Lifestyle Desk
19 August 2025, 07:40 PM IST
Gen Z is flipping the script—coaching parents through job interviews and financial stability in a surprising role reversal
Representational Photo: X
New Delhi: In a surprising twist to the age-old parent-child dynamic, members of Gen Z are increasingly stepping in to help their parents prepare for job interviews, build résumés, and even learn the basics of financial stability.
Take 22-year-old Roshni Sinha from Bengaluru, for instance. While finishing her MBA, she spent evenings rehearsing mock interviews with her 48-year-old father, who lost his job during the pandemic. “I taught him how to answer common HR questions, how to talk about his achievements without underselling himself, and even how to look confident on Zoom calls,” Riya says. Within months, her father secured a managerial role in a mid-sized firm. “Honestly, it felt like giving back a fraction of what he has done for me all these years.”
Similarly, in Delhi, engineering student Tavishi Rastogi, 20, helped his mother, a homemaker for over two decades, rejoin the workforce. He created a LinkedIn profile for her, rewrote her résumé to highlight her organizational skills, and even filmed her answering practice questions. “She was nervous, but I told her it’s like prepping for an exam—you just need practice,” Aarav laughs. Last month, his mother landed a part-time admin role at a startup.
Experts say this reversal reflects Gen Z’s digital-first upbringing. Career coach Neha Sood notes, “Gen Z has grown up consuming bite-sized advice from YouTube and LinkedIn influencers. They’re applying that knowledge to help their parents, who often feel left behind in today’s fast-paced job market.”
The trend is also deeply tied to financial stability. With rising living costs, many families rely on dual incomes, and Gen Z recognizes that empowering parents is a way of securing the entire household. Priya, 24, from Pune, started teaching her parents how to budget through apps like Cred and Groww, helping them manage debt and begin investing small amounts. “It’s strange, but now they come to me for financial advice!” she says.
What was once a one-way street—parents guiding their children—has now become more of a partnership. And as Gen Z continues to grow into adulthood, the lines between teacher and learner are blurring in households across India.
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