Every now and again, a trivial question pops up online that causes debate at both metaphorical and literal water coolers. Three years ago, it was how often (and why) men were thinking about the Roman Empire. The latest conundrum to get tongues wagging is a far more corporate query: would you take an iced coffee into a job interview? It might seem like an innocuous question but it’s one that has set the internet abuzz this week - and everyone has a firm view.
Caitlin Wehniainen, a corporate recruiter who frequently shares work advice aimed at Gen Z on TikTok, kicked off the conversation by sharing her concerns that young people had been doing exactly that. Iced lattes, iced americanos; we can only hope not a frappuccino with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle.
In Wehniainen’s opinion, the move is way too laid back. “It looks like this interview is just a stop on your list of errands for the day,” she said. “It looks a little too casual to me.”
Much in the same way millennials were mocked for their “girl boss energy” and avocado toast obsession, Gen Z have previously been the butt of the joke for their informal approach to office culture: eg saying “ok diva” to colleagues on Slack. But now it turns out this overall aura could be one of the things contributing to scuppering their chances to get through the office door in the first place.
The UK job market for Gen Z is abysmal, with the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) expected to rise to 1.25 million by 2031. And with the competition for available positions bigger than ever it’s no surprise that even the smallest detail about how those rare interviews should unfold pricked up the ears of many thousands of people online. Still, not everyone agrees about the optics of iced beverages and the implications of turning up to an interview with one in hand.
“I don’t see the difference between bringing that or a bottle of water,” says 26-year-old audience development editor Nicola, who’s been at the same company since graduating in 2021. “It’s just a drink. If it makes you feel comfortable or calms you down, then why not?”
“For some reason it feels more sophisticated than a bottle or can of a fizzy drink sitting on the table in an interview,” she adds. “And if you were having the conversation remotely, you’d probably have a comforting cup of tea nearby to sip. So, what’s the big deal?”
Helen, a manager in her early 50s disagrees. “If a potential employee turned up with an iced drink in their hand I would consider it to be unprofessional,” she says. “It gives the impression that their focus is elsewhere and they are not serious or focused on the matter at hand, which really should be the interview, the possible job, and demonstrating that they are a good fit for it”.
Although the coronavirus pandemic and remote working practices are often attributed to warping the perception of what’s “office appropriate” among young people, not all those who fall into the Gen Z bracket are of the same casual mindset when it comes to work although the detail might be more nuanced than meets the eye.
Seeing all the controversy and knowing the current state of the job market... I just wouldn’t risk it
Emmie Dowling, final year student
Phoebe, who is 28 and actively looking for employment after returning to the UK following a career break to travel, is troubled by the iced portion of the act. “You’re going to be leaving damp patches everywhere if you put it down,” she muses. “The condensation. The sound of the ice. Both of those are unprofessional – but a hot coffee is chic.”
As a millennial afflicted by lifelong clumsiness, my own concern is manoeuvring the cup to shake someone’s hand, the potential for spills, or – god forbid – the sound of a slurp. Frankly, it’s a hurdle of uncertainty I’d rather not face.
Even Nicola, who sees nothing offensive about the coffee per se, admits that she’d never take one to an interview herself. “My hands shake during interviews,” she says of her nerves when trying to impress. “The ice would be such a tell – like holding a maraca,” she laughs.
Career coach and former recruiter Hannah Salton says that taking a coffee to an interview won’t be the thing that fundamentally loses Gen Z a job – but, like how a candidate speaks, dresses or sits, it builds up part of an impression about who they are.
“The person interviewing them might think ‘oh they’re exhausted from partying,’” she says. “Or that they’re not taking the interview seriously – or arrived in a rush.
“A lot of those thoughts will be subconscious – but if other cues align with the impression that someone is not particularly committed, professional or present, then the recruiter might cling to them a little bit more. If these actions fit a pattern, then they’re like mini red flags.
Other times, they’re a blip that’s barely noticed – but it’s just one of those things that’s almost not worth the risk.”
It looks like this interview is just a stop on your list of errands for the day. It looks a little too casual to me
Caitlin Wehniainen, corporate recruiter
Thanks to the current health of the economy, a considerable number of young people do, in fact, agree: “Seeing all the controversy and knowing the current state of the job market... I just wouldn’t risk it,” says Emmie Dowling, a final year student at the University of Exeter.
Salton stresses that the type of beverage here is not, in fact, the issue. “You could apply this to almost any drink apart from water,” she says. “If someone's got a big takeaway cup of Diet Coke, that can still create the impression that they’re not quite prepared.”
Much like wearing jeans to the office – some businesses do, some businesses don’t – it’s smarter not to be too bold before you know the lay of the land. “There’s a big difference in etiquette when you’re interviewing in a small tech startup versus a corporate law firm,” says Salton.
“A coffee is just a small thing that could count against you.”
Notably, taking a coffee to your interview robs the hiring manager the opportunity to offer a drink themselves; a small opportunity to form a connection that could aid a candidate's chances.
But not every employer would mind. “I personally rate the ice coffee,” says Grace Vielma, editor-in-chief at the youth media brand The Tab. “So long as they’re not late because of it.”
Fundamentally, iced coffee is representative of a culture shift still in its relative infancy – the clattering ice cubes were nowhere near as common ten years ago. Now, among UK coffee chains, iced “season” is considered to be between May and September in line with the warmer months, when sales can double or even triple at chains like Pret a Manger.
As such, the iced coffee - or iced matcha - has almost become synonymous with young people and, ever increasingly, Gen Z’s more informal approach to working. This is not the first inter-generational divide represented by food, drink, clothing, language, boundaries or interests, and, inside the office or out, it won’t be the last inter-age social sticking point.
“We’ve got a big workforce at the moment,” says Salton. “And Gen X’s and Millennials will be working for years, so it’s only going to get bigger.
“Every generation is different, with their own opinions, biases, and preconceptions about what’s acceptable, or what’s a bit borderline. It’s not necessarily going to get worse – but it’s not going anywhere.”
But, given the difference in generational outlook in the meantime, some members of Gen Z people might be asking whether, when it comes to getting your foot in the office door in the first place, it’s worth the risk.
