Interview Etiquette: Don’t Get Too Comfortable

The topic of interview etiquette resurfaced last week when a recruiter’s TikTok post sparked a debate about whether candidates should bring iced coffee to a job interview.

My personal opinion is that it’s best to leave the iced coffee at home, especially when interviewing with traditional employers like law firms. Bringing an iced coffee to an interview might be viewed as too casual. More importantly, it doesn’t add any value to your candidacy, and it creates an unnecessary risk that someone will view it negatively.

So, why take the risk?

The iced coffee debate reminded me of other interview behaviors that fall into the same category. They may seem harmless, but they can make you appear too casual or comfortable in a setting where first impressions matter.

Don’t use profanity.

I’ve seen this happen after multiple rounds of interviews, particularly at recruiting dinners or other events where candidates have spent time with prospective employers in a more casual setting. They start to feel comfortable and let their guard down. Some prospective employers won’t care, but others will find it unprofessional.

Using profanity isn’t going to make you a stronger candidate, so why risk offending someone? Keep your language professional, both in writing and in conversation.

Don’t underdress.

Yes, the firm may have a business casual dress code. And, yes, the person interviewing you may be perfectly comfortable with business casual attire.

But, unless you’ve been specifically instructed otherwise, my advice is to dress in business professional attire. Wear what you would wear to court.

You aren’t going to hurt your candidacy by dressing professionally, but you could make a negative impression by dressing too casually.

Don’t chew gum or eat during an interview.

Just like bringing an iced coffee, chewing gum or eating during an interview can come across as overly casual.

If the firm offers you a beverage, feel free to accept it. But, there’s no reason to arrive with your own iced coffee or snack, or to chew gum during the interview.

None of these things will help you get the job, so leave them out of the interview.

Don’t pull out your phone.

Put your phone on silent before the interview begins and leave it put away.

Checking a text message or notification, even briefly, can give the impression that you aren’t fully engaged in the conversation.

It may be something you do without thinking, but an interview isn’t the time to get that comfortable.

Don’t be late. Not even five minutes.

Being late can create a negative first impression before the interview even begins. It may suggest that you aren’t taking the opportunity seriously, even when that’s not the case.

Plan ahead. Account for traffic, parking, building security and anything else that could delay you. Set an alarm or put the interview on your calendar for 10 or 15 minutes before the actual start time.

Being early won’t hurt you. Being late can.

The Bottom Line: Don’t Get Too Comfortable

An interview should be a conversation. You want to be relaxed, personable and authentic. You want to establish a connection with the people interviewing you.

But, there’s a difference between being comfortable and being too comfortable.

You don’t know what an individual interviewer considers too casual or unprofessional. Something that wouldn’t bother one person might leave a negative impression on another.

I don’t necessarily agree that every behavior I’ve mentioned should influence a hiring decision, but the reality is that it sometimes does.

My advice is to eliminate unnecessary risks.

If something doesn’t add value to your candidacy but has the potential to create a negative impression, why do it?