HR called to set up the phone interview with the hiring manager. At first, the hiring manager seemed pleasant and amicable, but as the interview progressed, I got this slimy, pompous vibe from him and I didn't like that.
He made me feel like a liar. Initially, I explained why I'm looking for something else. Later in the interview, when I said that I liked the people I currently work with, he kept pressing and pressing why I'd want to leave them. And I quote, "Wait! You said earlier that you wanted to leave because you weren't using your skills to your potential...and now you're saying you like working with these people? What is it?" (Um. Yes, I can LIKE the people I work with, but if my skills aren't being used to their potential, then it's a completely different issue.) UGH.
He also made me feel bad about my entire career - he seems to think that I had no career progression from when I held an entry level position until now (I have 17 years of experience). I explained how the field works, and that I had no interest in managing people, hence why I'm not in a management role -- because I don't WANT one. However, once he asked me for my current salary he was silent. Perhaps only then did he understand, as you don't just get to X salary amount by doing lateral moves.
After I hung up the phone, I KNEW I wouldn't want to work here. One should leave an interview feeling excited about a potential new experience, but this experience made me feel rattled and angry...and now I'll note this company as somewhere I'd never want to work.