Follow Up: Never Bring Coffee On An Interview

I received so many comments on my post last week about bringing coffee on an interview that I thought I would synthesize them and make an additional commentary.

Most comments, sent to me either on Facebook, through various LinkedIn sites or in personal emails, were positive.  But there were a few people who vehemently disagreed with my premise. 
Most of the disagreements were, I suspect, made by people who actually bring coffee when they interview.

The point of the entire post was that if there is only a small chance of turning someone off and losing a job opportunity by bringing coffee or other beverages on an interview, why risk it?  That is a very simple premise.  Several people told me that I was wrong and that my point of view is petty and old fashioned. Others said that they would not want to work for a company which viewed its candidates in this way. The problem is they will never tell a candidate why they were dinged.  

But bringing coffee into my home (I consider my office as home) is a pet peeve.

I stand by my assertion that bringing coffee is a no-no. One person actually went so far as to say that there is a difference between a meeting and an interview and that meeting a recruiter was not an actual interview. Therefore, bringing coffee was okay.  But bringing coffee to any meeting, interview or not, is impolite. The host should always offer a beverage, but if not, suck it up. 

But be that as it may, I want to be clear that even if someone brings coffee to my office, it would not affect my opinion of them, nor would it prevent me from sending them on an interview. But I always make a note of it in the candidate’s file so that I can remind them not to do it when I send them out. (I am willing to bet that most of those people bring it anyway because buying coffee, especially in the morning, is an ingrained habit.)   

What one writer pointed out, and it was very prescient, is what happens when the meeting is over.  It makes a big difference whether someone removes their cup, takes it with them or leaves it for me to clean up (that happens frequently).

Many interviewers commented that they always offer coffee, water or soda to anyone who comes to their office.   That is very appropriate and correct whether a large meeting or a one-on-one.  A candidate is perfectly right to make a judgement about the character of the person they are meeting with based on whether they are offered something to drink. After all, an interview or a meeting is a two way street.