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👤 Guest Bio
Christine Y. Cruzvergara is Chief Education Strategy Officer at Handshake, where she leads efforts to help students connect with employers and prepare for an AI-shaped job market.
Christine helped scale Handshake’s university partnerships and now runs programs that bring domain experts, employers, and students together to build practical AI fluency and better hiring signals.
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🎙Episode Intro
If you’re graduating soon, worried about a weird job market, or just trying to get your first role, this episode is for you. In this, Christine Y. Cruzvergara — Chief Education Strategy Officer at Handshake — gives graduating students the exact moves that work in the job market right now.
You’ll learn how to reframe your resume so it highlights your learning potential instead of just prior tasks; why networking is back (and how to make it practical and response-ready); and, more importantly, what employers actually want from entry-level hires.
⏱ What’s Covered
(00:00) Christine’s background & Handshake mission
(03:28) About the Handshake AI wing
(06:00) The Handshake AI fellowship: who it trains, how the practice tasks & reviews work
(09:38) What skills/majors Frontier model labs ask for (it varies — go broad)
(13:14) Senior sentiment & the job market snapshot (fewer entry-level postings; more applicants)
(15:17) Concrete advice for grads: expectations, networking, and skill-building
(16:36) Why networking matters more than ever in an AI-screened application world
(20:00) Practical AI uses (note synthesis agents, productivity agents)
(54:14) How to apply / resources (Handshake AI fellowship & student links)
💡 Key Takeaways
Your first job is a learning job, not your forever job; prioritize growth, mentors, and exposure.
Networking isn’t optional: it’s now an amplified value because AI often screens resumes; warm intros beat cold apps. Start building relationships today.
Learn domain-specific AI skills. Ask: “How is AI used for this role?” Then learn those tools and common failure modes. Use LLMs to surface tools, then validate via informational interviews.
Build judgment, not just skills. In an AI economy, know when to question outputs, check sources, and verify facts so you don’t over-rely on tools.
Hone presentation and verbal skills. Being able to explain ideas clearly without jargon and present confidently will set you apart in interviews and at work. Practice speaking without reading slides.
Develop high EQ and soft skills. Communication, conflict management, persuasion, and people skills help you advance faster than technical skills alone. Employers hire for hard skills but promote for soft skills.
Use AI intentionally to increase your productivity. Build small agents or workflows to synthesize notes and speed up routine tasks, but remain the final judge of quality.
Exercises you can run this week
Networking Sprint — 60 minutes - Pick 5 people (alumni, grad students, company recruiters) on Handshake or LinkedIn. Send a short informational note: who you are, 2 quick questions about how AI is used in their role, and one offer to grab 15 minutes. Track responses. (If you’re not sure who to ask, start with Handshake people search.)
Domain-AI Tool Drill — 90 minutes - Prompt an LLM: “How are [your major/role] professionals using AI today? List 5 tools + 1 common limitation for each.” Try two of the tools’ free tiers, then write a 1-paragraph note you could bring to an informational interview: “I tried X and found Y works/doesn’t.”
📚 References & resources
Handshake AI Fellowship — Hands-on program placing graduate and domain experts in model training projects with AI labs.
Handshake Workforce Outlook Report (2024) — Research on student sentiment, AI’s impact on job markets, and the rise of skills-based hiring.
Yoodli — AI speech coach that analyzes tone, pacing, and filler words to help you practice interviews and presentations confidently.
🔗 Where to Christine / Handshake Resources
Handshake: https://amplitude.com
👉 If you found this episode useful, share it with a fellow senior, your career counselor, or a roommate who’s nervous about the market.
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Until next time,
Haroon