Recruiter Says Bringing Iced Coffee To A Job Interview Looks Unprofessional, Sparking A Heated Debate

Job interviews are stressful. Before you leave the house, you have to remember your résumé, prepare several flattering stories about yourself, and pretend you know the answer to “Where do you see yourself in five years?” As of this week, we also need to discuss what you’re allowed to drink.

Recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen started a debate after advising Gen Z candidates not to bring iced coffee into job interviews.

@caitlinrecruiterCoffee & interviews … finish it beforehand 😅♬ Rain on the Spool – Jazz Rocks Triangle

I don’t think a plastic cup should decide whether someone gets a job. At the same time, I probably wouldn’t bring one. Mostly because I’d spend the entire interview worrying about where to put it while the cup slowly creates a small lake on someone’s desk.

As expected, the internet had much stronger opinions.

A Recruiter Says The Iced Coffee Should Stay Outside

Wehniainen explained that she primarily recruits for more traditional Fortune 500 companies, where first impressions still carry plenty of weight.

In her view, walking into a job interview holding an iced latte can be a red flag and make the meeting appear like another stop on the candidate’s list of errands. Her advice was simple: finish it beforehand or save it for afterward.

Some Recruiters Couldn’t Believe This Was Even An Issue

That Last Question Gets Right To The Point

A few hiring professionals agreed that candidates should avoid anything distracting. Others couldn’t imagine allowing a completely normal beverage to outweigh someone’s qualifications. Somewhere, a résumé with ten years of experience is losing to a dry hand.

Others Said It Was Basic Interview Etiquette

Then The Conversation Turned To Condensation

These make the most convincing practical argument. It isn’t that coffee transforms a qualified candidate into an unemployable monster. Those cups just sweat more than I do when someone asks about my salary expectations.

Plenty Of People Thought The Entire Debate Was Ridiculous

Context Probably Matters More Than The Coffee

An iced latte might look overly casual inside a buttoned-up corporate office. At another job, showing up awake and wearing the correct shoes may put you ahead of half the applicants. “Professional” has always depended heavily on who is doing the judging.