When Helicopter Parenting Enters the Workfoce

So. Junior is out of college and going into the workforce. What's a helicopter parent to do?

a) Let the young adult gain independence and navigate his own way through life
b) Talk to HR to see if he can get a better salary. A little nudge can't hurt!

From NPR's All Things Considered:

Margaret Fiester of the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, says when it comes to parents acting as lobbyists, she's heard it all — from parents calling to negotiate better salaries or vacation time for their kids to complaining when their child isn't hired. "Surely you've overlooked these wonderful qualities that my child has," Fiester says parents often tell her.

Michigan State University surveyed more than 700 employers seeking to hire recent college graduates. Nearly one-third said parents had submitted resumes on their child's behalf, some without even informing the child. One-quarter reported hearing from parents urging the employer to hire their son or daughter for a position. Four percent of respondents reported that a parent actually showed up for the candidate's job interview.

Link (Photo: Shutterstock)


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I've been working in higher education for over 20 years. I've heard stories about inappropriate parent behavior related to the child's workforce and it is depressing. I'm not saying that parents should not provide assistance because there may be times when this is suitable. But trying to keep a college-graduate child from experiencing any discomfort while job searching or working may stifle that child's ability to complete tasks on her/his own. Being an employee is very different from being a student. While a college or school may need to communicate and interact with parents in a certain way to keep the student enrolled, an employer has no such need when it comes to employees. Developing resilience is a critical skill in these uncertain times.
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I am a librarian at a university library. I don't know how many times I have had to deal with parents trying to get their kids out of fines or whatnot. Come on, parents, your kids are adults! Stop hovering!
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the npr story talked about how people need to accept the behavior of these parents and find ways to turn it into a positive situation

i disagree

helicopter parents are patronizing and ultimately self absorbed

if you really care about your kid you will have enough foresight to recognize how such erratic behavior will negatively influence your childs life and learn to hold it back

i mean seriously people
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