I applied through an external recruiter and was quickly invited for an interview. The first interviewer was cordial and gave a lot of positive feedback, expressing excitement about my experience. Although they initially mentioned they were ready to make a decision, they scheduled me for an additional interview. This second conversation was equally pleasant and felt more like an open discussion, where I had the opportunity to showcase my skills. At one point, they even asked questions out of curiosity about my background, which reinforced my confidence that the interview was going well. However, despite the positive interactions, I later received a rejection through the recruiter. In hindsight, I felt misled, as the enthusiasm they conveyed did not align with the final outcome.