Parents are submitting applications, attending interviews, and contacting managers on behalf of young Gen Z workers

, /PRNewswire/ – A new ResumeTemplates.com survey of 1,000 Gen Z adults ages 18 to 23 who have searched for a job within the last two years finds parents are frequently involved in early-career job searches and workplace interactions. Many respondents report parents submitting applications, sitting in on interviews, completing test assignments, and contacting managers on their behalf. Gen Z men consistently report higher repeat parental involvement than women.

Gen Z Job Seekers Say Parents Repeatedly Intervened During the Job Search The survey finds that parental involvement is often repeated, not occasional. More than half of Gen Z respondents say parents submitted applications (64%), completed test assignments (51%), and sat in on in-person interviews multiple times (51%).

Gen Z Men Report Higher Repeat Parental Involvement Than Women Across job-search behaviors, men are more likely than women to report repeat parental involvement. About 70% of men say parents submitted applications on their behalf, compared to 59% of women. Men also more often report parents wrote emails on their behalf multiple times (61% vs. 52%) and joined multiple in-person interviews (57% vs. 47%).

Among Employed Gen Zers, Many Say Parents Repeatedly Contact Managers Among employed Gen Z respondents, 80% say a parent has communicated with their manager at least once, including 67% who report multiple instances. When parents communicate with managers, the most common topic is schedule or hours (58%), followed by workplace accommodations (38%).

Parents Say Involvement Is Requested In a companion survey of 181 parents, most describe their involvement as requested by their child. Parents commonly cite a difficult job market, inexperience, and anxiety as reasons for stepping in. About 71% say their child asked them to be involved at the level they were, while 25% say they offered help and their child welcomed it.

"Parental involvement in early-career job searches isn’t uncommon," says ResumeTemplates.com Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre. "Most high schools don’t teach career readiness skills, and while colleges have career offices, those resources are often underused, especially in the early years. In that gap, parents often step in to provide support."

Methodology: This survey was conducted in January 2026 by ResumeTemplates.com using the Pollfish platform. The survey included 1,000 Gen Z adults ages 18 to 23 who have searched for a job within the past two years. An additional survey was conducted among 181 parents of Gen Z adults ages 18 to 23 who reported significant involvement in at least one aspect of their child’s job search.

The full report is available here: https://www.resumetemplates.com/gen-z-men-have-their-parents-join-interviews-handle-negotiations-and-complete-work-assignments-at-alarming-rates/

ABOUT RESUMETEMPLATES.COM ResumeTemplates.com offers a comprehensive selection of free, industry-specific resume templates tailored to meet the needs of various job seekers. The website also provides expert advice, resume examples, and resources to support every step of the job application process. For more information, visit:https://www.resumetemplates.com

SOURCE ResumeTemplates.com