How Far Some Parents Will Go to Get a Job - For Their Kids

Peter Dazeley | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images

Remember when we were young, a million years ago, and we couldn't wait to leave home and strike out on our own?

Two things have changed.

Our children can't find jobs.

Our children can find jobs, but they don’t like them.

My daughter is about to graduate college and is in the midst of applying for full-time work. I'm not worried. She's worked since high school, and she actually juggled two jobs plus internships and a full class load this final year. The idea of living at home repulses her because of my cooking and her father's rules, both great incentives to finding her own way in the world.

The good news is that more than half of recent college graduates say they have full-time jobs, according to Adecco's 2012 Graduation Survey.

Still, about that same number claims parents are covering some of their living expenses, things like cell phone bills, internet access, food, and health coverage. Two percent of these college grads say their parents are footing their entire living expenses. That's one in 50 kids (I think the real number is higher based on personal observation).

Some parents are not content to help pay the bills. They’re going to great lengths to help Junior get a job.

According to Adecco, nearly a third of parents are helping their kids find work, and nearly one in ten are taking them to job interviews.

But that's not all.

Three percent of recent college grads say their parents have actually sat in with them during interviews, and one percent claim Mom or Dad wrote their thank you notes afterwards.

Sons are more likely than daughters to ask for help, especially when it comes to writing resumes or cover letters. About one in ten young men get such help, compared to one in 25 young women. These are probably the same kids whose mothers and fathers "helped" them write book reports and make dioramas in grade school.

Once they are offered jobs, three out of four recent grads expect to get good health benefits and job security. Good luck with that, kids!

What are deal killers?

Nearly one in four say they would not take a job they were otherwise interested in if they could not make or receive personal phone calls at work. Twelve percent say they wouldn't work at a place that wouldn't let them check in on Twitter or Facebook. Finally, my favorite, five percent—one in 20 recent grads—say they wouldn't take a job where they couldn’t shop online, and the same amount would say no to employment where they couldn't check sports scores.

Oh, America.

On the upside, 58 percent of those surveyed, or nearly three out of five, would take a job that interested them even if it meant no personal calls, mails, texting, shopping, ESPN, or Words with Friends. Which means they might actually get some work done.

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