Although the interview process has questions and procedures that seem irrelevant for the job description, they’re still asking because they believe there to be a valid reason in proving your skills — hard or soft. Have you ever considered that maybe they expect you to be smart enough to know the difference between related interview questions and unrelated questions, and just want to test your reaction and how you deal with frustration? Unfortunately, it seems like your soft skills need some work. As a fellow techie I understand that talking to people and dealing with a “runaround” seems like a waste of time especially when there is a goal to be accomplished, but the best thing to do in those situations is stay calm and act as if you’re being tested on your ability to handle frustration. I agree that hiring managers need to be more transparent when it comes to their reasoning, especially if you weren’t called to come back, but it’s not their fault you’re not getting offers. I suggest working on your soft skills because your tech skills seem to be excellent!