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Gen Z’s Job Hunt: A Family Affair?

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Two women sitting at a wooden table, one writing in a notebook in front of a laptop, with green curtains and a plant in the background.

In a surprising twist on traditional job search tactics, Gen Z is rewriting the rules of interviewing by bringing a plus-one to their job interviews: their parents. A survey by ResumeTemplates.com revealed 25% of Gen Z job seekers have their parents in tow during interviews, while 70% seek parental guidance throughout their job search.

Bar chart titled 'How Parents Attended Their Child's In-Person Interviews' with four categories: accompanied to office (40%), sat in interview (30%), introduced to manager (25%), answered questions (10%). Sample size: 311. Source: ResumeTemplates.

Parental involvement doesn’t stop at moral support. Of Gen Z job seekers, 16% have their job applications submitted by their parents, and 1 in 10 even outsource their resume writing to mom and dad. Of Gen Zers who asked for help in their recent job search, 69% say that they have since found a job.

Horizontal bar chart titled 'How Gen Zers Ask For Help With Job Applications' showing Resume (55%), Cover Letter (50%), and Emails (35%) from a sample of 1,428. Source: ResumeTemplates.

Main factors leading Gen Z to request their parents to fill out and send their applications are believing their parents’ work is better (46%), lacking communication skills with hiring managers (34%), being unmotivated (32%), and poor mental health (22%).

Bar chart titled 'Reasons Gen Zers Ask Their Parents to Complete Their Job Applications' showing four reasons: parents' work is better (45%), unsure how to address managers (35%), lack of motivation (30%), poor mental health (25%). Sample size: 239. Source: ResumeTemplates.

The trends among Gen Z job seekers emphasize the evolving nature of the employment landscape, as well as the significance of having supportive networks while seeking professional roles. It’s imperative for employers to observe these trends, considering the distinct views and requirements of this new generation of workers.

Promotional image featuring a man sitting at a laptop in a desert-like setting appearing stressed, with a message about job search support by Express Employment Professionals on the left side. Text says "Feel Alone in Your Job Search? One job application with Express gives you access to multiple top employers in your area. Express Employment Professionals, Connect with Express"

Last Updated on September 4, 2025

1 comment

  1. In my opinion, parents are not helping their children become independent and contributing members of society if they are attending job interviews with their child. Helping them prepare ahead of time by role playing an interview? Sure. Assisting with some questions on an application? Sure. Attending the interview and answering questions from the interviewer on behalf of their child? Absolutely not. If an adult child (18+ yrs) is not able to do the required activities to get a job on their own, how will they function once they have a job? I am a parent of two college-aged kids. I understand the desire to help but as parents we must know when we cross the line into enabling our kids to be overly dependent on us. It’s okay to nudge them forward and provide support in the background, but stay in the background.

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