This study examines the dynamic changes in adolescent career development within the context of China, and offers recommendations for parents and children to facilitate communication and for educational institutions to develop effective career guidance programmes. Due to the evolution of societal structures and the ramifications of the pandemic, China is confronted with a dual challenge: an increase in the number of university graduates and a decline in economic activity. Therefore, it is valuable to examine the intrinsic impact of parents on adolescents' career planning in the context of the current challenging circumstances. This can assist adolescents in developing their careers in a healthy manner and in selecting appropriate occupations. This study employed a research design that involved the participation of 20-25-year-old students and their parents in Wenzhou, determining the manner in which parents exert influence over the dynamic development of children's career aspirations and expectations. The study employed six pre-established themes for comprehensive examination: socioeconomic status, parent occupation, parenting style, parental expectations, gender socialization, and career values. This study includes a total of 24 participants, comprising 15 families of students and their parents. The study reveals that family socioeconomic status is the primary determinant of the other five themes. A parent's socioeconomic status serves as a foundation for subsequent career-related behaviours, including the provision of parental support, the establishment of parental expectations, and the transmission of parental values. A paucity of information regarding careers constrains parents' comprehensive understanding of such matters, thereby engendering misapprehensions and opposition to their offspring's investigation of such careers. Furthermore, this study indicates that parents exert considerable influence over their children's career planning in China. In the absence of perceived parental support, adolescents are more likely to abandon their career aspirations and turn to their parents' expectations.