Helicopter Parents, Leave Millennial Workers Alone

A photo from Ogilvy PR's "Take Your Parents to Work Day." (CC) OgilvyPRWorldwide

NPR recently published a piece on a growing phenomenon that disturbs this millennial: helicopter parents interfering in the workplace. These well-meaning parents assist in their child’s job search by submitting resumes or calling human resources departments to negotiate a better salary. Michigan State University researchers found that, of the 700 employees they polled, 31 percent indicated that parents submitted a resume on behalf of their child. And 25 percent said that parents contacted the company imploring them to hire their kid. Seriously?

I’m so thankful that I had parents who pushed me to succeed in a way that enabled me to act independently. When it came time to job-hunt, they coached me on negotiation tips and interview talking points, and then left me alone to conduct my own business. Afterward, I’d recount the whole conversation, and I’d get more feedback for the next time. I didn’t get every job I applied for, but I learned from every blunder and got better.

Millennials learn by doing. When helicopter parents are doing all the work, there’s no opportunity left to learn.