Gen Z Parents Are ‘Career Co-Piloting’ Their Kids — Joining Interviews, Contacting Employers, and Negotiating Salaries

Move over, helicopter parenting. ‘Career Co-Piloting’ is the new way parents are navigating their kids’ jobs. A new survey from career site Zety found that 44% of Gen Z workers say their parents helped write or edit their resume. One in five had a parent contact a potential employer or recruiter on their behalf. And a surprising 20% had a parent join a job interview—15% in person, 5% virtually.

Parental involvement extends to negotiations, too: 10% had parents negotiate directly with employers, while another 18% received advice on pay and benefits. Gen Zers do draw a line when it comes to contacting their bosses — 55% would feel embarrassed if parents reached out to their boss without permission.

Depending on how you look at it, the findings either point to smart collaborative career planning or a failure to launch. Shark Tank‘s Mr. Wonderful is not a fan.