Showing up for a job interview with iced coffee

Newsweek - A seemingly innocuous drink has ignited a fierce debate across TikTok, LinkedIn and other social media platforms: Should candidates bring an iced coffee to a job interview? The discussion began after recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen, who said she had 16 years of experience recruiting for Fortune 500 companies, posted a TikTok video criticizing the practice.

"Gen Z candidates are showing up to their interviews with iced coffee in hand," Wehniainen said in the video posted last week, adding that it signals to recruiters that the interview is just a "stop on your list of errands to do for the day."

Her comments appear to have struck a nerve, prompting thousands of responses from recruiters, career coaches and job seekers, many of whom are sharply divided over whether carrying a cold brew into an interview is unprofessional or completely harmless.

The debate has become about far more than coffee. At its core, the argument reflects a broader generational clash over workplace norms, professionalism and what employers should value during hiring.

Some recruiters argue that an iced coffee can send unintended signals about a candidate's seriousness, while many Gen Z workers see these concerns as outdated and disconnected from their actual job performance.