CEO says parents are messaging him to get their kids a summer internship: ‘It doesn’t make the kid look more polished’
When Scott Tannen posted on LinkedIn last week that his company is hiring for summer 2026 interns, he got several hundred applications from eager students — plus a few of their parents.
Tannen, the founder and CEO of bedding company Boll & Branch, says he’s fielded messages from strangers asking him to talk to their college-aged kid about the internship program, which is open to rising juniors and seniors.
“I found it so shocking that a parent would think that was a good look for the kids,” Tannen, 48, tells CNBC Make It, adding that this happens every year.
It’s one thing if a parent sees the openings and advises their child to apply and reach out to the CEO, he says. But when somebody messages him to say, ”‘I think really highly of your company. I want to tell you about my son. He’s this major, and he goes to this university, and he’s really bright, and would love it if you talk to him about your internship program.’ It’s like, are you serious?”
‘A parent should be an advisor and not the salesperson’
Parents pitching their kids for an internship goes against what Tannen says he looks for in a new hire: someone who is ambitious, ready to take ownership, is curious is and “truly interested in what we’re doing.”
When a parent reaches out on behalf of their child, Tannen says it could signal that the student isn’t actually interested in the opportunity, or they don’t have the confidence to pursue it themselves. That’s a sign they’re not ready to handle simple work tasks.
“If the student can’t send a simple email on their own, how are they going to handle real responsibility with real customers or real deadlines?” Tannen says. “It doesn’t make the kid look more polished. It makes them look less prepared.”
Tannen, who is the father to three college-aged daughters, understands that the early-career job market is tough, and that parents want their kids to succeed.
“Parents want to protect and help their kids,” he says, “but sending an email for them isn’t protection. It’s interference.”
“A parent should be an advisor and not the salesperson,” he adds.
What he looks for in a star intern
Despite the handful of off-putting messages, Tannen says many applicants stand out for the right reasons.
A solid cover letter is a must, he says. A good one will tell him why the applicant wants to work for the company and what they want to learn from the role. He’s seen a few where the applicant mentions having done case studies on Boll & Branch and demonstrates what they’ve learned about the company already.
Tannen says he admires students who reach out to him directly to express their interest. Emailing a CEO is “not an easy thing for a kid to do,” he says. “The way they advocate for themselves, to me, speaks volumes about what they’re going to be able to do in their career.”
I don’t really care what your experience is, because, in reality, you don’t have experience.Scott TannenFOUNDER AND CEO OF BOLL & BRANCH
As for those who get to the interview rounds, Tannen says the most important thing he looks for is someone who comes in with confidence, “the right amount of humbleness,” and an interest in learning on the job.
“Tell me what you’re excited about, what you think we can teach you and, vice versa, how you can contribute,” Tannen says.
One of his favorite interview topics with early-career professionals is: Tell me something about you that’s not on your resume. As he sees it, college students are primed to list out standard accomplishments in their applications to schools and jobs, like their SAT test scores, GPA or awards and recognition.
“I always like to kind of see how I can get a little bit beneath the resume and really understand what motivates these folks?” he says. “Even if they don’t know what they want to do, what are they interested in learning? What gets them excited?”
Ultimately, he says the company’s approach to hiring, especially with internships, is: “I don’t really care what your experience is, because, in reality, you don’t have experience. I want to know what your appetite is to learn, how you’re going to show up and and try to add value.”
