AIBU to think takeaway iced coffee at interviews is unprofessional?

Well I hope none of them got employed

I would not think it weird if someone bought a bottle of water to wet a nervous mouth but a take away cup coffee screams casual out shopping with my gal pals type thing

having said that id expect to be offered refreshments at an interview and have sipped the coffee offered to me during an interview

teacher 50

Are you ok? This really cannot just be about an iced coffee at an interview.

The clue is kind of in the name 🤨🤨

I was today years old when I learned that people on MN actually differentiate hot coffee from iced, because apparently iced coffee seems frivolous/infantile...
I don't know about all that but all I can say is that it must be depressing to live in a world where you are so consumed by others perceiving you as infantile for drinking coffee with ice in it 😂I'll just be over here, being frivolous and young, enjoying my iced Chai lattes.

As for OP's question, though I'm not a manager and have never hired anyone, I have personally never seen anyone bring anything other than water into an interview, myself included. I wouldn't consider it unprofessional necessarily but I would question why the coffee couldn't have waited until after, or been consumed prior.

I’ve run interviews in (fairly senior) finance for about ten years. I honestly wouldn’t even notice if someone brought a takeaway drink of any sort. But I don’t think I’ve ever taken a drink to an interview either.

This.

And a cautionary tale… About 18 months ago I was a second interviewer and one of the candidates had a huge takeaway soft drink with a straw (‘Big Gulp’ thing - this was in NY). She slurped on it leisurely throughout the interview, was easily the weakest of the candidates and had no questions at the end other than to ask where my earrings were from.

I rated her a hard no and the drink thing was a major part of that. But her ridiculous boss (who I had also interviewed a year before and rated a no) chose her and she is hopeless. The boss has since been fired for bullying her!

I don’t get this iced coffee / baby stuff. In lots of hot countries all people drink it all summer

anyway, what did make me laugh is thinking about all this hand wringing about falling standards when people used to go into interviews and HAVE A FAG back in the day 🚬

Unprofessional but also silly that it matters.

Quite. And or they don’t care or know how childish they look.

It’s like sucking on a baby bottle. Just looks really infantile, like they can’t go an hour without an emotional support dummy

Fair enough! Different jobs / areas I guess 🤷‍♀️

Exactly this. Some interviewers won’t care but a lot will, and it shows a lack of judgement and professionalism. Obviously it wouldn’t be the deciding factor but I would definitely notice and mark a candidate down for this. I bring iced coffees to internal team meetings, doesn’t mean I’d do the same if I was called to a meeting with senior management or the CEO. Context is important and candidates who don’t recognise that and adapt their behaviour accordingly are probably not the right fit. I work in a corporate job but equally wouldn’t have done this when interviewing for cafe and bar work back in the day, it’s unprofessional regardless of the job.

I work in a salon. Its mandatory.

I’ve done loads of interviews and wouldn’t care less. This would not play any role in whether they get the position or not

Wouldn’t bat an eyelid, publishing industry, albeit corporate function, central London office, I’m late 40’s. Previously worked in fashion industry, also interviewed people with & without a coffee and it’s never been an indicator of quality of candidate.

Well ive interviewed plenty, and quite frankly I wouldn't care if they brought in a drink with them.

Sandwich? Id judge.

Actually depends if they were using a disposable cup or their own one. Id be more than happy if it was in their own cup.

Yep. Since evrryone has some form of coffee at their desk I cannot fathom what about an iced coffee causes such an extreme reaction from you OP. I work in HR and don't think I would notice what drink someone had unless it was a glass of wine or something.

Also looked a bit of a tit not knowing what a support worker is then accusing the poster of being coy 😂

This is to do with the Gen Z interview pisstake

I wouldn’t do it myself in a professional interview but wouldn’t think badly of someone if they did.

33
Public sector - Admin
Genuinely wouldn’t give a fuck if I interviewed someone who had iced coffee.

Occasional interviewer in a generally unshowy and dress-down environment. Professional though but local gov.
unprofessional at an interview.
early 50s

Which categories do the ones you named fall into in terms of acceptability of ice coffee at an interview?