The coffee cup test has been a “trick” widely used in job interviews, and by large companies.


Imagine you're in a job interview. Your heart is beating a little faster, your hands are sweating slightly, but you're holding it together.

Then the interviewer — perhaps even the CEO of a multinational company — offers you a cup of coffee. “Would you like a cup?” he asks with a friendly smile.

You accept, take a few sips while answering the questions, and, in the end, leave the empty cup there on the table, thanking for the chance.

Days later, the phone rings: you didn't make it. And the reason? Believe it or not, it could have been that forgotten cup of coffee.

It sounds like something out of a movie, right? But this trick, known as the “coffee cup test,” is real and has been used by leaders of large companies to decide who joins or leaves the team.

It’s not something you’ll find in career guides or HR courses.

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It's more like a secret that CEOs keep to themselves, only revealed in relaxed chats or casual interviews.

So why has a simple cup of coffee become the nightmare of candidates and the darling of bosses?

Let's dive into this curious story, discover its origins, understand what it reveals and even get some tips to avoid falling into this trap.

Where did this idea come from? The story of a clever Australian

It all started to gain fame with Trent Innes, an Australian executive who ran Xero, an accounting software company, and is now head of Compono.

In 2019, he gave an interview to the podcast The Venture and revealed the secret bluntly.

He said that, when he received a candidate, he liked to take him on a tour of the company, starting with the kitchen.

There, he would offer coffee, tea or water — anything that would leave the interviewee with something in their hands. The real test came at the end: What did the person do with the empty cup? “If they return the cup to the kitchen, they win points with me,” Trent said.

For him, this gesture showed attitude — something that can’t be taught with an Excel formula or an online course. “You can train skills and gain experience, but attitude is what matters. And I want people who wash their own cups,” he added. If the candidate left the cup on the table or pretended it wasn’t his problem, it was already a warning sign.

Trent's idea didn't come out of nowhere, but he was the one who put the coffee cup test on the map.

After the conversation went viral, many people started to wonder: do other CEOs do this too? And, more importantly, what does a cup have that a resume doesn't? Let's find out.

Why do CEOs love this test?

Have you ever stopped to think about what a leader of a multinational company looks for beyond a fancy diploma or years of experience? The coffee cup test fits into this gap. It's not just a whim of an eccentric boss — it has a well-thought-out purpose.

Talking to executives and experts, we can understand that the secret lies in three things: responsibility, a keen eye for detail and fitting into the company culture.

First, there’s the issue of responsibility. When someone leaves a cup lying around, it can give the impression that they don’t care about the consequences — or that they think someone else will take care of it.

Those who pick up the cup and take it to the sink (or at least ask where to leave it) show that they don’t stray from the basics. “I want people who think one step ahead,” Trent said in his interview. And in a corporate world where every detail counts, this proactivity is worth its weight in gold.

Next comes attention to detail. You know that saying “the devil is in the details”? Well, it is. A forgotten cup could be a sign that the candidate is so focused on shining in the interview that he ignores what’s around him. And if he doesn’t see the cup, what else could he miss on an important project? CEOs know that successful teams are made up of people who pay attention to the little things.

Finally, there is the need to fit into the organizational culture. Each company has its own way of operating. At Xero, for example, the kitchens were a source of pride: they were always clean, because everyone took care of them. The cup test was a way to check whether the candidate bought into this idea of collaboration. After all, in multinationals with teams spread across the world, no one wants someone who only thinks about themselves.

What does psychology say about the coffee cup test?

Now, let’s take it a step further and look at the coffee cup test through the eyes of psychology.

Behind this simple trick, there’s a lot of theory that explains why it works — or at least why CEOs think it works.

One of them is about social norms. In many places, putting something back where it belongs or cleaning up after yourself is a sign of good manners.

The test assesses whether you have this in your pocket. If so, great — it shows that you think about the collective. If not, the interviewer may see you as someone who is careless or lacks empathy.

Speaking of empathy, this is another strong point.

Taking the cup back isn’t just about organization; it’s about considering who comes next. Do you think about the impact of your actions? Studies, like one from Harvard University on teams, show that empathy is key to successful groups. The cup test, even unintentionally, touches on this.

And there’s more: the priming effect. When the interviewer takes you to the kitchen right at the beginning, he’s giving you a subtle hint about how things work there. If you don’t pick up on this cue and leave the cup behind, it may seem like you don’t understand the context — something leaders expect you to do on a daily basis.

But not everyone buys into this idea. Some experts say the test is too subjective. “What if the person is nervous and forgets?” I’ve heard people ask. Others point out that not everyone reads these social cues in the same way — think about someone with autism or ADHD, for example. Is it fair to judge based on something so small?

Real and controversial stories

The coffee cup test is a divisive subject. On Reddit forums, some candidates are outraged to find out they lost the job because of it. “I spent seven hours in an interview, I was exhausted, and they failed me because of a cup? Seriously?” complained one user. On the other hand, there are managers who swear by it. A technology executive in the US said, without revealing his name, that he has hired less experienced people just because they returned the cup with a smile. “They always saw great colleagues,” he said in an article in Business Insider.

The debate heats up when it comes to manipulation. For some, the test is a psychological game that catches the candidate off guard. For others, it is a genuine way to see beyond the resume. Who is right? Maybe both sides have a point.

How to Pass the Coffee Cup Test — and What It Says About the Future

If you're eyeing a job at a multinational company, here's a tip: pay attention to the coffee.

Accept the drink, enjoy the interview and, at the end, ask where to leave the cup or take it back if you know the way.

It's not about pretending to be someone you're not — it's about showing that you care about the basics.

Looking forward, the coffee cup test is a sign of something bigger.

First, interviews are changing: less focus on technical skills and more on who you are as a person.

With AI analyzing everything from your tone of voice to your facial expression, these human tricks may seem like a thing of the past. But for now, they still have their charm.

So, at your next interview, when the CEO offers you a coffee, don’t hesitate. It could be just a drink — or it could be the key to your next big break.