This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Imagine two candidates with identical qualifications interviewing for the same job. One arrives carrying a bottle of water, while the other walks in with an iced coffee.
Should that difference matter? A recent TikTok from an American recruiter argued that it can. Discussing Gen Z candidates, Wehniainen said arriving at a corporate interview with an iced coffee can make someone appear too casual, as though the interview were simply one more errand in the day.
The video prompted a lively online debate. Some users agreed wholeheartedly, while others called the advice outdated and arbitrary. The discussion quickly became another round of the familiar "Gen Z versus everyone else" debate.
But the real question isn't whether bringing a coffee to an interview is good etiquette; it's why something so trivial can influence how we judge a candidate in the first place. Do these snap judgments actually help employers identify candidates who will perform well on the job? Nobody wants a spilled latte on the boardroom table.
Slurping, rattling ice cubes or juggling a drink during a handshake can be distracting. But some reactions to interview coffee go beyond these practical concerns. Most interviewers would probably think little of a candidate carrying a bottle of water.
Many employers even offer coffee to candidates when they arrive. But bringing an iced coffee from elsewhere can evoke a different response. The "offense" may be symbolic rather than practical.
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