The career corner of TikTok is exploding with videos about whether you should take an iced coffee to a job interview. It all started with what seemed like a pretty innocuous video from a recruiter who said that her Gen Z candidates are regularly showing up to interviews with a coffee in hand, and how it makes her feel like their meeting is just another pit stop on a day of running errands.
@caitlinrecruiter Coffee & interviews … finish it beforehand 😅
♬ Rain on the Spool - Jazz Rocks Triangle
The response videos range from whole-hearted agreement to push back against what some claim are unfair social norms. Another recruiter argued in her TikTok that hiring managers should treat candidates the way they want to be treated and not be so nit-picky over something as trivial as iced coffee.
On one thing I think we can all agree: The hiring process is a mess right now. And it seems to be particularly hard on Gen Z candidates. The unemployment rate for recent college grads is 5.6%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, while it hovers around 4.1% for all workers.
In my 20-plus-year career (oof, I’ve been working a long time), I’ve been both the hiring manager and the candidate. And frankly, I’ve seen bad behavior on both sides of the table.
One time, a young man showed up for an interview with me with a Pepsi in hand. At the end of the interview, he asked me to toss the can for him. There were many reasons why he didn’t get the job, but showing up with a beverage didn’t help his situation. It felt far too casual, like he wasn’t taking the job—or my time—seriously. (Also, I’m a Coca-Cola fan.)
During Covid, I interviewed with the founder of a media startup for a very high level editorial role. Throughout the interview, it was clear the founder was checking her email and responding to Slack messages while I was trying to answer her questions and speak to my experience. I was so upset, I emailed the recruiter right after and told her I was no longer interested in the job and that I thought she should tell the founder that it’s rude to treat a candidate like that. Who knows if she delivered that feedback.
In general, it feels like we’re living through an era when many of our social niceties seem to be eroding. It’s easy to blame a combination of the pandemic (we forgot how to go out in the world and be humans) and our current presidential administration (that regularly belittles anyone who disagrees with them—and even those who do). But it feels like—of all the generations—Gen Z is most often taken to task for their bad behavior.
It often leaves me wondering who is mentoring them. Our office culture has changed so much in the past 10 years, some for better, some for worse. But maybe instead of chastising them—and making 10,000 response videos—we could all put down our phones and offer to help.
My best advice for a job interview: Do your research. Practice answering questions ahead of time. Finish the beverage beforehand (and spit out any gum you might be chewing). Bring a printed copy of your résumé in a nice-looking portfolio. (I know this is old fashioned! Do it anyway!) Wear an outfit that makes you feel good (but not jeans or sweats, unless that’s the dress code of the employer). Try to present the best version of your work self. It’s OK if that person is a little different (or a lot different) than your home self. It certainly is for me! Just ask Ken. (Haha!)
I’d love to hear from Purse readers! How do you feel about the iced coffee controversy? What are you best interviewing tips?
