If you thought helicopter parenting ended in college, brace yourself. A new study shows that a staggering 77 percent of Gen Z job seekers have brought a parent to at least one job interview. Not to drive them there. To attend. I can’t shove my face in my palm harder.
The ResumeTemplates survey of 831 Gen Z workers found that in many cases, parents did more than sit in the corner. Nearly half said their parents were present during interviews. Some answered questions. Others asked them. Twenty-seven percent said their parents even helped negotiate salary or benefits.
The report also found that 63 percent had a parent submit a job application on their behalf. Nearly one in three had a parent write their resume. Forty-eight percent had a parent complete a test assignment for them, and 41 percent had one handle the initial HR call.
And that’s before they even get the job.
In some cases, mom and dad are still on the clock after their kid gets hired. Fifty-seven percent said they’ve brought a parent into the office to help with work. Eighty-three percent said their parents still pack their lunch. Nearly three-quarters admit their parents help complete assignments.
“I support parents helping with resumes or reviewing evaluations,” said Julia Toothacre, Chief Career Strategist at ResumeTemplates, in a press release published alongside the company’s recent study. “But they shouldn’t participate directly. It undermines the child’s credibility and stunts their professional growth.”
Toothacre added that early-career workers need to learn how to handle difficult conversations on their own.
That message doesn’t seem to be landing. Forty-five percent of Gen Z employees said their parents still speak to their current managers. Some even ask for promotions or PTO on their behalf.
Social media has picked up the rest. One TikToker filmed her dad filling out her LinkedIn job app, comparing it to when he helped with math homework. Another woman documented her dad commuting with her on her first day of work to her “big girl job.”
A different parent made her daughter do an interview “bootcamp” on Zoom. And in another, a mom is literally filming in-office footage of her daughter’s interview, while gushing about being a “proud mom.” But, like…proud of what?
In December, a separate survey of 800 hiring managers found that 19 percent of Gen Z candidates brought a parent to interviews. Recruiters described them as unprepared and unprofessional.
Still, Gen Z workers aren’t shy about getting help from their parents. Three-quarters listed a parent as a reference. Many see it as support. Employers see something else entirely.
If they need this much help landing a job, what happens when someone actually gives them one? Also, who are these companies that are cool with mommy tagging along?
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