The big picture: The New Work Foundation, co-founded by former Meta and Salesforce AI executive Clara Shih, has launched dearCC, a free AI-powered career navigation and mentorship platform aimed at helping Gen Z jobseekers overcome the entry-level hiring freeze.

Why it matters: This initiative addresses the growing challenge for new graduates entering a job market increasingly reshaped by AI, offering tools and community support to bridge the skills gap and improve career mobility.

Between the lines:

• dearCC combines human mentorship, peer networks, and real-time labor-market intelligence with AI-powered career tools.
• The platform offers an AI-powered jobs explorer, personalized career action plans, and a community for support and learning.
• The Schultz Family Foundation is a key partner, integrating labor-market insights from the Burning Glass Institute.

Staffing & HR impact: This platform could alleviate pressure on entry-level talent acquisition by better preparing candidates, potentially improving recruiter efficiency and reducing time-to-hire for junior roles. It also highlights the increasing need for AI-skilling in the workforce.

The bottom line: dearCC represents a significant effort to empower Gen Z with the necessary tools and community to navigate an AI-driven job market, potentially setting a new standard for career development resources.