Bringing Your Parents to Your Job Interview? Experts Say Don’t

As Gen Z enters the workforce, many young adults aged 18 to 27 are finding their first job search to be particularly challenging.

The Job Market Challenge for Gen Z

Francisco Tobon, a career expert with LinkedIn, notes the tough competition in today’s economy. “It’s a very tough market out there,” says Tobon. “We are seeing two applicants for every job on LinkedIn now.” With the stakes high, many Gen Z job seekers are turning to their parents for help—sometimes in ways that might not be beneficial to their professional growth. A recent survey from Resume Templates, which gathered responses from 1,428 U.S.-based Gen Zers who had looked for a job within the past year, found that 70% of them asked their parents for assistance during the job search process. More surprisingly, 25% admitted to bringing their parents to job interviews—something career experts strongly advise against.

The Dangers of Parental Over-Involvement

While it’s natural for parents to want to support their children, career experts caution that too much involvement, especially in professional settings, can backfire. Tobon explains that bringing a parent to an interview can come across as unprofessional and reflect poorly on the applicant. “It could be seen as the person lacking independence or not taking initiative in their career journey,” he warns. Employers may question the credibility and maturity of the candidate if they see a parent too involved in the hiring process. Tobon emphasizes the importance of letting Gen Zers take control of their professional development while parents offer support from a distance. It’s about striking the right balance between guidance and independence.

How Parents Can Help Without Overstepping

While parents should avoid direct involvement in interviews or recruiter interactions, they can still play an important role in their child’s job search by offering valuable resources and advice. According to Tobon, parents can help their children prepare for interviews by practicing with them, as interviewing is a skill that improves with repetition. Additionally, parents can open doors for networking opportunities, offer introductions to mentors, or share job opportunities from their professional networks.

“Parents can help rehearse interviews, connect them with their network, or find scholarship opportunities that might be relevant,” says Tobon. He also advises parents to assist with resume reviews and application prep but with caution. The survey found that 16% of Gen Zers had their parents submit job applications on their behalf—a practice that experts strongly discourage. “Parents can collaborate on building out a resume or application, but they shouldn’t apply on behalf of their child. After all, they’re not the ones who will sit in the interview.”

Setting Boundaries: What Parents Shouldn’t Do

One of the key pieces of advice for parents is never to contact the recruiter or hiring manager on behalf of their child. Such actions can seriously damage the candidate’s chances of getting hired. “Contacting the recruiter is a sure way to have your child’s resume thrown out,” Tobon explains. It undermines the candidate’s ability to stand independently and signals to employers that they may not be capable of managing workplace responsibilities independently.

Parents can provide meaningful support during the job search process for Gen Zers by offering guidance, practicing interview skills, and expanding networking opportunities—without taking over. By allowing young adults to navigate the job search process themselves, they build the independence and credibility needed to succeed professionally.