Gen Zs Are Taking Parents Along For Job Interviews, Salary Negotiation, Says Report

Gen Z is rewriting some of the rules of entering the workplace, but this time it is not about working hours or bad managers. One of the more surprising changes is how much parents are part of their hiring process.

A new survey by Resume Templates, found that 77 per cent of Gen Z job seekers in the US have involved their parents at some stage in the hiring process. That includes interviews, salary negotiations, test assessments, and even email exchanges with managers.

What stands out in the numbers is how visible this participation is:

• Four in ten candidates said their parents actually sat during their job interview

• A third admitted their parents either asked or answered questions

• In more than a quarter of cases, it was the parent who tried to negotiate pay or benefits

According to the report, some parents went as far as introducing themselves directly to the hiring manager.

The role of parents is not limited to interviews alone. About 75 per cent of candidates surveyed listed a parent as a reference. More than 60 per cent said their parents submitted job applications on their behalf. Nearly half allowed them to email or call hiring managers, while 48 per cent said their parents completed test assignments for them. Others involved them in early HR calls that typically serve as a first screen before moving forward.

The survey, which covered 831 Gen Z full-time workers in the US, also points to continued involvement after hiring. Eight in ten respondents said their parents had communicated with their manager at some point. For many, it was not just a one-off interaction. Parents were reported to have discussed workplace conflicts, asked for time off on behalf of their children, and even weighed in on promotions, role changes, or raises.

According to the survey, to older generations, the idea of a parent talking to a boss or joining an interview might feel unthinkable, but for Gen Z, who entered adulthood through years marked by a pandemic and one of the most competitive entry-level job markets in decades, the reliance seems to make sense.

Julia Toothacre, chief career strategist at Resume Templates, said that support is not necessarily a problem when it happens in the background. Parents reviewing resumes, helping evaluate job offers, or sharing professional insights can be constructive. But once they start showing up in interviews or communicating directly with managers, it can backfire.

“It risks undermining the child’s credibility. It may even cause colleagues or employers to see them as less capable of handling workplace challenges independently,” she says.

The report also notes that many young workers lack professional networks and have had fewer opportunities to practice face-to-face communication in formal settings. For them, parents represent both a safety net and a source of experience they don’t yet have.

The bigger question though remains whether employers will adapt to this trend if it becomes a global phenomenon. While a handful may view it as a sign of strong family support, most hiring managers still expect a degree of independence from new recruits.

Toothacre says Gen Z candidates should practice mock interviews with parents rather than having them attend, or use workplace resources like HR for guidance when navigating sensitive issues, such as pay raises or conflicts.

She further suggests new professionals can get insightful resources on online platforms like YouTube that offer examples of workplace conversations and tips on how they can gain more confidence and communication skills.