Match Group’s CEO revived a shuttered Tinder internship program for Gen Z—and received over 30,000 applications for just 27 spots

Gen Zers are up against a dire job market as companies slim their headcounts and entry-level opportunities dry up in the wake of AI. However, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff is breaking from the pack and betting on early-career talent. Shortly after assuming the dating empire’s top job last February, the chief executive revived a shuttered internship program in order to bring more young workers into the fold. “Two or three months after I started, I called my head of HR and said, ‘I’m just curious about the summer intern program. When do the interns arrive?’” Rascoff tells Fortune. “And he’s like, ‘Oh, no, we can’t. The last CEO canceled the internship program last year to save money.’” “That was the craziest thing that I’ve ever heard,” Rascoff continues. “We build apps for Gen Z. Our main demographic audience is 18 to 22-year-olds—of course, we need as many of these folks around our halls as possible.” Rascoff believes that Gen Z employees are essential to the success of the parent company behind dating services like Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and OkCupid. Even hiring young interns for a couple of months to hang out in the kitchen, “spread vibes,” and chat to people around the watercooler would be meaningful for the business, Rascoff says. So the CEO quickly led the charge to implement a slew of initiatives geared toward Gen Z talent—including bringing back its summer “Tindership” program. Instead of launching formal advertising to promote the opportunity, Rascoff decided to simply post it on his LinkedIn and social media accounts. And once it was up on the website, Match Group was “overwhelmed with interest.” More than 30,000 candidates applied for just 27 open spots, meaning less than 0.09% were accepted for the internship—more selective than any Ivy League college. Rascoff says the influx reflects young people’s dire need for job opportunities, but also believes it was turbocharged by the “resonance” of the Tinder and Hinge brands, as well