I've been working at least since I was11 or 12 years old. I started out babysitting for friends, relatives, and people from my church. When I was 15, I entered the actual workforce. My first interview didn't go so well. I'd applied at every retail location in my town, and a Michaels craft supply store was the first to call me back.
When the interviewer asked why I chose that store and not others or what set it apart, I really couldn't think of anything because, as I said, I'd applied everywhere and would have been happy with any place that would pay me to stock shelves or run a cash register. "Well, I guess because there are never really many customers in here, so it's probably pretty easy," I said to the woman.
Of course, that was not the right thing to say at all, and that woman made it quite clear to me that day that I needed to learn how to better answer interview questions or I'd never go far in life. I was deeply embarrassed, but I took her lesson seriously. By the time I was a junior in high school, I had a full-time job that was so important that the company had to lie about my age just so I could do it. I also had two part-time jobs, and I was maintaining good enough grades to get into the colleges I wanted.
But here's the thing: My parents had absolutely nothing to do with it. They never coached me on how to do interviews. They never told me where to apply or what to do. They never wrote a resume for me, and they've never done a single thing to help me get a job. I'm not even sure they knew I'd applied to Michaels. While that first experience was mortifying, I learned from it, and I'm proud that I figured the rest out, largely on my own.
Unfortunately, many members of Generation Z can't say the same thing. As a matter of fact, they kind of have the opposite problem.
According to Zety’s Career Co-Piloting Report, our country's youngest generation of workers needs mom and dad to help them get a job, or so they think. Around 44% have had a parent write or edit their resume. I don't really see anything wrong with that — I've edited numerous resumes and cover letters for friends myself.
Around 32% say that their parents influence their career decisions, and I can understand that a little bit, too. Even though I've been working for many years now, I still go to my dad to vent or get advice when I'm dealing with a work-related problem.
But here's where it gets a little icky. Over 21% have had their parents call a potential boss or job recruiter on their behalf. And it gets worse — 20% have had their parent accompany them to an interview (both virtually and in person). Even my ignorant 15-year-old self knew better than to have my mom come sit next to me in that office at Michaels while I was giving my cringe interview responses. And 28% say their parents have helped them with negotiations regarding pay and benefits. For some, it was merely offering advice, but 10% say their parents negotiated directly with the employer.
"Hi, this Aiden-Brayden-Jayden's mom. I'd like to tell you how much you need to pay my son if he's going to come work for your company."
Do these kids also take their parents on dates? When they go out with friends? To the bathroom?
Zety suggests that "Gen Z workers view job searching as a collaborative process rather than an individual milestone" but " it also raises questions about how and when young professionals begin developing independent career skills."
I'd say.
The results came from a January survey of 1,001 Gen Z workers, so whether or not that's a fair representation of a generation of 70 million people, it's hard to tell. The numbers could be higher or lower, but the fact that any single person on this planet takes their parent on a job interview has me a bit concerned for the future of our country.
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