Comments on: Twentysomething: In praise of the helicopter parent http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:26:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: GenY Identity Crisis « So-Called Millennial http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-256710 GenY Identity Crisis « So-Called Millennial Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:52:31 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-256710 [...] lately is that this nature results in Gen Y having a difficult time making decisions. They have had their parents making decisions for them for most of their childhood, and they crowdsource decisions as adults, so when they must make a [...] [...] lately is that this nature results in Gen Y having a difficult time making decisions. They have had their parents making decisions for them for most of their childhood, and they crowdsource decisions as adults, so when they must make a [...]

]]> By: What Gen Yers don’t know about themselves | Penelope Trunk « catherinealdana http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-256391 What Gen Yers don’t know about themselves | Penelope Trunk « catherinealdana Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:10:26 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-256391 [...] lately is that this nature results in Gen Y having a difficult time making decisions. They have had their parents making decisions for them for most of their childhood, and they crowdsource decisions as adults, so when they must make a [...] [...] lately is that this nature results in Gen Y having a difficult time making decisions. They have had their parents making decisions for them for most of their childhood, and they crowdsource decisions as adults, so when they must make a [...]

]]> By: brandi http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-245794 brandi Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:31:57 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-245794 Well that's not the kids fault Well that's not the kids fault

]]> By: Career advice: How to Help, or Not! http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-234573 Career advice: How to Help, or Not! Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:40:43 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-234573 [...] seekers and professionals.  Mr. Healy wrote a piece a few years ago that caught our attention: “In Praise Of Helicopter Parents.”  He noted that parents could provide some help: Obviously, at some point we millennials need [...] [...] seekers and professionals.  Mr. Healy wrote a piece a few years ago that caught our attention: “In Praise Of Helicopter Parents.”  He noted that parents could provide some help: Obviously, at some point we millennials need [...]

