Job Recruiter's Viral Warning About Bringing An Iced Coffee To An Interview Sparks Generational Divide

With how competitive the job market has become, it's more important than ever before to make a good impression. A candidate might seem qualified on their resume and in their cover letter, and might even offer all of the right answers during the interview, but there are still a few things that could guarantee they won't get the job.

TikToker Caitlin, @caitlinrecruiter, has sixteen years of experience as a job recruiter with top, prestigious companies, and as Gen Z is beginning to navigate the job market, she's seeing some recurring issues that she guarantees will get them passed over for job opportunities.

A leading trend she's seeing is Gen Z applicants showing up to job interviews with iced coffee in hand.

To her, this looks incredibly unprofessional. It communicates to the interviewer that the person did not come prepared and has poor time management skills, as they should have finished their coffee beforehand.

It also suggests that the applicant isn't prioritizing the interview and instead sees it as an "errand" to complete. Caitlin imagines the candidate going to Target, grabbing a coffee, going to an interview, and then going on about their day, which she says implies a lack of commitment or effective prioritizing.

There are also more practical issues, like shifting the cup from hand to hand in order to shake hands when entering the room, and where to put the cup during the interview, as holding it and stirring it could look awkward, convey nervousness or a lack of confidence, and be distracting for all involved.

You can watch the video here:

Fellow TikTokers, especially those in the Millennial, Gen X, and Boomer generations, tended to agree with Caitlin's take.

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

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@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

But Gen Z commenters were critical, pointing out that their lives don't revolve around their jobs, so they certainly shouldn't revolve around a job interview.

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

@caitlinrecruiter/TikTok

This is one of those situations where etiquette standards shift from one generation to the next.

While Gen Z might think they shouldn't have to make their entire day revolve around a 30- to 60-minute interview, older generations point out that the length of the interview is the perfect reason to grab a beverage afterward to avoid making a negative first impression.