Job-seekers belonging to Generation Z (born from the mid-1990s through the early 2010s) are seeing the impact of their parents on their job searches, a trend referred to, by recruiters and hiring experts, as “career co-piloting.”
According to surveys conducted recently, the majority of people between the ages of 18 and 24 are receiving direct assistance from their parents in the form of hands-on support; nearly half have had their parents help with their resumes either by writing or editing them, while more than 20% report that their parent(s) have contacted recruiters on their behalf. There are even instances where family members have accompanied their child to an interview or participated in salary negotiations.
What Is Driving Parental Involvement?
Careers experts attribute this to the economy as well as increased competition for jobs. In today’s society, entering the workforce at an early age is not perceived as a low-risk experience. Young adults today are attempting to enter into an entering workforce that includes an oversupply of qualified job seekers (mass layoffs and increased automation) as well as increased costs of living.
For families who experienced a more stable labour market, assisting their child(ren) pursues employment is viewed as a risk-mitigating strategy that will increase the likelihood of their child(ren) landing a job that is stable and secure. According to career coaches, parents today consider early career employment a very important long-term decision, rather than just a stepping stone to other employment opportunities.
This trend shows that there’s a shift toward more cooperative parenting styles and increasing support from parents on an emotional level, especially in cultures where parents play a major role in guiding their children. For instance, in the U.S., there is increasing evidence of this effect with formal data emerging from research organizations. In non-Western cultures like India, parental influence over a child’s career choice has been part of the country’s historical narrative. New workers from around the world are using their families as sources of information, encouragement, and hands-on assistance about how to enter the workforce.
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Parental assistance: Helpful or Harmful?
People have differing views on whether parents providing help to their children is bad or good. Some prospective employers are supportive of behind-the-scenes help, like having someone review their resume or provide a mock interview, whereas when individuals have greater levels of visible parental participation in hiring processes (e.g., when parents contact recruiters or accompany a candidate to an interview) some people who hire candidates think this is a negative factor in assessing independence and decision-making skills of candidates.
Critics of increased parental participation believe that by allowing higher levels of participation, they are hindering the development of self-advocacy and resiliency that are necessary to be successful employees. Supporters of providing assistance to children believe that if the support provided is thoughtful, then it can enhance confidence and prepare children for success.
Cultural Context and Future Outlook
Traditionally, parents help influence hiring decisions of young adults without interfering. Although it is rare for parents to directly intervene during the hiring process, some parents are expected to play a greater role as families become more competitive as a result of the evolving law of supply and demand.
As employment opportunities change, the level of influence that parents have over helping to prepare the next generation of workers for the real world continues to be discussed and debated.
