Published February 28, 2026, 7:00 a.m. EST
‘Shark Tank’ Star Calls Practice ‘A Horrible Signal’ After Experiencing It Firsthand During Zoom Call A growing number of hiring managers say they’re seeing a surprising new trend among Gen Z candidates: bringing a parent into the role. job interview processsometimes even on Zoom calls.
“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary joined FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.» to weigh in on the practice and what it signals to employers.
For O’Leary, the problem lies not in generational stereotypes, but in independence. In today’s day competitive job marketAccording to him, employers are looking for candidates who can think, decide and execute for themselves. When a parent walks into the room, he says, their independence is immediately called into question.
“First question I would ask the son or daughter, I would say, ‘Do you want me to hire your mother or you? What is she doing here?'” O’Leary said, “That resume is going straight into the trash at one of my operations.”
He said the situation happened to him recently during a virtual interview.
“This happened to me on a Zoom call, and I just said this is not going to work… Your mother is not going to be part of this discussion,” he said.
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Beyond optics, O’Leary sees the move as a wake-up call for employers assessing risk.
“It means you can’t do this on your own…It’s a horrible signal,” O’Leary said, calling it a “really, really bad idea.”
“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary speaking at a hearing in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Getty Images)
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