Gen Z Workers Use Parents to Co-Pilot Job Hunts

A survey by career site Zety found that 20 percent of Gen Z workers have had a parent join a job interview, with 15 percent attending in person and 5 percent participating virtually. This trend, which Zety career coach Jasmine Escalera calls co-piloting, extends beyond interviews to include parents applying for jobs on behalf of their adult children, negotiating offers, and contacting employers to dispute performance reviews or report sick days.

Recruiters and hiring managers report an increase in these interventions. Steven Clark, owner of an Alaska staffing firm, described having to repeat termination conversations with parents after firing their children. Other staffing firm owners reported receiving calls from parents demanding explanations for why their children were not hired.

Career experts and recruiters suggest the trend stems from a difficult job market and pandemic-related disruptions to social development. However, Korn Ferry representative Karen Huang warned that relying on parents risks slowing a young worker's ability to think for themselves. Experts further caution that such involvement may signal a lack of independence to employers and hinder a worker's capacity to manage difficult professional conversations.