward and to push forward into whatever they want to do, especially when it comes to their career.

I love that and I love that as we've been talking every single thing that you do is really in service of others with your content and that comes through and now talking to you and meeting you it's like okay this is definitely why you're doing it. So what was the hardest part of preparing for that TEDx talk?

Jade Walters (27:25.644)
would say writing it there. I think I probably had about five different drafts. And for most TEDx is you you don't have that. You don't have much time to write it. So I really only had like 10 days to write this. So and we also had to keep it under 18 minutes. So my talking that up being 15 minutes, but like, just straight through would be 13 minutes, but prepare writing that.

putting everything in a condensed way that wasn't boring. It was a nice story. It was something that, you know, the audience could just like digest. It was a lot. And I remember for me, I did a lot of, I did too much research and not enough writing. So at one point I'm like, okay, like you've watched enough talks, you read up, I have a book about, you know, how to give a TED talk. I did all that. And I was like, okay, now you have to start writing. So.

Once I finally got my piece to a place that I liked, would even, was still making edits up until probably like a month out, but it was still finalized and was ready to go. And I, I'm very proud of it. Memorizing it wasn't that bad. It was something where I was very intentional. Every single day I had made time to practice my talk, get in a habit of sharing my talk. And then it's different too when you're

doing it in front of people. I had to do it in front of a couple of friends, which is a little awkward because it's like, But it was a challenge that I had been craving for a while. And it really helped me get back into writing. And I recently launched this sub stack because I'm like, loved actually, even though was stressful, I liked writing it. Like that was me sharing my story. So now I'm going to get back into writing because I've always been a writer.

That is so, so cool. Is there anything that you wanted to say in the talk that like didn't make it in?

Jade Walters (29:20.492)
No, I think every single thing I wanted to say got in and it flowed in a way where it really shared my story. I think something that was important for me to share was my grief journey because when I was a junior in college, my father had passed away. And I realized that was something that I didn't really talk about on my page. So I was like, wait, this is an important lore of who I am and it is why it was a domino effect.

for a lot of things that led in my life and being able to share that story and share how grief changed my perception of things and gave me that motivation to think better and I mean, think bigger and better. That was something very important for me to share in my story and looking back, like everything I wanted to share ended up in there and it's like nice in a condensed way.

Amazing. And I know it hasn't been published yet, but you've spoken a lot about it. And obviously there were people there. What's changed since delivering that talk, like for your confidence, your content, your career, has anything changed?

It's been an interesting journey. I have a really big speaking opportunity that's coming up. I can't announce it yet. Maybe by the time this is out, it might be open up. But it actually came before. It came before I gave my talk, but after I had announced my talk. And this is something where it's as equally as big as Ted, but it's also like, wow, I'm really leveling up in my public speaking career.

because that was something that I wanted to improve and become a better speaker. will say it's like a cool, fun fact. I'm very like, when it comes to like my wins and my accomplishments, I will say I'm very humble. So there are times where I'm out with my friends and they'll bring it up. Like when we meet new people, they'll be like, fun fact, she just gave a TED talk. I'm like, yeah, that happened. But I'm in this journey of where I'm trying to find some rest too.

Jade Walters (31:25.388)
because after preparing, I spent so many months preparing for my talk, giving my talk, that took a lot of energy out of me, as well as running my business and creating content. So I haven't had time to rest after that. So with August here, this is the time where I have a few weeks that are actually gonna be for myself before recruitment season starts and everything starts ramping up. So I'm in this season where I'm like, it's hit me.

that I need to rest. Because I've been grinding so hard for the last six months that I wasn't aware that I needed to rest. And now after Ted, I'm like, you need to sit down. So it's opened my eyes to the fact that I can't just always just be hustle, hustle, hustle. Like you need to take a break, take a breather and sit down.

I love that. And I can't wait to see what that big opportunity is. I'll definitely be keeping like a close eye. So you've become such a voice for Gen Z in the workplace. What's the biggest misconception that you think older generations have about how Gen Z approaches work?

Yeah. I would say the biggest misconception is that Gen Z doesn't want to work. And I feel like this comes a lot from the fact that we've established boundaries. Like at five o'clock, we're logging off. are, getting out of there. have a life outside of that. And some generations, they're used to spending hours and hours working that they, you know, they cannot fathom the fact that we want to reclaim our lives outside of work. So.

That has been something that I hear a lot from the older generations about, know, Gen Z is lazy, they don't want to work. And that's not the case. We've established boundaries. We work when it's time to work, but then there's also time to play because that's where we're going to find our balance. But then another misconception is that Gen Z likes to job hunt. Gen Z can never say it another job. I have some peers who have been at jobs for a few years, but then I also know people who have, who job hop.

Jade Walters (33:32.558)
every two years, because sometimes you're in a position where you think this is where you want to be long-term and you're not getting what you need as an employee. It's not a healthy environment. It's toxic. You know that your self-care, your mental health comes before any of that. There are some people I know from older generations been at the same job for 20, 25 years, but they hate it. But they just never had that confidence to be like, I hate this so much. I'm going to leave and find something better.

with Gen Z, especially speaking for myself, we know that there's always gonna be something better. There's gonna be something that is meant for us and aligned with where we are at in our career, and we're not afraid to leave. And that scares the older generations because they're like, just stay, just let them treat you terribly, just be there. And I'm like, no, I'm not gonna lose my mind over a paycheck.

