The great iced coffee debate: is it wrong to take a beverage into a job interview?

Age: Colonial troops in Algeria invented a sweetened cold coffee beverage known as Mazagran in around about 1840. However, in Japan, a cold brew was popular among sailors even earlier, in the 17th century.

Fascinating. Isn’t it? But actually this is less about the age of the drink, more about the age of the drinkers. Plus, when it is and isn’t appropriate to drink it.

Go on. It started with a TikTok …

Obviously! From @caitlinrecruiter.

Who I’m guessing has something to do with recruitment? Correct: 16 years’ experience, mostly with Fortune 500 corporations.

Impressive. Where does iced coffee come in? With a candidate at a job interview. This is what Caitlin has noted among some of her gen Z job-hunters. She’s not a fan.

Is it the ice that’s the problem? No, iced coffee is just popular with that generation. The issue is around bringing a beverage to an interview and the casual impression it gives. “It just looks like you didn’t have time to finish your coffee beforehand,” says Caitlin.

Maybe you didn’t. Well, maybe you should have made time! Time management is important. When LinkedIn surveyed more than 1,000 managers about interview no-nos, showing up late came out top.

What else? Using foul language.

You can shove your effing job up your … Yes! Also, dressing inappropriately, looking at your phone, appearing disinterested or disengaged, not asking questions about the job or company.

So act like you care? Yes. Back to Caitlin’s TikTok, she says bringing a coffee to an interview makes it look like “a stop on your list of errands for the day. It looks like you went to Target, then you went to Starbucks, now you’re stopping by your interview, then you’re onto the next thing.”

I’m guessing it went viral? 371k at time of writing. She’s calling it the great iced coffee debate.

Comments on both sides of the argument? And across a generational divide. For example: “Professional millennial here. I would never show up with a drink in my hand.” And: “This comment section proves that generation has lost the art of professionalism.”

And some examples from the other (possibly younger) side? “But an interview IS just a stop on my day. It’s not my whole day.” (13k likes) And: “Do you guys need employees or not.” (19.7k likes).

Do say: “Yes, I’d like to know what success would look like in the position.”

Don’t say: “Can we wrap this up, I’ve got things to do. Am I hired or what?”