Companies are reaching out to parents to woo a generation of college students raised by ever-more-involved parents. Merrill Lynch & Co. invited interns’ parents to visit company offices. Ernst & Young LLP is packaging company information for parents. Vanguard Group Inc. sends letters to recruits’ parents and has advertised on the parents sections of college Web sites. Deloitte & Touche and other big recruiters are weighing similar moves.

And it gets worse

Vanguard in recent years has noticed many calls from parents inquiring about how their children can apply, or trying to negotiate the terms of a child’s offer. Karen Fox, Vanguard’s manager of college relations and recruiting, says she initially wasn’t sure what to make of it. Ultimately, she says, “we started to say, ‘Well, how can we embrace it?’” 

Wow — there are so many issues with this.  Lets break it down and look at each of the players…

Parents: 

• Don’t parents want their kids to start making their own decision — seems to me like you did a good job if your children can and want to make their own decisions.

Companies: 

• Are these companies recruiting the right type of candidates; if candidates require the assistance of their parents to make decisions why would you think they will have the confidence and independence to make important decisions on the job?

Candidates:

• If your parents are interfering in the recruiting process tell your parents to get out of the way (nicely, of course)
• You will feel better about your decision if you are the one making the call. 

I will think twice before buying a Vanguard or Merrill Lynch mutual fund.