Ice-Coffee Backlash and AI Screening: How Hiring Is Being Reshaped From Both Sides
Published on 10/04/2026 at 03:40 | Editorial boerse-global.de
A hiring manager's TikTok rant about a candidate who brought an iced coffee to an interview did more than spark a viral argument about manners. It exposed how unsettled the rules of professional presentation have become — just as artificial intelligence quietly rewrites the way applicants and employers find each other.
What to wear still depends on where you're applying
Dress codes remain a reliable signal of a company's culture. Banks, insurers and the public sector continue to expect formal business attire, while start-ups and agencies take a visibly looser approach. In skilled trades, technical roles and creative fields, dark, plain, well-kept jeans are considered acceptable. For leadership and management positions, the suit still carries weight as a marker of seriousness.
Colour choices carry their own messages: blue is widely read as a sign of reliability, while shades of grey are associated with experience and professionalism. Trade articles also note that tailored business clothing can reinforce a manager's perceived competence, with fit and durability playing a part.
A paper cup, a handshake and a wider labour-market problem
The etiquette debate itself was set off by a human-resources professional's short video criticising a candidate's takeaway iced coffee. Reactions ranged from agreement to accusations of gender stereotyping. Practical objections were raised too — a to-go cup makes a handshake at the greeting awkward and can easily be knocked over.
Beyond the cup, the discussion pointed to deeper pressures in the labour market, including skills shortages and the state of vocational training. To survive a selection process, career advisers suggest building personal contacts at target companies before vacancies are even advertised. Informal conversations and personal recommendations can help candidates stand out when a position is contested.
Nearly a third already use generative AI to job-hunt
Technology is advancing alongside the etiquette question. In a survey of just over 2,000 jobseekers and applicants, 29 percent said they already use generative artificial intelligence to research employers or open positions, and a further 44 percent could imagine doing so in the future. Among candidates aged 50 to 59, one in four draws on such systems; in younger age groups it is roughly one in three.
On trust, 42 percent of respondents consider AI answers more credible than ordinary results from search engines or job portals, while 15 percent regard them as less credible. If an employer assessment comes back negative, only 25 percent would still follow an AI recommendation. When it comes to paperwork, 11 percent fully agree with using AI to tailor a CV, 13 percent have cover letters generated, and 9 percent simulate interviews.
Employers are automating as well. According to Manpower figures from spring 2026, around 66 percent of Swiss companies use AI in their HR processes. Systems such as Manpower's software Hubert carry out initial shortlisting and filter out applications that lack basic hard skills before any manual review takes place.
Structured starts for new managers
For those stepping into leadership, management guides recommend a well-prepared launch. A new team leader should ideally be introduced in the first week with details of their experience, responsibilities and understanding of leadership; a short address of usually 5 to 15 minutes is the benchmark.
Alongside clear backing from company management, the advice is to listen first, acknowledge existing achievements and ensure structured handovers. The same logic of precisely defined roles and job profiles underpins targeted workforce development in specialist fields such as tax advisory, where the Bundessteuerberaterkammer — the federal chamber of tax advisers — records growing demand for business-management consulting on top of declaration and representation work.
