I met this Gen Z Dad while having a late lunch. He sat next to me and looked like he had a lot on his mind, so I focused on my burger. Eventually, we introduced ourselves and I learned he owned a small company. It was when I said I was a career coach, hired by parents of struggling Gen Z adult children, that the planet shifted.
This fairly shy, pre-occupied fifty-something man, didn't stop talking - correction - didn't stop ranting for fifteen minutes.
What was new for he and his wife, and let's be honest, the whole family, was watching their Gen Z college grad move back home and, in Dad's words, "flip from hibernating to thinking he could start his own clothing design company with no experience, and then back to hibernating - rent free".
I've never met his son, but I coach his clones. As a career coach, I don't like to lead with descriptions like enabled, lazy, entitled and afraid without meeting my Gen Z client. But I made the exception for one of those attributes, 'fear'. I let Gen Z Dad know that fear can possibly be driving at least one of his unhealthy behaviors - laziness.
Imposter Syndrome has many faces and fear of being discovered as an imposter can be paralyzing for someone at his son's age and stage of life. Believing he is not good enough, and will fail when he goes for something good, can result in the hibernation his Dad is worried about.
These are some of the examples he shared with me. I've also included others that if your Gen Z child is experiencing these behaviors and struggling, do your child and your family a favor and hire a career coach to be the voice you cannot be for them.
Does your Gen Z:
👉 Say they want the job but won't accept an entry level position.
👉 Live with you rent-free eliminating any financial motivation to find their independence
👉 Express fear of failure before they ever try. Fear is not a career plan.
👉 Regret choosing the wrong degree and now feels lost and lacks guidance to find their place in the world of work
👉 Never take initiative because it never occurs to them to do so
👉 Have one of their parents letting them know how much they love, love, love having them home. Hope they never move out.
👉 Never consider or are encouraged to volunteer while they are searching for a job. This takes them outside of themselves.
👉 Rely on weed of any shape or form to get through the day. Marijuana is a known motivation killer.
👉 Have no interview skills and yet are expected to get a job.
Help your child with a professional career coach. We aren't their parents.
For more career tips find your answers in my book, Ditch Your Career Plan at https://bit.ly/3Opld2z . DM me for a complimentary 30 minute phone call to explore the benefits of 1:1 career coaching for you or your young adult child.
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