I feel like I usually have a good sense of when an interview went well (I don’t think I have a history of frequently misinterpreting social signals or anything like that), and I’ve rarely had a hiring manager sound SO enthusiastic and positive about every response I gave in an interview — frequently saying things like “that is exactly what we need in this role” whenever I talked about my skills or experience. I was excited that our conversation seemed to go so well, because the company’s mission is something that I’m genuinely passionate about on a personal level, and the role seemed like a great match for my skills. But then the following business day I received an automated rejection email with the boilerplate “We have carefully reviewed your application and experience, and after careful consideration, we have decided to proceed with another candidate at this time.” I don’t mind a rejection, but I was a little confused about the way it was communicated. Throughout my career, I’ve never really experienced anything like that in an application process, and I’m still a bit puzzled by it.