Why Is Gen Z Bringing Their Parents to Job Interviews? The Rise of Career Co-Piloting

Career co-piloting refers to parents—usually members of Gen X or the Baby Boomer generation—taking a hands-on role in managing their children’s careers.

In some cases, this involvement is limited to offering guidance during the hiring process, such as reviewing résumés, practicing interviews, or providing networking advice. In others, parents remain involved even after their children are hired by helping with salary discussions, workplace issues, or career planning.

This phenomenon isn’t new. There are threads on online forums from almost 15 years ago discussing parents involving themselves in their children’s employment and calling in to handle issues.

In one old thread on the r/TalesFromRetail community on Reddit, a user wrote, “I see and deal with this all the time. Grown men (early 20s) come to job interviews with their moms, and the moms don’t just sit outside. Sometimes, they want to be in there vouching for their ‘kid.'”

Some parents really do sit in on their children’s interviews

While almost all employers view the practice as unusual, a Zety survey found that 20% of Gen Z respondents had brought their parents to an interview, with 15% having had their parents accompany them to in-person interviews and 5% inviting them to virtual ones.

In another survey, 40% of Gen Zers who reported that they’d brought a parent said they simply sat in on the interview. But 34% said their parents answered questions, and 30% said their parents asked questions of their own.

Additionally, 23% reported that their parents spoke positively about them during the interview. 1

Survey data suggests parental involvement is more common than many employers might expect.

Roughly 1 in 5 Gen Z respondents said a parent had contacted a recruiter or prospective employer on their behalf. And while Gen Z is more likely to ask for better pay in general, roughly 10% of respondents said their parents had directly participated in pay or benefits negotiations with an employer.2

Some research points to even deeper involvement. One study found that nearly two-thirds of employed Gen Z workers had experienced parental involvement at work, including parents communicating with managers about schedules, promotions, or workplace accommodations. 3

Gen Z men reported more frequent parental involvement than women

According to some research, Gen Z men are more likely than women to involve their parents throughout both the job search and employment process.

In one Resume Templates survey, men reported relying on parental assistance more frequently across several job-search activities, including submitting applications (70% vs. 59%), handling email correspondence (61% vs. 52%), and contacting hiring managers directly (58% vs. 54%).

Men were also slightly more likely to report parental involvement after being hired, including having parents complete work assignments on their behalf (64% compared with 60% of women).

It’s possible these statistics are an overestimate depending on how respondents interpreted the question, but whatever the real figure is, it’s clearly not negligible.

Gen Zers have entered a challenging labor market marked by economic uncertainty, increased competition for entry-level positions, and rising education costs. With the average unemployment spell stretching to 24.4 weeks—nearly six months—landing a first job can feel like an impossible task. 4

Against that backdrop, it’s not surprising that many parents want to help their children navigate the transition into the workforce. Career coach Anna Papalia argues that this frustration often drives parental involvement.

“They just spent a quarter of a million dollars on tuition, and little Jimmy is living in their basement,” said Papalia on TikTok. “I don’t blame these students. I blame the parents.”

Others believe parental overreach stems from a desire for control or perfectionism.

Researcher Chris Segrin suggests that some parents become so invested in their children’s achievements because they tie those to their own sense of success.

“They want to live vicariously through their children’s achievements,” Segrin told Forbes. “They want to see their children achieve because it makes them look good.”

Is there a case for career co-piloting?

While critics blame overbearing folks and a brutal job market, some parents have other justifications for their involvement.

In the study by Resume Templates, some parents said they’d stepped in simply because they possessed the professional expertise to do so, with one pointing out, “I am a professional resume writer.”

Others were bluntly self-aware of the dynamic they were participating in. “I am a helicopter parent,” one respondent admitted, “and can’t relax otherwise.”

Beyond practical strategy, many parents cited extenuating circumstances, namely, an epidemic of anxiety. Several parents described stepping in to bridge the social gap for kids who were “nervous for [their] first job” or simply “not a speaking-to-people type of person.”

Regardless of whether it’s well-intentioned or driven by anxiety, this level of advocacy may have unintended consequences. Experts warn that constant parental intervention can limit opportunities for young workers to develop essential professional skills such as communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, and independent problem-solving.

Like O’Leary, some say that a parent attending an interview raises concerns about a candidate’s independence and ability to navigate workplace challenges without outside intervention. It’s often viewed as a red flag by employers.

“I think that it really shows a lack of maturity,” career expert Julia Toothacre told CBS News.

That doesn’t necessarily mean all forms of parental support are viewed negatively. Few people would bat an eye at a parent reviewing their child’s résumé, conducting mock interviews, or offering career advice.

The concern arises when parents act like their children’s representatives rather than their advisors.

As the labor market becomes more competitive, the distinction between support and substitution may matter more than ever. Parents can play a valuable role in helping young adults launch their careers, but most employers still expect candidates to take the controls themselves.

How employers react to parents co-piloting their children’s careers

Farmer and restaurateur Matt Baumgartner recently went viral after criticizing what he sees as excessive parental involvement in the hiring process.

“I just got another call from another parent asking if we are hiring at the farm. You guys gotta stop doing that. It is embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for you,” he said in an Instagram video with over 30,000 likes.

Baumgartner told parents they were doing their children a disservice.

“Tell your kid to fucking get off the couch, put down Mortal Kombat 30 or whatever, and tell them to apply themselves.”

Many in the comment section supported Baumgartner’s view, with some sharing their own experience dealing with so-called helicopter parents terrorizing workplaces.

Others pointed to a difficult job market and expressed skepticism at the idea that applicants weren’t calling themselves because they were playing video games.

“What’s wrong with inquiring if you’re hiring?” one user wrote under the video. “Now, if the parent sends the application or shows up to the interview, I get your point, but they’re doing a small thing to help their kid.”

While parental involvement in the job search appears more common than many employers realize, the line between support and interference remains contentious.

Many young job seekers value parental advice when tailoring their résumés, preparing their applications, and practicing for interviews. But for those with parents who contact employers directly, it’s not always seen in a good light, either.

Another user on Baumgartner’s video commented, “I want to say I was handling situations, and my mom would call people without me knowing, and I was so mad and embarrassed.”

Evidence suggests many Gen Z workers are uncomfortable with direct parental intervention.

In the Zety survey, over half of Gen Z respondents (55%) said they would feel “embarrassed or upset” if their parents reached out to their employer without their knowledge.

Most career experts agree that encouragement and coaching can be valuable, but when parents begin speaking for their adult children, many employers see it as a sign that the candidate may not yet be ready to navigate the workplace independently—something that many younger workers clearly know and never asked for.