Warning: This Viral Internet Debate Over Iced Coffee May Enrage You
When you head into a job interview, you likely check to make sure you have certain things: a pen, a notepad, a copy of your resume, perhaps business cards.
One thing you shouldn’t bring in? An iced coffee or an iced latte, according to TikTok user caitlinrecruiter, who posted a now-viral video about the topic. Caitlin is a self-described corporate recruiter for Fortune 500 companies.
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In the video, Caitlin says many of her Gen Z applicants bring iced coffee into job interviews, making the interview seem “just like a stop on your list of errands for the day,” and the move “looks a little too casual to me.”
The remedy, she said, is having your iced coffee before or after your job interview — just not during.
The internet is having a strong reaction to this video, with some people agreeing that, yes, this is an unprofessional move. Others squarely disagree, saying it’s a generational difference between Gen Z and older generations, with one social media user saying it’s an example of hiring managers “turning into the boomers you hated.”
Generational differences aside, it is unprofessional to bring a coffee (whether hot or iced) into a job interview, according to Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas.
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“When you go into a job interview, you are there for a job interview. You’re not there to snack. You’re not there to have coffee,” Gottsman said.
“The focus is to make a good first impression, and that means walking in competently, extending your hand for a handshake,” Gottsman noted.
While you can’t control someone’s perception of you, walking in with an iced coffee is one way to potentially change it for the worse.
Your cup of coffee may send the message that you were running late and didn’t have time to have your coffee at home, Gottsman said. Or it could signify that you consider the interview a casual conversation instead of a professional meeting, she said.
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You should view a job interview as a step in your future, added Jackie Vernon-Thompson, the founder of From The Inside-Out School of Etiquette.
“It’s something that is going to pave the pathway for your future. Regardless of the caliber of your job, it is a stepping stone to where you endeavor to be,” Vernon-Thompson added, “so treat it professionally.”
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The TikTok video points to a generational divide.
The TikTok reel poster said she sees this in Gen Z job applicants but didn’t mention other generations.
The generational divide is a big part of what’s upsetting people online. Every generation thinks theirs is the best, and the older (and younger) generations have it all wrong.
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“I think the workplace has gotten more casual,” said Bonnie Dilber, a senior manager of talent acquisition at Zapier. “Each progressive generation is a little bit more casual than the one that came before.”
Meaning, Gen Z workers are more casual than millennials, who are more casual than Gen X, who are more casual than boomers.
“Certainly lots of Gen Z navigate very buttoned-up environments perfectly well, but I think a lot of modern workplaces and the biggest employers have made their brand being casual,” Dilber said.
It’s not rare to see tech executives in T-shirts or C-suite staffers installing games in their offices.
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It’s normal for great workplaces to be casual, Dilber said. Some of this iced coffee discourse likely has to do with that.
But, Gottsman said, this iced-coffee-toting behavior is not exclusive to Gen Z. She sees it in older generations, too.
Vernon-Thompson said offices, generally, are meant to be more formal — even if they aren’t as buttoned-up as they once were.
“Conduct yourself properly. Get out of the casual behavior and the casual dressing. Learn professionalism,” said Vernon-Thompson. “There’s so many resources — YouTube videos, there’s ChatGPT, Claude. There’s so many resources to ask.”
What about bringing a water bottle to a job interview? Experts are torn.
“Etiquette is often about us all buying into a certain fiction. And during a job interview, I want to believe that this is the most important thing in your life for the next 30 minutes,” said Nick Leighton, an etiquette expert and host of the “Were You Raised by Wolves?” podcast.
“Bringing your own coffee can certainly send the signal that this is just another item in the day’s checklist,” he said. The same goes for lugging in a huge water bottle, Leighton said.
Gottsman said, unless it’s for a medical reason, it’s best not to carry in any beverage. You can accept a water or coffee that’s offered to you, but it’s best to hydrate beforehand.
Vernon-Thompson’s viewpoint differs. She said a reasonably sized water bottle is a little different than strolling in with a coffee, as long as you follow a few rules.
“If you’re going to have a bottle of water, have it in your left hand and make sure it’s room temperature and nothing that will leave a ring [on a table] or would cause any distraction,” said Vernon-Thompson.
Ideally, you’d store your water in a purse or briefcase, Vernon-Thompson added.
In the end, it’s up to you.
Will walking into an interview with an iced pumpkin spice latte cost you the job? It depends.
“I personally do not believe that this is the thing that would ever prevent anyone from actually getting hired,” Dilber said. “If you are the best candidate in the room and you check every single box they’re looking for, I don’t even think they would bat an eye at it.”
This matters more if you’re the runner-up candidate who wasn’t going to get the job offer anyway, Dilber said. For instance, if the interview didn’t go well, the iced coffee (and subsequent coffee rings on the desk) could just be more proof that you weren’t the right fit.
Gottsman added that it wouldn’t be the deciding factor for her but may be for someone else.
“Err on the side of caution,” Gottsman said. “That’s the bottom line. Why take the risk?”
Some social media users upset by this TikTok said they wouldn’t want to work at a company that makes a big deal about an iced coffee in an interview, and that’s perfectly OK.
“If you want to stroll into a job interview with an iced beverage and want to work for a company that totally thinks that’s fine, then you two are the right fit,” Leighton said.
“What’s most important is to know the environment that you’re interviewing with,” said Dilber. Do research ahead of time to know what questions to ask and what is appropriate and inappropriate in the office setting.
Some more casual companies will be totally fine with an iced coffee sitting next to you during an interview, while others may find it off-putting.
The same is true for outfit and shoe choices, Dilber said.
If you aren’t sure how to prep for an interview, don’t be afraid to ask the recruiter, she noted.
While asking if you can bring an iced coffee likely isn’t good, you can certainly inquire about the best outfit and shoes to wear.
