Do employers discriminate when hiring if your parents paid your entire college education vs you? (costs, school)

[greeniirishgirl]

My husband and I are in a disagreement regarding employment opportunities for our kids post college graduation... I think employers tend to prefer that a college grad funded either their entire education or at least part of it and carried a job while in school. My husband feels we should pay for every little thing and does not believe any of our kids may be discriminated against because 'mommy & daddy' paid for school. To me it shows a lack of real world exposure and I tend to agree that someone who contributes to their education is less likely to have an attitude of 'give me' or 'I deserve to make', etc., whatever. Any thoughts from employers or people who have been subject to this?

PS - I know many of the pharmaceutical companies ask potential candidates who funded their education......

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by greeniirishgirl

My husband and I are in a disagreement regarding employment opportunities for our kids post college graduation... I think employers tend to prefer that a college grad funded either their entire education or at least part of it and carried a job while in school. My husband feels we should pay for every little thing and does not believe any of our kids may be discriminated against because 'mommy & daddy' paid for school. To me it shows a lack of real world exposure and I tend to agree that someone who contributes to their education is less likely to have an attitude of 'give me' or 'I deserve to make', etc., whatever. Any thoughts from employers or people who have been subject to this?

PS - I know many of the pharmaceutical companies ask potential candidates who funded their education......

I'm an employer. I have never asked, nor even considered asking, this type of question. And quite frankly, I don't know any other employer that would

[shuke]

I think employers are a lot more interested in what the candidate can do for them than anything else. And they are likely to look at the almighty GPA as the best indicator of ability for someone straight out of college with no work experience. And I've never heard of any employer considering the kid paying for his own education as either positive or negative.

[crbcrbrgv]

Employees are much more concerned whether or not you ACT like mom and dad handed you everything. If mom and dad handed you everything yet you still go into the interview appearing self-sufficient and spry, you get the job.

[katenik]

why would a prospective employer have cause to know?

[greeniirishgirl]

I posted the original question - we have five children, all in college, all on our dime. Two of our kids have interviewed with pharmaceutical companies and both of them have been asked who funds/funded their education. One replied that her parents did and the other asked the relevance of the question. It was explained to him by the zone director conducting the interview that statistically, individuals who fund some or all of their education show more initiative, appreciate and display a significantly higher/stronger work ethic, VS someone who had it all handed to them. As a parent, I can see where the interviewer is coming from. Fortunately most of our kids have worked at least part time all through their college years to offset their incidental costs, etc.
We have another son interviewing next week with a Fortune 500 engineering company and the recruiter he is going through told him to expect to be asked that question too. Possibly this is something new in interviewing and screening candidates. I'm not saying I agree with the pharma people that all kids who have their education paid for are lazy, unappreciative and possess a lesser work ethic, but it appears this may be one more way of weeding out a strong applicant base when all the candidates may appear equally strong in everything else.
Thanks for everyone's input

[momma4]

Very interesting......I will pass this information on to my children who are in University on our dime too. They are supposed to get part time jobs to help fund their living expenses. Maybe this will help them see things from a different perspective and that it's not just me wanting them to get a job. Thanks for your post!

[FarNorthDallas]

Yes, there seems to be something...not great... about the folks coming into the labor pool in the last few years. They show no intiative, need constant praising, lack confidence, are not risk takers, don't have a very strong work ethic, can't think outside the box, complain about the littlest things (everything is "not fair") and they don't understand you have to work your way up.

Maybe these firms think the ones who had to participate more directly with funding their educations won't be like these other employees.

[Chinolala]

I'm an employer and have never asked that question. However, I agree with you that I think it's a good "life lesson' for young adults to at least contribute to the cost of their education. There seems to be a new way of parenting that has developed in the last 30 years or so. Parents seem to feel responsible for purchasing cars, paying auto insurance and funding college. Back in the 80's when I went to college, most of my peers worked while they went to school full time and then worked over holiday break and in the summer. Everyone drove a crappy car that they bought themselves. And it's that same group of people that are now adults, that feel the need to buy their children everything. There seems to be pressure of being judged by other parents if you they don't do this. As if they'll be looked upon as bad parents or something. As an employer who employs many people that recently graduated from college and moved back home with their parents, I can attest that these employees are spending their paychecks on socializing and tangible items. They're not working to pay bills and to survive. If they lose their job, they're living at home and have a roof over their heads and will take their time finding another one. I see this a lot. So in conclusion, I'm with you. I would never ask how someone funded their education, however, I would have a bit more respect for someone who helped pay for it.

[CarolinaCruzes]

I am not sure they can legally ask that question.