Parents Crashing Gen Z Job Interviews: A Growing Trend

Helicopter Parenting Hits the Workplace

We’ve all heard of helicopter parents who do their teens’ homework, write their college essays, track their every move, and micromanage their high school schedules. But now, they're taking a bold new step – accompanying their adult children to job interviews. This surprising trend affects over half, 51%, of Gen Z adults, according to a recent survey.

These findings come from a Resume Templates survey involving 1,000 Gen Z job seekers aged 18 to 23. It's not just interviews where parental involvement is prominent; the survey reveals that 75% of recent Gen Z job seekers had a parent submit their job applications, 65% reported a parent completed at least one candidate test for them, and two-thirds of employed Gen Zers say a parent has spoken with their manager about work-related matters.

The Scope of Parental Involvement

Breaking down the numbers further, young men reported more parental involvement than young women, with 70% of men admitting their parents applied for jobs on their behalf, compared to 59% of women. In a related poll of parents, 71% said their adult children requested help due to anxiety, inexperience, or a tough job market.

“Parental involvement in early-career job searches isn’t uncommon,” said Julia Toothacre, chief career strategist at Resume Templates. “Most high schools don’t teach career readiness skills, and while colleges have career offices, those resources are often underused, especially in the early years. In that gap, parents often step in to provide support.”

However, there seems to be a fine line between support and over-involvement. While it's appropriate for parents to assist with reviewing resumes and offering feedback, taking over the process can be detrimental. A study even suggests that over-involvement can negatively impact young adults' ability to launch their careers.

Navigating the New Normal

Julia Toothacre further explained that during her time in college career development, it was common for parents to discuss majors or career paths, but unusual for them to be present in interviews or communicate directly with managers. She attributes this increased involvement to heightened anxiety among youth and residual over-involvement patterns from the pandemic era.

As the lines between guidance and intrusion blur, the challenge remains for Gen Z to balance support from their parents with developing their own independence in the workforce. The evolving dynamics between parents and young adults are reshaping the job search landscape, calling for a more nuanced understanding of where to draw the line.