Let’s admit it: Job interviews are intimidating, nerve-wracking, and daunting. From figuring out WTH “business attire” actually means (hint: not the “office siren” look you’ve seen on TikTok), to preparing for probing questions, they can be downright scary! But are they scary enough to bring your parents to your interview with you?
A recent survey by Resume Templates shows that for some Gen Zs, that answer is yes. Out of the 1,428 young people surveyed, 26% said they had brought a parent with them to a job interview. And of those 26%, 37% said their parents came into the office with them, 26% said the parent sat in the room while the interview took place, and 18% said their parent introduced themselves to the hiring manager. Most shocking of all, 7% said their parent even answered questions for them.
Oh, and there’s more proof: Another survey done by Intelligent in 2023 also shows the same trend of parents coming to interviews; in that survey, one in five employers said a candidate showed up to their interview with a parent.
IDK about you, but this information is shocking — I personally would not bring my parents to a job interview. That said, clearly, there’s a trend going on here… but how much of a trend is it, really? I mean, surveys do have limitations. Could it be possible the people who responded to these surveys were just more likely to have participated in these behaviors.
I spoke to some real-life Gen Zers to get their takes on the topic.
“It gives off a really wrong impression,” University of Texas at Austin junior Trisha Dasgupta, 20, says. “Employers are obviously looking for someone who’s independent, can get stuff done on their own, doesn’t need someone looking over their shoulder. Walking in with mommy or daddy is really not the vibe to bring.”
Many echo this idea that bringing a parent to an interview is not a good look.
“It’s unprofessional,” New York University sophomore Riya Khosla, 19, says. “At my age, when companies invite me for an interview, they expect someone who is able to handle their responsibilities on their own and be self-sufficient. I feel like bringing a parent would detract from that image.”
Khosla believes this behavior might be due to some lingering effects of the pandemic and quarantine. “It’s most likely because COVID and technology hindered our ability to be independent and we have gotten comfortable relying on another to provide support or aid when we feel we’re not enough ourselves,” Khosla suggests.
To some Gen Zers, this is the first time they’re hearing about this trend. “I’ve actually never heard of such a thing from my friends, but wouldn’t be surprised that such behavior is occurring,” Georgia Tech sophomore Tanmay Gupta, 19, says. Gupta also suggests another possible reason Gen Zers are bringing their parents along: using family connections to land a role. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be that involved.
“While I think it is totally fair to use these connections to get the opportunity, I believe it shouldn’t mean the job is handed on a platter, one should still have to interview and demonstrate their ability,” Gupta says. “Bringing your parents to the interview is going a step too far.”