329 - Why Match is tripling down on Gen Z talent: D.V. Williams (Chief People Officer, Match Group)

D.V. Williams, Chief People Officer from Match Group joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why Match is betting on Gen Z talent, how skills are replacing titles as the new currency of work, and how Match is thinking about flexible mentorship and early-career programs.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (10:45) Why Match Is Betting on Gen Z Talent(12:00) Why Product and People Strategy Need to Align(15:20) How Gen Z Thinks About Work Differently(17:00) How Tinder Improved Engagement and Shifted the Internal Culture(18:20) Becoming Product-Led and Consumer-Focused(19:00) Flattening the Org and Getting Doers Closer to Decisions(23:45) Why Tenure and Title Are Outdated Proxies for Value(24:20) Skills as the New Currency of Work(24:45) Rebuilding Mentorship Around Skill Acquisition(25:20) Flexible Mentorship and the “Tinder for Skill Acquisition” Idea(30:15) How Match Is Approaching AI Internally(31:00) Equipping Employees With AI Without Framing It as Headcount Reduction(31:20) Match’s AI Day and Employee-Led Experimentation(34:00) How Dating Apps Are Evolving With AI and IRL Experiences(35:00) Using AI to Help People Show Up More Authentically on Dating Apps(40:15) Match’s Cross-Functional Rotational Program(41:30) Match’s Internship Program: 20,000 Applicants for 26 Roles(43:35) How the 2026 Rotational Program Is Different From Traditional Programs(45:35) Why Curiosity Beyond the Job Description Matters(48:05) Focusing Development on Skill Acquisition, Not the Next Title---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.