Surveys show bad behavior when it comes to job hunting. A survey of over 1400 Gen Zers showed abundant reliance on parents for their job search. For instance, the survey showed:
- 25 percent brought their parents to interviews
- 70 percent asked their parents for help with job hunting
- Out of those 76 percent of mothers and 45 percent of fathers helped out
- 17 percent had parents submit job applications for them
- 34 percent said they had a parent do the job application because they were unmotivated.
On the surface, these are depressing statistics, but they don’t seem to match what I see in my life. Are all these youngsters stuck in terminal childhood with mommy (and the survey showed it was more likely mom) taking charge of life into their 20s?
Or is the problem exaggerated?
Who is at fault here?
First, the concept of the younger generation being inept is something every adult says about the new generation, and has probably been said since the dawn of time. (Adam to Eve: ‘Our boys just don’t have the work ethic we did! Why do we put in 60 hours a week tending the Garden of Eden? Now, look at them—lollygagging around!’)
To keep reading, click here: Gen Z: helpless or just asking for help?
Re millennials accused of job hopping (which I assume will plague Gen Z as well):
I’m Gen X. The reason for the job hopping is that companies no longer hold onto workers the way they once did. Pensions are gone, training is scarce to non-existent, and the only way to move up or learn more in many cases is to change jobs. Employers these days demand loyalty, but they won’t give workers any support, and when the chips are down, they will cut them at the drop of a hat.
Maybe I’m feeling a little petty because I just got laid off due to a slowdown, but this is reality now and I’m not the only one who has noticed it or been affected by it. Gen Z is going to have to deal with it, but they and other job seekers should absolutely not be blamed for it (not that you’re doing it, just in general).
I’m Gen X as well but have been accused of hanging onto my current job too long (14 years this month). I wonder if this means I am old wood or that someone wants my job and can’t have it as long as I am here. I am mortified that someone would allow a parent to be involved in any way let alone bring one to an interview.
This is it exactly, Me. I worked at an engineering company where the leadership would moan about how the young engineers would finally be trained and then would leave the company.
I pointed out that it took five years to get to three weeks’ of vacation (starting vacation was two weeks, even for very experienced hires) and there was no pension plan. What on earth was the company doing to make itself attractive as a career destination as opposed to a starter job?