"Would you go on a date with me?" and "Could I get a pay advance?" are among the most, um, memorable questions interviewers have heard.
FORTUNE -- Some people arrive at job interviews with a well thought out list of smart questions. And then there are the other kind. Staffing firm OfficeTeam recently asked 650 human resources executives and hiring managers to recall the oddest or most off-putting queries posed by applicants. A sampling of the results:
Regarding those last four, OfficeTeam executive director Robert Hosking notes that vacation time is part of compensation, which "is best discussed after an employer has expressed a serious intent to extend a job offer" -- however unlikely that might be.
Some kinds of personal chitchat are just fine in a job interview, while other topics are best avoided. Here's how to tell the difference.
Dear Annie: I am applying for my dream job with a software company. So far, I've made it past the phone interview and a technical competency screening, and the next step is an in-person interview. I looked up this hiring manager on LinkedIn and noticed that we MORE
Anne Fisher, contributor - Nov 1, 2012 11:20 AM ET
Being out of work for two years or longer makes candidates harder to place than people with a criminal record, recruiters say. Gen Y, take note: A history of job hopping is a deal-breaker, too. By Anne Fisher
Anne Fisher, contributor - Oct 3, 2012 11:21 AM ET