[Coffee Cup Test]

Observing whether the cup used after the interview is left behind
"Attitude is more important than skills or knowledge"

Andy Jassy Amazon CEO
"You would be surprised how rare it is to find someone with a great attitude"

It has been reported that some corporate recruiters are evaluating job applicants' attitudes through the so-called 'coffee cup test' during interviews.

On the 6th (local time), the U.S. business magazine Fortune reported that some recruiters use the 'coffee cup test' during interviews to assess candidates' attitudes. Trent Innes, former executive director of accounting platform Xero and currently CEO of hotel commerce platform SiteMinder, introduced this test on the recent podcast 'The Ventures'.

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He explained, "I take the interviewee to the break room for coffee, have them bring the cup back to the interview room, and then observe how they handle the cup after the interview ends." He added, "Whether the candidate drinks their coffee black or with sugar doesn't affect the hiring decision," and said, "I check whether they try to return the empty cup to the break room after the interview." According to him, those who leave the used cup in the interview room are unlikely to be hired, even if they are otherwise suitable for the position.

Innes emphasized, "Not cleaning up the cup is a warning sign that the person may not fit into the company culture," and said, "Skills can be developed, and knowledge and experience can be gained, but attitude is even more important." He continued, "Taking used cups, mugs, or glasses back to the break room shows thoughtfulness as a team member and attention to small details."

Global companies such as Amazon and Cisco have also stressed the importance of attitude. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, said, "You'd be surprised at how rare it is to find someone with a great attitude," adding, "Attitude makes a huge difference."

Sarah Walker, CEO of Cisco UK, also stated, "A positive attitude, engagement, and energy cannot be taught," and "We pay close attention to these traits when hiring or promoting employees internally." She especially emphasized, "The less experience someone has, the more important these traits are compared to what's on their resume," and "People matter more than skills or experience."

Recruiters claim that the coffee cup test is actually effective in the hiring process. Louis Male, CEO of global executive search firm Bentley Lewis, said, "I really believe the (coffee cup) test is valuable," and "Observing such small actions reveals a lot about a person that you could never learn from formal interview questions." He added that observing how candidates interact with company reception staff can yield similar insights.

However, he advised, "This test is only one part of the hiring process," and "Even great candidates can be nervous or make mistakes in unfamiliar environments. Pursue this, but maintain a balanced perspective."