I was contacted by HR to come for an on-site interview in Santa Ana to meet with the hiring manager. Although I expected this to be a straightforward interview, it took a number of strange twists along the way. My resume stated that I had advanced Japanese language ability. Although the position did not require this, the hiring manager decided to test my ability. A Japanese American sat in on the interview and acted as interpreter for a few questions I was asked in Japanese. I was also given an on-the-spot Excel test. The hiring manager slid his laptop to me and tested my ability on some Excel functions. I have been tested on my Microsoft Office computer savvy many times before, but I was usually given the courtesy knowing this in advance and usually it is done separate from the interview. I discovered later that the hiring manager and I had worked at the same company in the past, but at different times. Since one of his contacts/relatives still worked at that company, he had him/her contact my previous department and inquire about me before the on-site interview. This is a questionable hiring method at best. Overall, it was a strange experience. The hiring manager was not very talkative, making the atmosphere a bit uncomfortable. I received neither an offer or the usual rejection email that most companies send out.