A recruiter recently sparked a viral debate: A recent TikTok video warned job candidates that walking into an interview carrying an iced coffee can make the meeting appear too casual.
Hiring experts are divided: Some say it's a needless distraction, while others say employers shouldn't judge candidates based on what's in their cup.
The safest strategy isn't complicated: Finish your coffee before walking in, keep your hands free, and eliminate anything that could distract from the conversation.
You researched the company. Practiced your answers. Picked out what you're going to wear.
But could the iced coffee you grabbed on the way to the interview actually hurt your chances of getting the job?
While this may seem obvious for older generations, apparently, it’s now up for debate with Gen Z.
Recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen recently sparked an online argument after advising job seekers, particularly Gen Z applicants, not to walk into interviews carrying an iced coffee.
Her reasoning wasn't really about caffeine. She argued that arriving with a drink can make the interview look like just another stop between errands rather than an important professional meeting.
That might sound ridiculously picky to some. And plenty of hiring experts think it is.
But if you're trying to land a job, it’s worth asking yourself, “Why give an interviewer something irrelevant to judge you on?”
Here are five easy ways to avoid doing exactly that.
1. Finish the coffee before you walk in
You don't need to give up your morning caffeine. Just finish it in the car, lobby, or outside.
Megan Slabinski, a district president at staffing company Robert Half, told Fortune that an iced coffee probably won't make or break an interview, but she wouldn't recommend bringing one into the room. Drinks can be distracting, messy, and leave you juggling something when you're trying to introduce yourself.
The easy rule is to walk into the interview with no drink, your phone put away, and your hands free.
If the interviewer offers you coffee or water once you're inside, that's different. Feel free to accept the drink at that point.
2. Don't obsess over the coffee — think about distractions
This is probably the more useful lesson. An interviewer may not care whatsoever about your Starbucks cup.
But a buzzing phone, jangling keys, giant tote bag, sunglasses on your head, or breakfast sandwich you're still finishing can all compete for attention.
You want the interviewer remembering what you said, not what you carried into the room.
Indeed's interview guidance similarly recommends paying attention to your behavior and body language from the moment you enter the building, not just once the formal interview begins.
3. Treat the lobby as part of the interview
Your interview doesn't necessarily start when somebody asks, “Tell me about yourself.” It may start when you walk through the front door.
Indeed notes that receptionists, security personnel, and other employees you encounter may be asked for feedback about you. So be polite to the receptionist. Don't complain about parking. Don't take a loud phone call in the lobby. And don't spend 10 minutes scrolling TikTok while waiting for your interviewer.
Assume you're being interviewed from the moment you arrive.
4. When you don't know the company's culture, play it safe
This is where the iced-coffee argument gets interesting.
Some workplaces couldn't care less, while at another company, the person interviewing you may consider it unprofessional.
And you usually don't know which interviewer you're getting. That's why when you're unsure how casual a workplace is, show up one notch more polished than you think is necessary.
That doesn't mean wearing a suit to interview at a surf shop. It means removing the little variables that don't help you get hired.
5. Spend your energy on what actually matters
Don't walk away from this thinking employers are secretly keeping an iced-coffee blacklist.
They're not.
Several hiring experts interviewed by Fortune pushed back on the whole debate. Trent Cotton, head of talent insights at recruiting software company iCIMS, argued that a cup of coffee says essentially nothing about whether someone can do the job.
And that's worth remembering.
Your preparation, communication, experience, and the questions you ask are far more important than what's in your cup. Indeed recommends researching the employer, reviewing the job description, practicing likely questions, and preparing thoughtful questions of your own before the interview.
But job interviews are also short, imperfect human interactions where first impressions matter. So drink the coffee, but just finish it before you walk through the door.