Trent Innes, a former Managing Director at Xero in Melbourne, Australia, shared his unconventional “coffee cup test” for evaluating job candidates during an interview on the “The Venture Podcast with Lambros Photios” in May 2019 (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-secret-job-interviewing-hack-to-recruit-the-right-staff/id1455144398?i=1000439984915). In this unique approach, Innes would take candidates to an office kitchen, offer them a beverage, such as coffee, and observe their behavior during this informal interaction as a way to assess their suitability for the role. This covert personality test has garnered attention on social media platforms as users discuss its merits and implications.
Innes is unlikely to extend a job offer to candidates who do not proactively offer to return their empty cups to the kitchen after the interview.
Innes emphasized the significance of attitude during his podcast appearance, stating that while skills, knowledge, and experience are important, the key factor he values is encapsulated in the concept of “washing your coffee cup.” According to Innes, this test helps identify candidates who would be a good cultural fit for the workplace. He noted that most candidates tend to pass this post-interview test. As discussions about the coffee cup test continue to unfold on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Reddit, opinions on its fairness as a metric for evaluating job candidates vary. Some argue that it might seem unusual to wash your own cup during an interview when you’re a guest, suggesting they would prefer to ask the interviewer for guidance on cup disposal.
Another user provided a different perspective, stating, “If we’re still in the kitchen, then yes, but if we’re in a conference room, and I leave, I’m not walking around the office again; I don’t work there yet.” There were also comments like, “I wouldn’t even take the cup in the first place, honestly,” and “I understand the spirit behind it, given that I hate people not clearing up after themselves, but it’s not a fair or accurate way of testing people,” reflecting varied opinions on the coffee cup test. Additionally, a TikTok user questioned, “The people who are getting so upset by this are definitely the employees who leave dirty dishes by the communal sink,” adding a touch of humor to the discussion.
User reactions to the coffee cup test varied widely. Some expressed concerns, with one user questioning the safety of letting random people roam unsupervised, while another on Facebook pondered what happens if a candidate declines the coffee. Nervousness during an interview was a common sentiment, with one user admitting they might forget to wash their coffee cup due to interview jitters. Others raised more profound questions about the employer’s communication and management style, wondering if such a test reflects a manipulative approach and unclear expectations. Some commenters highlighted potential awkwardness and stress in social interactions between candidates and hiring managers when this test is not executed delicately, with one party waiting for the other to make a move. On Reddit, users engaged in debates over the test’s validity, with one user stating they would judge a candidate who left a used cup on the bench after drinking coffee, especially if they observed proper etiquette like washing their own cup and placing it in the rack.
User reactions to the coffee cup test continued to be diverse. One user humorously remarked, “Well, ‘boss,’ I was hoping the cup my lips just touched wasn’t gonna be hand-washed in a dirty office sink and put out for the next candidate.” Another shared a different experience, where water was offered before interviews, and refusing it was seen as a sign of non-assertiveness, although this practice was eventually discontinued. A Reddit user, claiming to be a hiring manager, explained their approach to using questions, scenarios, and tests, even for low-stakes jobs, to assess social skills alongside technical skills, as such tactics could reveal a candidate’s true character. However, some Reddit users argued that hiring managers should focus on discussing job tasks, compensation, and team dynamics instead. The coffee cup test has been a topic of debate among recruiters on LinkedIn over the past four years.