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Gen Z Jobseekers Are Bringing Parents to Interviews, Employers Say: ‘Unprepared’

Published on 7 months ago

Helicopter parenting has reached a new level.

Employers are going above and beyond to not hire recent college graduates in favor of older workers, a new survey found.

The survey uncovered many reasons why older applicants are preferred — including that Gen Z jobseekers are even bringing mom and dad to interviews.

In December, Intelligent, an online magazine focused on student life, surveyed 800 managers, directors and executives involved in the hiring process.

It found that 39% of employers actively avoid hiring recent college graduates for roles they’re qualified for.

Out of the 800 people surveyed, a startling one in five (19%) said a recent college graduate brought a parent with them to their job interview.

Gen Z jobseekers are bringing parents to interviews, employers say: ‘Unprepared’

But that’s not the only aspect stopping employers from hiring Gen Z applicants.

One in five employers say that recent college graduates are “unprepared” for interviews — and are often unprofessional.

The survey uncovered many reasons why older applicants are preferred — including that Gen Z jobseekers are bringing mom and dad to interviews.

Fifty-three percent of employers surveyed said that recent college graduates struggle with eye contact, 50% said they ask for unreasonable compensation, 47% said they don’t dress appropriately for interviews, and 21% said they refuse to turn their cameras on for virtual interviews.

But Diane M. Gayeski, a professor of strategic communications at Ithaca College, suggested that these behaviors aren’t entirely their fault — a lot of it is circumstantial.

Parents are now planning ‘play dates’ for their adult children to help them find friends

“Employers need to recognize that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people graduating from college had more than two years of disruption in their education as well as their social and professional development,” Gayeski said in the report. “Current seniors were in their freshman year at the height of COVID. They likely took classes online and were unable to participate in clubs, internships or summer jobs.”

Additionally, 63% of those involved in hiring claimed tht recent college grads can’t manage their workload, 61% said they are frequently late to work, 59% claimed they often miss deadlines, and 53% noted that they are frequently late to meetings.

Employers aren’t exactly fans of Gen Z’s attitudes, either.

Fifty-eight percent said Gen Z jobseekers get offended too easily and are unprepared for the workforce in general, 63% said they are entitled, 57% believed they lack professionalism, 55% said they don’t respond well to constructive feedback, and 52% claimed they have poor communication skills.

Of those surveyed, 47% admitted that they had fired a recent college graduate.
Of those surveyed, 47% admitted that they had fired a recent college graduate.

Meanwhile, employers are pursuing great lengths to avoid hiring a recent graduate, including offering more benefits for older employees (60%), paying higher salaries to older employees (59%), allowing older workers to work remotely or in a hybrid environment (48%) and hiring older employees for roles they’re overqualified for (46%).

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