Kevin O'Leary Slams The Trend Of Parents At Job Interviews. 'Do You Want Me To Hire Your Mother Or You?'
Kevin O'Leary Slams The Trend Of Parents At Job Interviews. 'Do You Want Me To Hire Your Mother Or You?'
Adrian VolenikWed, March 4, 2026 at 2:01 AM UTC
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A significant number of Gen Z workers are bringing their parents into the hiring process, and investor Kevin O'Leary of “Shark Tank” fame isn't having it. “Do you want me to hire your mother or you?” he said on Fox Business recently about what his reaction would be.
He added that if a parent appeared in a job interview, the resume would “go right into the garbage.”
O'Leary described a Zoom interview where a parent joined the call. “This isn't going to work, guys,” he said he told the candidate. “Your mom is not going to be part of this discussion. We're going to have to shut her down or you're not going to get this role.”
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Survey Shows Heavy Parental Involvement
According to a recent survey from ResumeTemplates.com of 831 full-time Gen Z workers, parental involvement during job searches is far more common than many employers might expect. The data shows that 77% of respondents brought a parent to a job interview, and 53% had a parent speak directly with a hiring manager.
The numbers go beyond just showing up.
Thirty-one percent said a parent wrote their entire resume, 29% said a parent wrote their cover letter and 63% said a parent submitted job applications for them. Nearly half said a parent completed a test assignment, and 41% had a parent handle an initial human resources screening call.
Even after getting hired, involvement often continues. Eighty-six percent said their parents review performance evaluations. Seventy-nine percent said their parents communicate with their manager. Nearly three-quarters said they get help completing work assignments and 57% have brought their parents to their workplace.
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ResumeTemplates Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre said parents can provide helpful guidance behind the scenes. But she warned that direct participation can undermine credibility and stunt professional growth.
For O'Leary, the issue is independence. “I want to find out if you can think independently, make decisions independently,” he told Fox Business. He called parental participation a “big red flag” and a “horrific signal” that the applicant lacks confidence or execution skills.
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He also criticized overbearing parents who believe they're adding value. “This is just a curse on their children,” he said. “It's a really, really bad idea.”
The disconnect highlights a broader generational tension. Many young workers grew up with highly involved parents who helped manage academics, schedules and extracurriculars. In the workplace, however, employers often expect autonomy from day one.
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That expectation of independence also shows up in business. Brands that stand on their own, without constant oversight, tend to attract stronger long-term investor confidence. Atari, for example, is now extending its brand into the real world with a construction-ready Atari Hotel in downtown Phoenix. The project blends gaming, live events and hospitality into one destination. Through a Regulation A+ offering, investors can buy in starting at $500, with targeted returns that include a 15% preferred return and a projected 5.8x multiple.
For employers like O'Leary, bringing a parent to an interview doesn't signal support. It signals dependence. And in a competitive hiring market, that can result in missed opportunities.
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