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When Mom Goes to the Interview
18th September 2025 • The James Brown Commentary • James A. Brown
00:00:00 00:01:00

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Navigating the job market can be a wild ride, especially for Gen Z, but what's even wilder is how many of them are bringing their parents along for the journey! Believe it or not, a staggering 1 in 4 Gen Z job seekers had their mom or dad tag along to job interviews last year. If that’s not a plot twist, I don’t know what is! According to the folks at resumetemplates.com, we’re not just talking about moral support; a quarter of them had their parents actually submit job applications on their behalf. And get this—13% even let their parents take that crucial HR call. I mean, come on, guys! We love our parents, but maybe we should be the ones taking the wheel when it comes to our careers.

This episode is all about exploring the dynamics of independence and parental influence in today's job market. I can't help but wonder—have we inadvertently created a generation that needs a little extra hand-holding? Sure, we hear a lot of chatter about Gen Z being coddled, but let’s be real: the onus might be more on their parents than on them. It’s like we’re in a game of tug-of-war, and the parents just won’t let go of the rope! So, is it time for parents to step back and let their kids learn to stand on their own two feet? We dive deep into this topic, sharing our thoughts and inviting you to share yours. After all, just because it's a bit weird doesn’t mean we can’t have a good laugh about it!

Takeaways:

  • It's pretty wild that 1 in 4 Gen Z job seekers brought a parent to an interview last year!
  • A quarter of these young folks had their parents submit job applications for them, which is a big no-no!
  • 13% of Gen Z even let their mom or dad take that HR call—talk about parental involvement!
  • We should consider who's really to blame for this trend of over-involvement: parents or the kids themselves?
  • It's crucial for parents to know when to let their kids spread their wings and fly solo into the job market.
  • This episode raises an interesting question: are we really helping Gen Z, or just holding their hands too tightly?

Links referenced in this episode:


Companies mentioned in this episode:

  • resumetemplates.com

Transcripts

Speaker A:

This is the Daily Note.

Speaker A:

I'm James A.

Speaker A:

Brown.

Speaker A:

1 in 4 Gen Z job seekers brought their parent to an interview last year.

Speaker A:

That's according to resumetemplates.com they say another quarter had parents submit job applications for them.

Speaker A:

13% even let mom or dad take that HR call.

Speaker A:

Hey kids, that's just plain weird.

Speaker A:

I can't imagine this, but my mother, for better or worse, taught me to stand on my own two feet.

Speaker A:

Did we stop doing that?

Speaker A:

We hear a lot about Gen Z needing hand holding, and maybe they do.

Speaker A:

But this isn't on them.

Speaker A:

It's on their parents.

Speaker A:

They should know when to let go.

Speaker A:

So what do you make of all this?

Speaker A:

Or am I missing something here?

Speaker A:

Let me know@jamesabrown.net or call me.

Speaker A:

-:

Speaker A:

On that note, I'm James A.

Speaker A:

Brown, and as always, be well.

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