When Personal Preferences Become Unofficial Hiring Standards

A viral argument about interview etiquette is drawing attention to a persistent risk in talent acquisition: personal preferences masquerading as legitimate assessment criteria. According to an ERE analysis, informal judgments, such as whether a candidate orders iced coffee, can reflect unstated and unvalidated standards that have little connection to job performance. For HR and recruiting professionals, the pattern underscores the importance of defining what is actually being assessed before screening begins. Without structured criteria tied to role requirements, interviewers may default to subjective impressions, raising both fairness concerns and potential legal exposure.

Source: ERE. Original announcement: October 08, 2026.