Iced coffee factor in job interviews: Gen Z's carrying this drink with them sends the wrong signal, warns recruiter with 16 year experience

Walking into a job interview with an iced coffee in your hand may seem like a harmless habit, but one recruiter suggests carrying the drink can affect how a candidate is perceived before the conversation has even started. Caitlin Wehniainen, a recruiter with over 16 years of experience, posted a social media video about Gen Z candidates arriving at interviews with iced coffee or iced lattes.

Her video, originally posted in February, later went viral across social media, with people sharing spilt opinions over whether carrying a coffee into an interview is really unprofessional.

Recruiter says iced coffee can look too casual

Wehniainen has stated that her perspective comes from working with large companies, including Fortune 500 organisations that she described as quite formal.


According to People, she explained that an iced coffee can make it appear as though the interview is simply another stop in a candidate's daily schedule rather than an important professional meeting.

“It is perceived, from my opinion, my hiring standpoint, that when you show up with an iced coffee or an iced latte, that this interview is just like a stop on your list of errands for the day,” she said.

Wehniainen later added that the concern is about the perception it creates rather than the coffee itself.

“It looks a little too casual to me,” Wehniainen said, adding that candidates should think about how they are perceived during the limited 30 to 45 minutes of an interview.

Her advice was very straightforward, finish the drink before reaching the interview or simply have it afterwards. “Save that for well before the interview or after the interview,” she said in the video.

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The issue is not necessarily the drink itself

Wehniainen's argument has also been picked up by other professionals and creators, with some saying the behaviour associated with the drink can contribute to the impression.

One social media user agreed with her view, pointing specifically to candidates swirling their cups or taking sips while speaking.

“I agree. I think it's the behaviour around it too, like when they're swirling the cup around and sipping whilst talking?” the user commented, according to the outlet. Another called the behaviour “childish and completely unprofessional.”

But not everyone sees an iced coffee as a sign that a candidate is taking an interview lightly. But there were some users who argued that having a familiar drink can help people feel calmer during what can be a stressful interaction.

Gen Z pushes back on the interview etiquette debate

There was a section of some social media users who questioned why bringing a drink should matter if the candidate arrives on time and is prepared for the conversation. Others argued that an interview does not necessarily have to consume an applicant's entire day and that carrying a coffee does not automatically indicate a lack of seriousness.

One recruiter quoted by TODAY.com, Felicia Akunwafor, also offered a more contextual view. With 15 years of recruiting experience, she said iced coffee was not among the major problems facing candidates in corporate hiring.

“I think this is a nonissue,” Akunwafor said, pointing to other challenges candidates can face, including racism, misogyny, ageism and fatphobia.

Still, she acknowledged that context can influence perception. If someone arrived with an iced coffee, her first instinct might be that the person was in a rush or potentially unprepared.

Meanwhile, Wehniainen has defended her point by saying she is describing existing professional expectations rather than claiming that carrying coffee makes someone a bad candidate.

Speaking to TODAY.com, she said, “My professional advice is: Don’t do that.”

She acknowledged that some people may see the expectation as unnecessary, but argued that workplace norms still exist and candidates entering the corporate world may need to understand them.