Can an iced coffee cost you the job?

Illustration by Sami Seyedhosseini, Photo Editor.

For many college students preparing to enter the workforce, a job interview comes with a familiar checklist: research the company, practice answers, dress appropriately and arrive on time. 

Now, social media has added another question to the list: Should you finish your iced coffee before walking through the door? 

The debate began Sept. 16, when Caitlin Wehniainen, a Florida-based recruiter with 16 years of experience, posted a TikTok advising Gen Z candidates against bringing iced coffee or iced lattes into job interviews. The video was intended as a piece of interview advice, but quickly sparked a larger online conversation about professionalism and generational expectations in the workplace.  

Wehniainen argued that walking into an interview with a drink in hand could make the meeting appear like “just a stop on your list of errands for the day” and look “a little too casual.” Her advice divided commenters, with some agreeing that candidates should avoid unnecessary distractions and others questioning why something as minor as a beverage should factor into a hiring decision. 

The discussion quickly grew beyond coffee. It became a debate about the unwritten rules of interviewing, what employers consider professional and how those expectations are changing as Gen Z enters the workforce. Coverage of the debate has similarly focused on the tension between traditional standards of professionalism and younger workers who question whether behaviors unrelated to job performance should carry as much weight. 

For Chapman senior Chelsea Robinson, a finance and accounting double major who recently accepted a full-time offer with KPMG’s Structured Finance team after interning with the company this past summer, some of those small details still matter. 

“I would not bring an iced coffee into an interview,” Robinson said. “As much as I love coffee, I feel like it's not the best look.”

For Robinson, the issue is less about the drink itself and more about how candidates present themselves in the limited amount of time they have to make a first impression. 

“I do think it's unprofessional to bring an iced coffee into the interview, since you’re trying to come in and be focused,” Robinson said. “It can be distracting to both of you if you’re shaking the cup or anything like that.”

She also said that having both hands free rather than holding or fidgeting with a drink can help candidates appear more engaged.  

But there is no universal handbook for what makes a successful interview. 

Lisa Chow, a career education manager in Chapman’s Career and Professional Development Office, works with students and alumni on career preparation, including résumés, job and internship applications and post-graduate opportunities. 

Chow said good interview etiquette can vary depending on the industry, organization and even the individual conducting the interview. Some basics, however, remain relatively consistent: showing up on time, being prepared, acting professionally and respectfully, staying engaged in the conversation and demonstrating interest in the organization. 

“Everything the candidate brings into that room is up for consideration,” Chow said. 

That includes a candidate's skills and experience as well as their behavior. For some employers, Chow said, an iced coffee may convey a more casual tone. For others, it may not matter at all. 

The uncertainty surrounding something as small as a drink reflects a larger challenge for students beginning their careers: learning the unwritten expectations of the workplace. 

Robinson said the number of small rules candidates are expected to remember can become overwhelming, particularly when moving from a college environment into a professional one. 

“I think candidates do have a lot of small rules that can be really overwhelming, and it is a ton to manage,” Robinson said. “But also, when we’re transitioning from a college environment into a professional space, we do have to adjust to their expectations and ‘rules’ for what it means to be respectful and ready for a job at their company.”

Robinson has also conducted interviews herself, which she said changed how she viewed those expectations.

“I think the rules are important for making a good first impression,” Robinson said. “As someone who has also had the experience to run interviews, it helped me immediately see how important those standards are for setting yourself up for success, even though they can be stressful for the candidate.”

At the same time, what constitutes a “professional” interview is not objective. 

“Interview etiquette 10, 20 years ago is different from how it is today,” Chow said. 

One change Chow has noticed is that some interviews have become more conversational. Instead of relying solely on a formal pattern of an interviewer asking questions and a candidate responding, employers may focus more on getting to know candidates personally while learning about their skills and experience. 

Chow said she views the change positively because it can make interviews feel more authentic and better reflect how people actually interact with their coworkers. 

That shift creates a gray area for young candidates. Interviews may be becoming more conversational and workplaces more casual, but candidates are still expected to understand when informality goes too far. The iced coffee debate is one example of that balancing act. 

For students unsure where that line falls, Chow recommends considering the particular organization and industry rather than assuming the same standards apply everywhere. 

When it comes specifically to iced coffee, however, she would currently advise students to play it safe. 

“I would say, especially right now, given how conversationally charged this topic is, to err on the side of just being safe; maybe not bringing an iced coffee,” Chow said.

Since the debate itself has drawn so much attention, Chow said an employer who previously would not have noticed a candidate carrying coffee may now be more conscious of it. She emphasized that researching an organization remains important when deciding how to present oneself in an interview. 

Ultimately, the question of whether an iced coffee belongs in an interview may have less to do with the coffee than with the changing expectations young workers face as they begin their careers. 

As Gen Z enters a workforce that is becoming more conversational and, in some ways, less formal, students still have to navigate first impressions and unwritten rules that can influence how employers see them. 

For now, Robinson and Chow agree on one easy way to eliminate at least one of those uncertainties: finish the coffee before walking through the door.