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I had one interview in an out-of-town location. I had just graduated but was taking one last class that involved travel to a state 2000 miles away. I wanted to move there, so I had set up an interview on a Saturday (we were only in this town for the weekend) at the hotel. The rest of the class had gone on a day trip while I waited for my interview. I waited...and waited... and waited. He never showed up. I finally got a hold of him that evening (interview was scheduled for 10am) and he said "oh, I was at a Boy Scout event with my son." He did come by the next day to interview me (I missed yet another outing). I don't even remember the interview. I really wanted that job over another I had interviewed for in the same location (and had been offered), so I called him and basically pushed his hand about 2 weeks later and he offered me the job. I took it and worked for him for 4 years. He was a horribly lame and ineffective boss, but I did love my job and my coworkers.
I've also done my share of interviewing from the other side of the table. Because we were in a different state and a different time zone than all of our applicants, we did a lot of interviews over Skype. When we finally got a hold of one candidate at our pre-arranged time (well, 20 minutes later), he basically accused us of contacting him at the wrong time and he was busy, could he call us back in 15 minutes. Turns out he was confused by the time difference. He somehow assumed that when we told him we would interview him at X time, our time zone, that meant his time zone. We didn't hire him. If he would have owned up to his mistake and apologized, that would be been so much better than accusing us of messing up.
I was asked if I felt I was more of a clothesline or a kite string and why. Not knowing where the heck that was supposed to go I said clothesline as I felt I'd be closer to people to talk them as opposed to being way far up as I thought of the kite string being way up by the kite in the air and not in a hand.
These days it almost seems strange actually getting a job offered to me at an interview.
FSU2016 and anyone else who wants to read I too worked at a call center that hired a pregnant lady. She worked a week then took her 6 weeks I think it was. I thought she quit. She came back and said she had it planned out. I think that has to be the entire opposite of discriminating I ever heard of.
I've been asked strange questions on occasion (like what kind of tree I would be, etc), but I've only had one 'strange' interview.
It was with a company that my friend/roommate had worked with for a couple of years. I went in for the interview with an older lady (probably early 50s) in HR. She asked a few regular questions, then started asking me if my roommate and I were "together" or not (we most certainly were not - ick). She also asked if my parents approved of me living with a guy that I wasn't married to. There were a few other (illegal) questions along those lines.
I was a moron and didn't stop her or tell her that I was offended or anything and I never reported her. I didn't get the job and I believe it was completely based on the fact that she thought I was "living in sin" with my male roommate. I really wish I HAD reported her.
I've been asked strange questions on occasion (like what kind of tree I would be, etc), but I've only had one 'strange' interview.
It was with a company that my friend/roommate had worked with for a couple of years. I went in for the interview with an older lady (probably early 50s) in HR. She asked a few regular questions, then started asking me if my roommate and I were "together" or not (we most certainly were not - ick). She also asked if my parents approved of me living with a guy that I wasn't married to. There were a few other (illegal) questions along those lines.
I was a moron and didn't stop her or tell her that I was offended or anything and I never reported her. I didn't get the job and I believe it was completely based on the fact that she thought I was "living in sin" with my male roommate. I really wish I HAD reported her.
And she is the one whose job it is to ensure the interview is conducted professionally and in legal compliance.
Not an interview, but on an on-line job application today I was asked my date of birth.
Isn't this illegal?
No, it is not illegal.
Discriminating on the basis of age is illegal, so asking the DOB is unwise, as it theoretically opens the company up to accusations of discrimination, particularly if a pattern of age preferential hiring is shown.
But asking the question is, in and of itself, perfectly legal.
I didn't know how else to answer it except my parents emigrated here (which is true). I chalked it up to the interviewer being a much older person, but it's still kind of offensive. In 2015, am I still supposed to justify why I'm an American? Weird.
Weirdest thing that ever happened to me was the interviewer giving me a counter offer that was 20-some percent higher than what I was asking for. I was expecting lower, not higher.
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There were a few other (illegal) questions along those lines. 
