As much as parents love their children, they can overstep the bounds when it comes to job interviews. An OfficeTeam survey showed a lot of parents are trying to help — and not in a good way.
They call it “helicopter parenting.” We say it’s bad news for kids trying to land a job.
The poll was based on questions to 1,300 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the United States and Canada.
Here’s what executives called the most unusual or surprising behavior they heard from a parent on behalf of their child who was seeking a job:
- One parent wanted to sit in during the interview.
- A parent called a politician to push me to hire his son.
- A mother submitted her daughter’s resume on her behalf.
- Someone stopped an employer at a grocery store to ask that person to hire her child.
- A parent called to ask about a job applicant’s work schedule and salary.
- A parent called during the interview to try to push me to hire her daughter.
- I received a call from a father asking about the status of his son’s application.
- A parent came by my desk and told me that he expected his daughter to get preference for a position since he was a manager at the company
- A mother called to ask how her child did in the job interview.
- A parent called to find out why we did not hire her son and why we felt he was not qualified.
“Although most parents mean well, those who become overly-involved in a child’s job search can derail their son or daughter’s prospects of being hired because companies may question the applicant’s level of independence and maturity,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “New graduates should steer their parents away from direct contact with potential employers and toward behind-the-scenes guidance and networking assistance.”
Want the latest on O.C. jobs? Text OCRJOBS to 56654 to get free O.C. job news alerts.
Did you miss these other recent stories on jobs and the economy:
- 3 in 5 of newly laid off find jobs
- Biggest occupations, lowest wages
- How’s your pay? O.C. averages $975 a week
- Poll: Does $250,000 make you rich?
- Which college major pays $67,000 a year?
- Which grads are getting the most job offers?
- New bill could cut long-term unemployment
- O.C. lawyers make top 10 list for pay
- Is work making you fat?
- California 99ers top 402,000
- Orange County to add 100,000 job by 2014
- Missed chance? Texas gets 500+ GE rail jobs
- 5 ways to really annoy your boss
- O.C. 50th for job growth — Forbes
- Campaign launched for ‘Gasoline is too damn high’
- No help for workers on high gas prices
- Mexico trade pact cost U.S. nearly 700,000 jobs
- 20% of hiring managers expect a thank-you note
- Think you have stress? Try these jobs
- Residents bummed about California dream
- Top turnoffs in job interviews
- Apple store worker confesses all
- Mystery solved: how bosses find new workers
- Hyundai severance goof no joke
