Helicopter parents are showing up to their kids’ job interviews

(NewsNation) – Some Gen Z job applicants are showing up to interviews with a plus-one: mom or dad.

HR professionals say a growing number of parents are getting involved in their adult children’s job searches, even applying for jobs on their behalf in some cases, as Gen Z navigates a tough job market.

Career coach Sarah Johnston, founder and CEO of Briefcase Coach and a former corporate recruiter, says she’s hearing about it constantly.

“Anything from parents showing up to job fairs to even moms calling recruiters, asking for an explanation for why their child was dismissed from a role,” she said on “Morning in America.”

The job market looks very different for Gen Z than it did for Gen X

Johnston says today’s job market looks nothing like the one many parents remember, which may lead some to want to intervene.

Most are Gen Xers who searched for work during the dot-com boom, she says, when hiring was plentiful. Now, young professionals are dealing with widespread job loss on top of new pressures like AI and social media.

“This is a completely different job market than many of these parents experienced for themselves,” Johnston said. “And, unfortunately, job searches are taking longer than people are anticipating.”

A Wall Street Journal report found the trend has accelerated since the pandemic: A survey by resume service Zety found that one in five Gen Z job seekers had a parent attend an interview with them.

What does this mean for employers?

Johnston says that if a parent shows up to an interview or job fair, hiring managers should redirect the conversation back to the candidate. And if a parent calls on their child’s behalf, she suggests employers ask for the conversation to be had between them and the candidate directly.

“As easy as it is to judge these parents, I think we have to remember that these parents are acting out of love and not out of control,” she said.

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