I love how you frame that and I promised this was not planned listeners, but that leads me into the segment that I'm doing for today, which is a new segment. It's called, That's Not a Red Flag, That's a Boundary. So I'm gonna read you some common complaints that we've all heard about Gen Z at work and you tell us why, or maybe it is, why it's not a red flag, it's actually a boundary. Are you ready? All right, Gen Z says that they want feedback, but they get defensive when they get it.

Yes.

Jade Walters (35:00.588)
I would say.

Can I say red flag? I think for me, I immediately wonder like, how do they get defensive? Like, what do they say?

Well, the common misconception is that Gen Z is always saying like, give me feedback, give me feedback. But the second that you give them feedback, they say like, this is you're creating trauma for me. This is very like they take it all personal and then go on a rant about how you are impacting their mental health.

This is, this is funny to hear. think, I also think it also goes to how the feedback is given. Sometimes some employers are, they're just like harsh with their feedback. think what, when you're giving feedback, it's important to know who you're giving it to and how to deliver it. Cause some people, can take it blunt and straight on. But for some people you might, you have to, might ease in with them. Like, especially for Gen Zers who it's their first time.

and a corporate space working with the manager, they don't want to feel like they're in trouble like with a parent, like they're new to this. So you may have to ease and make a, a soft approach to how you give the feedback.

Rhona Pierce (36:15.256)
Yes, so definitely a boundary, not a red flag. Next one, Gen Z makes their mental health everyone else's responsibility at work.

I think that's a boundary because going back into what I've said, in the workspace, sometimes you're going to be working with people who are just not nice to be around. They're toxic. They drain you. They make you feel uncomfortable. So by setting that boundary of whether or not, you know, there's certain conversations that Gen Z will or will not have in the workplace or who they let in in a close personal way, that's respecting them because

At the end of the day, they still have to leave that work, but they still have to go home. And if they still feel all that negative energy from being in the workplace, that's going to affect how they show up as an employee.

All right, next one. Gen Z hates socializing and refuses to go to happy hour with coworkers.

feel like that's just not a thing. think, especially now as Gen Z is finally getting into hybrid workspaces, they're craving community. They're craving talking to people and getting to know people. But I also think because of the pandemic, their social skills have not grown or have depleted. So they avoid those things because they don't know how to be in those spaces. But I think if...

Jade Walters (37:43.958)
If some employers, it would be cool if they can have like early career professional happy hours where it's just us. Cause sometimes it can be nerve wracking to be going to happy hour with your manager who probably just yelled at you that day for something.

True, true. So is there anything that you want to call out your fellow Gen Zers that is making the rounds and that they're saying is a boundary, but it's actually a red flag and you're like, hey guys, we really need to not do this. Is there anything that comes to mind for you?

12. If this could fit into either category, but just the use of AI for everything in terms of like, you're using AI to respond to emails for you, to talk to you, talk for you, to send messages for you. You're becoming devoid of just showing who you are as a person. And that is a red flag. Like when I hear people are using Child GPT as their therapist, I get very concerned.

I think people need to bring back humanization, personalization, being genuine in these spaces, especially in corporate because, you know, AI can't do your work for you. They can't talk on a meeting for you. You need to know how to communicate with people.

I love that and I 100 % agree on that one and I will go ahead and also tell the millennials, so like my generation who's jumping on this, it's like, no guys, no. Like AI can help, it should help, you should definitely use it, but don't let it take over. It's so weird, on one hand people are complaining AI is taking over and then they're using it for everything and like, so are you...

Rhona Pierce (39:27.47)
Cool with it or are you not cool with it because you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth at that at that point. So I've enjoyed this conversation. But before we wrap, like what's next for you? How are you thinking about evolving your content and your career from here?

Yeah, so when it comes to content, I'm definitely working on being more creative with my content. I have started to incorporate more lifestyle where I'm sharing my life post-grad and the cool things that I'm doing in my career to show my audience that I'm using the same tips and resources and advice that I share with you in my life and how that has helped shape my career. you know, getting out of the house, I do a lot of speaking to the camera videos, which resonate well with my audience, but I'm trying to

diversify my content when it comes to video, but then also writing more. Like I want to lean more into Substack and share personal essays of my life, of my career, you know, having more of a longer conversation with my audience that versus just, you know, cutting things down to a two minute video. And then I'm doing a lot more in person. So I've been, I host workshops at, whether it's at conferences or with organizations or with schools.

I've spoken on panels. So being able to travel and meet my community in person, that has been a big theme for this year. And over the next few months, I have a few school pop-ups that I'm going to, as well as conferences, appearances that I'm going to and waiting to hear back from. So I like when I get the opportunity to meet my audience in person and then share some of that content and resources on stage.

outside of my video and having those real impactful conversations with everyone in person.

Rhona Pierce (41:15.864)
Amazing. How can listeners connect with you?

Yeah, so you can definitely follow me on LinkedIn at Jade Walters, as well as the Knife Semester on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Substack. And I have a website currently going through a little revision, but theknivesemester.com. That is my blog where I share some of the written resources that I have curated for career professionals.

Amazing. Thanks again, Jade, for being on the show. This was a great conversation.

Thank you for having me.

Thanks so much for listening. If you're enjoying the Workfluencer pod, share it with someone who's changing how we talk about work or who should be. And hey, if this episode gave you ideas or inspiration, leave us a five-star review. Reviews help other listeners find us. And honestly, it makes my day. Workfluencer is produced by Perceptible Studios. Learn more about how we can help you use video to attract, engage, and retain qualified talent at perceptiblestudios.com.

Rhona Pierce (42:18.626)
Thanks for listening and I'll chat with you next week.