Generation Y and Helicopter Parents - Graduate Survey

Gen Y graduates welcome parental interest and support for their careers but are less happy when the interest spills over into interference, according to the latest poll undertaken by the Graduate Recruitment Bureau (GRB).

According to the 600 students and graduates who participated in the survey, only 18% of parents show little or no interest in careers while 43% show a lot of interest. A third of the participants felt that parents showed a lot of interest and wanted to get involved in whatever way they can.

Students by and large welcome their parentsí interest with only 4% wishing their parents would leave careers issues well alone. However, when it came to parents getting actively involved in their careers, students were more divided in their views. 26% welcomed the involvement and 36% tolerated it but one in four wished that their parents would not get involved.

Faced with a number of scenarios based on actual cases of parents getting involved, the consensus was almost entirely hostile to parents being ëhands-oní. For example, 58% would be unhappy with parents accompanying them to careers fairs, 87% would object to parents negotiating salaries with employers, a massive 97% would resist parents attending job interviews and almost as many (96%) would not want their parents to question an employer as to why their child might have been overlooked for promotion.

Commenting on the findings, GRBís co-founder, Dan Hawes, said ìThere has been a lot of publicity lately about helicopter parents who hover over their children even after graduation from university. The results of this survey suggest that the graduates themselves take a very sensible view on parental involvement. They welcome their interest and support but strongly disapprove of parents being too hands-on. They certainly like them to help behind the scenes but they make sure they have the last word!î

Dan added, ìThis will come as a relief to employers who understandably expect ëtwentysomethingsí to be able to take control of their own life and career without relying on parents to fight their corner for them.î