Sudden

Anyone with a similar experience? After what seemed like a successful initial online interview, I was invited for a second, on-site meeting with the same employer. Right at the start of the conversation, the interviewer abruptly mentioned that he had expected a different profile – despite the fact that we had already spoken, he had reviewed my CV, and had a printed copy in front of him. Honestly, I’m still not sure what he meant, as his explanation when I asked for clarification was vague. He then immediately asked me to say which references he could contact. Since he knows my previous manager from a short-term role I held about a year ago, I suspect he may have already reached out to them before this discussion unbeknownst to me. And here’s the thing – that former manager openly disliked and ignored me during my time there. So now I can’t help but wonder: did that manager give me a bad reference – or outright badmouth me? The shift in attitude during the second interview was noticeable and, frankly, hard to explain otherwise.