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.

Very unprofessional. I work in a creative media field. I’m 50. Iced coffee, hot coffee, tea, can of coke, etc, all no. Being offered a drink while you are there is fine.

I imagine supporting people in a caring role...so an individual working with people with mental health or physical health or learning disabilities.

Anyway, I don't really think taking a drink into a job interview is disrespectful. I've actually been offered a drink going into an interview before

As long as someone doesn't start slurping or blowing bubbles through the straw then whats the harm? It sometimes helps to have a drink for dry throat (nerves)

I wondered if I was being thick too and an iced coffee might be something else, akin to a can of stella and a kebab or something these days. But no, just coffee with ice in.

Because everyone knows what a support worker is.

I shouldn’t need to spell it out.

This wouldn't bother me at all. I work in finance, quite senior and do interview sometimes. I don't see how it affects their ability. Also most people on meetings bring coffee, tea, water etc

Everybody drinks coffee all the time in every company I've ever worked. Coffee is available for free in all our dining areas. Having a coffee at a meeting is perfectly normal, and done by about 75% of people in a meeting. Eating a Big Mac in a meeting isn't, so that's different.

You have to wonder why the big deal!

I can't lie, that would make me give you pretty much any job you wanted.

Eating is different as it stops you talking due to needing to chew. You can have a quick, quiet sip of a drink whilst listening to questions and then have it swallowed before answering. Bit weird if they had to wait for you to chew and swallow to answer or an interviewee sat rustling the sweet packet

A coffee is unprofessional now. Once again, I'm reminded why I'm glad to be out if it all. Jeez. How about it showing independence and initiative.

I interviewed someone who had a massive water bottle. Before he answered he took a massive glue, it was over teams the bottle filled the screen the sound effects were nasty. He dropped it and then went searching around the floor. It was annoying. Don’t do anything in an annoying manner at interview- drinking ice coffee fine but small sipps and don’t have it covering your face.

I always bring water to interviews as i get a dry mouth from speaking so much, not sure whats wrong with bringing a drink or iced coffee...i wouldnt want to work somewhere that they judge you for having a drink....

I don’t see the problem

It literally tells you the main ingredient and the temperature.

Wow so a cold coffee. Don't hire the cheeky bastard!

....clue's in the name?
I certainly wouldn't hire you if you couldn't work that out!

I wouldn't want you if you were so judgemental.

I assume the issue with specifically iced coffee is that it seems frivolous/young. I don't tend to buy coffee out and would only be drinking a takeaway iced coffee as a treat, so I certainly wouldn't be wasting my enjoyment taking it to a job interview, I'd have it afterwards!

I am employed at a university and honestly I think the reaction you'd get would vary department to department so I think if you're at all worried about appearing unprofessional then I'd probably skip it!

A coffee (usually latte style) with ice in it - it’s really not that hard to work out from the description 🤣

You seriously have never heard of support workers?

Quite, and that's why I questioned it because I still don't see the issue with a cold coffee. This all sounds so wank.

People do get quite weird about takeaway coffees, speaking as a non-imbiber. Mind you some people have attitude about bottles of water too.

Completely unprofessional and lacks insight. Of course it’s fine once you get the job. I work in a senior professional role and have my breakfast at my desk every morning! But an interview is different

I work in the media and would think nothing of it. In fact, I once had a job interview in a London cafe. Coffee was drunk by both of us if I remember correctly - and I got the job

We always provide water for candidates, but sometimes I have a coffee, I could be doing 7 hour long interviews back to back and score during my lunchbreak, a candidate is there for an hour