“Let’s meet over coffee.” Informal meeting or just friends getting together to catch up. It’s a usual occurrence in many cultures—casual conversation over coffee. When you add iced coffee and social media to the mix, however, it can turn into a controversy.
When a recruiter took to social media to share her thoughts about a Gen Z candidate arriving at a job interview with iced coffee, the internet debate went viral. Interview etiquette, professionalism, generations, hidden biases, hiring criteria….the list is exhausting. There is, however, an opportunity to frame the situation in terms of culture and diversity.
Norms are rules or patterns for behavior, defining what is expected or proper in a given situation. Folkways, on the other hand, guide daily routines, defining what is socially correct, such as how to greet friends, or etiquette.
Every culture has norms which are based upon what people know and value. All members share an understanding—a body of knowledge—based upon the culture’s beliefs and values. Norms are ideal patterns which can deviate or vary. They are not always clear and explicit—they are not always understood and obeyed.
Someone visiting a new culture or group—an interviewee, for example—will not instinctively know the norms and the folkways. They won’t instinctively know what is and is not appropriate. Most candidates are left to figure out what to wear and carry, unless they’ve been told in advance.
The oldest members of Gen Z were just entering the workforce when the pandemic hit. Remote and hybrid work became their norm unlike older generations of workers. They interviewed over Zoom and didn’t have the opportunity to observe office etiquette. When they did enter the office, they likely experienced more relaxed workplaces than existed in the past. With casual dress and casual conversation, is it any wonder that drinking iced coffee over an interview seemed natural?
One internet commenter noted that it—the iced coffee—mattered enough for the hiring manager to mention it to the recruiter. Is that a hint that this was unacceptable behavior in this specific workplace? If so, shouldn’t the recruiter have mentioned it to the interviewee?
More importantly, was the hiring manager in this situation sufficiently focused on the appropriate job criteria in making a hiring decision or did they allow the horn effect to cloud their judgment? The horn effect occurs where one perceived bad quality—bringing a beverage to an interview—overshadows all the other criteria and qualities and leads to rejection.
It might be time for this organization to consider conducting interview training for hiring managers and recruiters—training focused on proper interview techniques and candidate evaluation, so the hiring standards remain job related, valid and consistent. Adding discussions on hidden or unconscious biases and the importance of recognizing diversity and differences would elevate the content greatly.