AIBU to think takeaway iced coffee at interviews is unprofessional?

[MasterBeth]

Apparently, the world is debating this topic. Let's join in:

Is it unprofessional to bring a takeaway iced coffee into a job interview?

The answer to me is blindingly obvious, but not to everyone, it seems.

Feel free to add your age and industry, in case that matters.

Investment banking, absolutely not. I wouldn’t turn up to a client meeting with one either. Professional meetings, I take my handbag, phone switched off and in my bag, notebook, pen and any client presentations required. I will usually accept an offer of coffee/water and it’s always offered to visiting clients.

What kind of iced coffee? If its one of those frappes that resemble a giant milkshake with cream and sprinkles on top then yes it would look unprofessional and an odd thing to take to an interview.

Surprised how many people seem to care about this. It does seem to be a generational thing. I wouldn’t think it unprofessional at all, really. Especially not with the summer we have had and the quality of air conditioning in lots of office buildings. The only thing I’d probably think is: “I like iced coffee, too, that’s something we have in common.”

Agreed, I like a tea or a coffee a day but don’t feel like I’m gasping for a brew.

I didn’t understand the office tea runs where people have 5 or 6 teas a day and I don’t understand the queues for a flat white.

What if it's a hot coffee though, not an iced one?

Or they accept a coffee offered at reception?

Personally I judge these people that log massive water bottles around with them everywhere, every meeting, activity etc... Just why?! There is fresh water and glasses available all around the building.

But I wouldn't hold whatever someone is drinking/doing/wearing against them, unless it's something quite extreme, like dressed in head to toe latex or drinking alcohol. Everyone has their quirks.

Work in fashion.

You sound utterly exhausting.

Or maybe a tango ice blast…two flavours. The final boss is one of those caps where you put a can on either side and drink from a straw. They seem to feature less than they did in the 90s. Wearing one of those at an interview AND being offered the job is my new life goal

What is wrong with drinking tango on a video call? I have drank cans of pop many times on calls or during meetings , never occurred to me that it would be an issue.

(I wouldn’t take one to an interview)

As an interviewee no. You normally get a glass of water. I wouldn’t ask for a hot drink as I’d probably spill it!

Absolutely not. I’m 50s, education

Agree with this.

Why on earth would I care if someone brought a coffee to an interview? I guess there might be some obscure job where it would indicate that they might be too caffeine addicted for it, but otherwise the only thing I care about is can they do the job.

@user1471553275sp true with the constant water obsession!

I don't imagine they will. But that's not the same situation as a job interview.

Look at this thread. Three out of four people think bringing an iced coffee to an interview is unreasonable. However fine you or anyone else thinks this is, it isn't shared by everyone.

So, I need people who can read the room. Who can empathise with the possibility that someone people might not share their own intuition.

I don't think bringing an iced coffee is worse than a hot beverage. But I do find bringing your own beverage to an interview odd and unprofessional.

Honestly I think it’s fine. I’d take my water bottle to an interview. I’ve been offered water, tea, coffee, fizzy drinks in interviews.

Mid 40s, senior finance leadership role.

One of my juniors disappears at 9.30am on the dot every morning to get her iced coffee fix. She spends the next hour clunking ice, topping the cup up with water when the coffee is finished, to be sure she gets max use of the ice. It sets my teeth on edge every day. She’s absolutely brilliant at her job though, bright, hard working and reliable so I am trying very hard to not let it annoy me.

I would very much judge someone who did this if I was on an interview panel. I would ask myself how their judgement about appropriate behavior in the office would work. I'm 62.

As long as they don't drink coffee 😂

I’m surprised so many think it’s unprofessional! It’s literally just a drink.

I think if it’s a workplace where people can wear jeans to work, it’s ok to have a coffee. I’d guess that was most places these days.

Id consider it a bit unprofessional if it was a very big job in a very formal setting. But even then I don’t think it would bother me much, unless there was lots of slurping!

I guess drinking from a can or bottle is seen as bad manners to people who care about those kind of things. I guess it depends how formal a meeting is.

I work in the public sector and with budget cuts and hot-desking/hybrid working/office spaces being used on a rota it’s no longer a given that there will be a drink available so it’s just become accepted to bring one along.

For those asking about when carrying a drink around became a thing.i vaguely remember when I was at high school there was some kind of research that showed that dehydration impacted on concentration and a focus and we were encouraged to bring a water bottle from home to have on our desks so we had access to it at all times. There was a lot of press in the late 90s and early 00s about the benefits of drinking 2L water a day so I think a lot of it stemmed from there

...in job interviews that they've brought in themselves in a clear plastic cup with a straw.

I was sitting next to a guy on a bus who was sipping from a little carton of milk when he turned to me and said "I've got vodka in this, you know!"

You could try that.

@FiveEightNine id like to work with you 😄

Any time of coffee wouldn't bother me but we once interview a young fella who drank from a can of red bull in his interview.

It was the least of reasons he wasn't hired!