NEW YORK (WOWO) — Bringing an iced coffee to a job interview may seem harmless, but some recruiting and etiquette experts say the popular beverage could create an unnecessarily casual impression with a hiring manager.
The debate went viral after Caitlin Wehniainen, a Florida-based corporate recruiter who says she has 16 years of recruiting experience with Fortune 500 companies, posted a video criticizing the practice.
In the video, Wehniainen said arriving with an iced coffee or iced latte can make it appear as though an interview is simply another errand squeezed into an otherwise busy day.
“When you show up with an iced coffee or an iced latte, it is perceived — from my opinion and a hiring standpoint — that this interview is just a stop on your list of errands for the day,” Wehniainen said.
She suggested candidates finish their coffee before arriving or wait until after the interview to pick one up.
The discussion generated thousands of reactions online, with some commenters agreeing that a cold drink can make an interview feel overly casual. Others argued that having coffee in hand can demonstrate that a candidate planned ahead and managed their time well.
One commenter questioned whether an interview should be expected to dominate a candidate’s entire day, while another said a company that considers a coffee a problem might not be the right workplace for them.
The disagreement reflects a broader question about how much weight hiring managers place on small details during an interview — and whether traditional expectations about workplace professionalism are changing.
Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas, told Fox News Digital that candidates may want to take a cautious approach because different interviewers can interpret the same behavior differently.
“Perception is everything,” Gottsman said. “What one person may think is fine, another person may not.”
Gottsman said an iced coffee could potentially create the impression of distraction, comfort or excessive casualness during an interview.
She emphasized that the issue is not specific to younger workers, despite the social-media debate frequently framing workplace etiquette questions as a generational issue.
Other potential distractions, Gottsman said, include leaving a cellphone visible, chewing gum, wearing an overpowering fragrance or keeping sunglasses on top of the head.
The cellphone, in particular, can create a serious problem if it diverts a candidate’s attention from the conversation.
One New York-based manager recalled an interview in which a candidate placed her cellphone face-up on the conference table, repeatedly checked incoming messages and eventually began texting while the manager was speaking.
The interview was ended early, and the candidate was not hired, according to the manager’s account.
For candidates who are offered a beverage by an interviewer, Gottsman said accepting coffee or water is appropriate. She advised against asking for something beyond what is offered.
Candidates who need to take a drink from a bottle kept in a bag should also politely ask before reaching for it, she said.
The advice comes as employers and job seekers navigate changing expectations about professionalism. What one workplace views as relaxed and ordinary may be viewed differently in another setting, particularly during an interview where both sides are forming an initial impression.
At the same time, Gottsman said job interviews work both ways. Candidates are evaluating employers and determining whether a company’s culture and expectations suit them, just as hiring managers are deciding whether a candidate is a fit for the position.
For job seekers who want to eliminate one potential source of distraction, the simplest approach may be to finish the iced coffee before walking into the interview.
And if caffeine is still calling afterward, Gottsman suggested treating yourself to your favorite iced coffee once the interview is over.
