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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

aibu- to expected to be offered a drink at an interview?

93 replies

scrummummy · 11/09/2013 12:43

am I? I'm not talking about anything alcoholic or a fancy coffee but a glass of water or plain coffee?
I'm currently looking for a new job and have had about 8 interviews in the last 3 weeks. only 1 place offered me anything to drink.Angry I always thought this was just common courtesy. so Aibu? obviously I need to worry more about not getting a job but still

OP posts:
CoffeeTea103 · 11/09/2013 18:00

A jug of water and glasses would be expected but other than that yabu expecting to be offered more

AnnaRack · 11/09/2013 18:00

Yanbu. Definitely a glass of water or a bog standard tea or coffee, nothing fancy biscuits would be nice too especiallly if the interviewee has travelled a long way.
The only reason not to do so is if the interview took place in a place where food or drink wasn't allowed.

AfricanExport · 11/09/2013 18:02

YANBU
I get offered tea, coffee or water at every interview I have been to in the last 10 years and as a consultant I can change jobs every 6 -12 months so it's a fair number of interviews. And I return the favour if doing the interviewing.

I would be surprised and would honestly consider it unprofessional to not offer a drink. To expect me or anyone else to sit talking for an hour without a drink is unreasonable and shows a lack of understanding and care on the part of the interviewer... not a good quality in a potential manager.

StanleyLambchop · 11/09/2013 18:03

I would always turn down a drink, purely because knowing me I would spill it everywhere and end up looking like a real idiot!!!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 11/09/2013 18:05

YANBU. I've done shedloads of interviews when I had a life job and we always put out water for the interviewees. It's common courtesy.

MrsOakenshield · 11/09/2013 18:07

gosh, I've always been offered a glass of water - I wouldn't actually want a hot drink, spillages and needing a wee should the interview drag on take a while. Rude not to offer, for goodness' sake, doesn't say much about the company (I think people often forget that an interview is also for the candidate to size up the prospective employer).

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 11/09/2013 18:11

YANBU...I run interviews for large corporates and we wouldn't dream of not offering water.

Tuppenceinred · 11/09/2013 18:22

Worked in HR for years and always had water handy for people in an interview. And if they had a bit of a wait they were offered tea or coffee. Common courtesy. People get nerves at interviews and this can make their mouth dry, so why torture them?

flowery · 11/09/2013 18:52

"Frankly, where I work, if someone was so up themselves that they wouldn't have a cup of tea during the breaks, that would be a bit of a red flag."

Um, teensy bit of a leap to assume the reason someone doesn't drink tea is because they are "up themselves"...? GrinGrin

What must you think of me? I don't ever drink tea or coffee!

VisualCharades · 11/09/2013 18:54

yanbu

Amy106 · 11/09/2013 19:02

At some of my job interviews I have been offered a drink but many I haven't. I take a small bottle of water with me in case I need it.

BigW · 11/09/2013 19:07

I always offer a drink and I would always advise that an interviewee accept a glass of water. There's nothing as distracting as that nervous dry mouth clicky sound.

Crocodilehunter · 11/09/2013 19:10

YANBU, interviews can be quite nervy, gives people a dry mouth and makes them look like this
I thought it was common courtesy Confused

slightlysoupstained · 11/09/2013 19:18

Realising with horror that the last person I interviewed didn't have a drink. Hope our office mgr actually offered them one or will be mortified! Blush

Never had this happen in a job interview but did get offered wine in uni interview at lunch. They showed us round in the morning, lunch with wine and freely offered top ups, then interviews. Not sure whether it was kindly intended to put us at ease or an evil ploy to encourage us to spill all!

MattZelst · 12/09/2013 10:24

they probably thought that they weren't going to bother with you so didn't offer one

TheFallenNinja · 12/09/2013 10:26

Drinking in an interview is fraught with peril.

Buggedoff · 12/09/2013 11:10

Dh drove 150 miles to an interview recently, and had to ask for a glass of water. The interviewers knew how far he had travelled.

He was offered the job, but rejected it in favour of a different job, even though the pay is much lower in the job he has taken. He didn't reject the job because of the drinks, more the role didn't suit, and he wasn't sure of the office culture. An interview is not just about employers sizing up candidates, but also vice versa.

Sokmonsta · 12/09/2013 11:15

I've always been offered a glass of water, and accepted. When I went for promotion I was advised to use taking a drink as a chance to collect thoughts for difficult questions/ones where you needed to give a considered answer. It was a useful tip as it gave me a chance to think but not look like I was completely stuck. Obviously this doesn't work if you are continually sipping away.

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