]]> By: Hernan Cortes http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-216234 Hernan Cortes Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:12:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-216234 Ryan, as I understand your article and your various follow up comments on the subject, you fundamentally fail to understand what an "agent" is in the context of "negotiating salary" etc. for a prospective hire. Your symptomatic delusions as to how capitalism works are what we, as commenters, are trying to warn you and your uninformed readers about. An employer, sports team, etc. consents to negotiate with an agent because 1. there is a (perceived) limited talent pool and 2. the employer is pre-disposed to value the specific candidate. Most entry level positions don't fulfill these conditions. Because of this scarcity and interest, the unique candidate can put forth an agent to negotiate on his or her behalf. The ability to employ an agent in negotiation is, again, an implicit indicator of a uniquely high level of value of the candidate in a given situation. As an employer, I want to get the best deal for myself. Having a pesky parent call to nickel and dime me and waste my time about an entry level role just sounds pathetic and is a non-starter. And frankly that is my real concern - it's consuming enough keeping a business running. You're adding to my plate by asking me to coddle parents as well?! That where the candidate oversteps his or her station - by making me do more work to hire them. Think about that. I'm not going to wring my hands and bewail the death of traditional America. If you think you can get a better deal by having your parents call a hiring manager, go for it! It may work in some cases - why not?! However, your argument undermines itself to a certain extent. If EVERYONE's parent calls in, then how would an employer decide who to hire? We're then back to square one - highest value add for the money. Considering that at the entry level, which you focus on, the pay range is not great in absolute terms. A successful parent then would have to throw around their own contacts and resources to further entice the employer who must choose in the ideal case between two substantially equal candidates. As noted by other commenters above, there is a naked elitism in this equation. But so be it. Certainly, parents have called on friends to get their children jobs since the beginning of time. What you seem to be arguing for is an elimination of this insider track whereby ALL parents felt empowered to call in and offer a value add to be considered along with their child's hire. Just saying, "My Johnny deserves better," is going to be met with laughter. But calling and out-competing all the other hand-wringing parents by saying that they would sign up as a client with my company is a whole different ball game. Theoretically, I would listen to a parent who distinguishes their child's candidacy by a commitment to my bottom line. Whether that is legal under equal opportunity laws is an entirely different matter. Ryan, as I understand your article and your various follow up comments on the subject, you fundamentally fail to understand what an "agent" is in the context of "negotiating salary" etc. for a prospective hire. Your symptomatic delusions as to how capitalism works are what we, as commenters, are trying to warn you and your uninformed readers about. An employer, sports team, etc. consents to negotiate with an agent because 1. there is a (perceived) limited talent pool and 2. the employer is pre-disposed to value the specific candidate. Most entry level positions don't fulfill these conditions. Because of this scarcity and interest, the unique candidate can put forth an agent to negotiate on his or her behalf. The ability to employ an agent in negotiation is, again, an implicit indicator of a uniquely high level of value of the candidate in a given situation.
As an employer, I want to get the best deal for myself. Having a pesky parent call to nickel and dime me and waste my time about an entry level role just sounds pathetic and is a non-starter. And frankly that is my real concern – it's consuming enough keeping a business running. You're adding to my plate by asking me to coddle parents as well?! That where the candidate oversteps his or her station – by making me do more work to hire them. Think about that.
I'm not going to wring my hands and bewail the death of traditional America. If you think you can get a better deal by having your parents call a hiring manager, go for it! It may work in some cases – why not?! However, your argument undermines itself to a certain extent. If EVERYONE's parent calls in, then how would an employer decide who to hire? We're then back to square one – highest value add for the money. Considering that at the entry level, which you focus on, the pay range is not great in absolute terms. A successful parent then would have to throw around their own contacts and resources to further entice the employer who must choose in the ideal case between two substantially equal candidates. As noted by other commenters above, there is a naked elitism in this equation. But so be it. Certainly, parents have called on friends to get their children jobs since the beginning of time. What you seem to be arguing for is an elimination of this insider track whereby ALL parents felt empowered to call in and offer a value add to be considered along with their child's hire. Just saying, "My Johnny deserves better," is going to be met with laughter. But calling and out-competing all the other hand-wringing parents by saying that they would sign up as a client with my company is a whole different ball game. Theoretically, I would listen to a parent who distinguishes their child's candidacy by a commitment to my bottom line. Whether that is legal under equal opportunity laws is an entirely different matter.

]]> By: Whatever happened to privacy for its own sake? | www.James-Strocel.com http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-179531 Whatever happened to privacy for its own sake? | www.James-Strocel.com Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:44:51 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-179531 [...] and controversial. For instance, she advised that new grads should involve their parents in their Brazen Careerist, run by Penelope Trunk. She runs a consulting business instructing companies on how to attract and [...] [...] and controversial. For instance, she advised that new grads should involve their parents in their Brazen Careerist, run by Penelope Trunk. She runs a consulting business instructing companies on how to attract and [...]

]]> By: 4 Things You Might Not Know About Generation Y : ERE.net http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-171822 4 Things You Might Not Know About Generation Y : ERE.net Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:53:06 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-171822 [...] were going to, say, spend a decade using drugs and hanging out at Woodstock. The helicopter parent phenomenon is also a sign of a generation that is not rebelling. They let their parents help choose their [...] [...] were going to, say, spend a decade using drugs and hanging out at Woodstock. The helicopter parent phenomenon is also a sign of a generation that is not rebelling. They let their parents help choose their [...]

]]> By: carpe factum http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-141787 carpe factum Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:22:57 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/08/twentysomething-in-praise-of-the-helicopter-parent/#comment-141787 <strong>Who's In Your Corner?...</strong> It was a bit of a pickle for this professor to handle. I once had a student who thought her roommate was following up with me to request the exam guide for an upcoming test. Well, the roommate didn't follow... Who's In Your Corner?…

It was a bit of a pickle for this professor to handle. I once had a student who thought her roommate was following up with me to request the exam guide for an upcoming test. Well, the roommate didn't follow…

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