Recruiting the Parents

There is a very interesting article in the most recent addition of Fast Company that explains how businesses in India must “recruit” the parents of their intended hires. And while the percentage of young workers in their 20s and 30s that live with their parents is far higher in India than in the United States, it would seem that there’s a recruiting angle here that could be important in the years to come.

In addition to the increasing number of U.S. companies that are outsourcing positions to India, the parental influence among Indian workers living in the U.S. should be a significant concern for recruiters as well.
Perks for parents in India include gym memberships, interest-free loans, and a personalized dialogue regarding their child’s successes in the workplace. Parents in India often hold great sway over the professional decisions of their children, even well into their adult years.
Although the family-centric culture in India may be extreme by our standards, there is a trend toward greater parental control in this country. Helicopter parents (Link to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_parent) are omnipresent and highly involved throughout the schooling of their children and it would only seem natural that this would carry over into career choices – especially the positions chosen immediately upon entering the workforce.
At this point, recruiting talent in the U.S. doesn’t require too much concern for the parents, but at some point pleasing Mom and Dad may be just as important as the six-figure salary for securing top talent.
Michael Wist
www.insourced.com
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This CollegeRecruiter.com Blogswap article is courtesy of Recruiting.com and CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students and recent graduates who are searching for internships and entry level jobs.