Generation Z, the first generation to grow up surrounded by the internet from a young age, is known for their familiarity with digital tools but often lacks experience in interpersonal skills and relationship building. Many of them are now entering the workforce or actively job hunting. A survey found that approximately 30% of Generation Z individuals rely on their parents to help write their resumes, with nearly 80% even requesting their parents to accompany them to job interviews.
ResumeTemplate, a website specializing in resume building, conducted a survey in July of 831 full-time employed Generation Z individuals in the United States to understand the level of parental involvement in their recent job search activities and current positions. While seeking guidance during the job search process is common, the extent to which many Generation Z individuals seek assistance from their parents is surprising.
More than half (53%) of the surveyed Generation Z participants had their parents review their resumes, 47% had parents proofread them, and 35% requested resume templates from their parents. However, the survey revealed that 31% of respondents went as far as having their parents directly write their entire resume and 29% asked their parents to write their cover letters. Additionally, 90% sought their parents’ help in finding job opportunities.
Approximately 75% of Generation Z participants stated that they listed their parents as references during job applications. Furthermore, 63% had their parents submit job applications on their behalf, 54% had parents email hiring managers, 53% had parents make phone calls to recruiters, and 48% had parents complete assessment tasks. 41% of participants mentioned that their parents assisted in handling preliminary screening phone calls from recruiters.
When it comes to job interviews, over three-quarters (77%) of Generation Z participants admitted to bringing their parents along. About 13% said they always did this, while 24% mentioned they did it frequently.
During interviews where parents were present, 40% of respondents said their parents listened in, 34% stated their parents answered questions, 30% noted their parents asked questions, and 27% said their parents helped negotiate salary or benefits. Additionally, 23% mentioned their parents introduced themselves to hiring managers, while another 23% said their parents spoke positively about them during the interview.
The type of interview most commonly attended by parents with Generation Z individuals was face-to-face interviews, with approximately 44% stating their parents only attended face-to-face interviews. 27% mentioned their parents only attended online interviews, and 29% said their parents attended both online and face-to-face interviews.
Parental involvement extends beyond the job search for many Generation Z individuals, with a significant percentage still relying on their parents after joining the workforce:
– 86% let their parents review their job performance evaluations.
– 83% have their parents prepare their lunches for work.
– 79% have their parents communicate with their managers.
– 73% receive assistance from their parents in completing work tasks.
– 57% go to work with their parents.
Julia Toothacre, Chief Career Strategist at ResumeTemplate, emphasized that while parental support behind the scenes is beneficial, direct parental involvement can harm a child’s reputation and hinder their professional development and ability to face challenges. Additionally, such behavior may be perceived as immaturity by managers and colleagues, potentially damaging their reputation.
Approximately 80% of Generation Z participants reported that their parents communicate with their managers, with 45% admitting that this occurs frequently.
In fact, Generation Z employees often allow parents to engage in critical work-related discussions, including workplace conflicts, vacation requests, salary discussions, promotion matters, role transitions, and workload reduction conversations.
Toothacre stressed that young professionals need to build confidence and skills to handle workplace conversations independently. For those unsure how to navigate certain situations, she suggested seeking assistance from the HR department or utilizing valuable resources available online, such as platforms like YouTube, which provide examples and practical advice for developing confidence and communication skills.
In addition to the aforementioned survey, a study conducted by Resume Builder in the United States in 2023 found that about three-quarters of executives believe Generation Z is the most challenging generation to work with in the workplace.