Barclays interview questions

I was interviewed as a contractor into the firm by 4 groups of people within Global Operations. They are from different operation groups like equities settlements, fixed income settlements, corporate actions etc. It was back to back 4 sessions, they understood that I was fresh from school hence the questions they asked are relatively straight-forward.

Summer 2012 - First round is a phone interview, followed by a video conference w/ someone based in UK. Video conversation went well. I'm invited back 4 more times to meet w/ NYC department staffers and 1 more video conference. I'm there a total of 4-5 appointments and make it into final rounds. There are a couple hiccups in terms of HR interview organization. Once the video link person I was to interview with forgot about the meeting and I was sent away to reschedule. Once the person I did meet w/ was not who I expected. And once I expected to meet w/ 1:1 and it was a panel of 3:1. Following week I get a call from the HR director who advises this role has been shelved as the very senior dept head is no longer w/ the firm (verified). It's explained there is a lot of restructuring going on. Barclays will keep me in mind for other open opportunities. HR person is very nice and apologies profusely. While I'm interview for this role, my perm situation is ending. As a result of this opportunity at Barclays not working out, I take a temp to perm spot at another firm. Now: Feb 2013: I randomly get a call from the same/original HR rep. They'd like to see me again and think I would be a good fit for another role that is open. Great. I'm excited and glad they've called back (the original situation ended by chance and I had no negative feelings toward them). I attend this "second situation" interview w/ the same 2 HR people I originally met. Nothing in my background has changed aside from my most recent temp to perm spot (it's not going perm - as original staffer will return to work). Interview starts off well with soft questions, glad I'm back, what have I been doing since, why am I not taking my current temp-perm situation as a perm job, etc. Then the discussion goes off the deep end... Why am I here? (? you called me back after 6 months), what are my job expectations? Can I explain the exact circumstances of how my last perm spot ended? Who released me? (they wanted a name). It was someone "imported" from another office to release many of us that day. I didn't know this person aside from a name on a business card. Who is doing the job now? (no one - the role was eliminated). Was there someone who could verify how many people were let go at that time? I was told 30% reductions in a 2 week period by the person who released me. How can I verify this? How did I leave my work projects upon departure? Who is doing the job now? (no one). The line of questioning was very bizarre and I didn't have some of the answers they were looking for. I could provide referrals and references. I once replied "I don't have that information but can refer you to someone who may". I remained very calm about it but the line of questioning was a pointed attempt to belittle my last position and potentially get me to reveal I was released due to any other reason but "mass/group layoffs". Admittedly I knew my previous company was in trouble and was expecting an end. None of these very specific questions regarding my release had come up in the first set of interviews 6 months previous. I'm told that w/ my "background" of recent "inconsistent" work that I'm really not a good match (you called me back in here?!) and they'd have a difficult time placing me in a perm role... Am I open to temp to perm. Yes. In the course of 2 minutes I went from a candidate who was previously considered and in final rounds for a very senior role, to one that would be "a hard sell" (to various departments) even as a temp in a floater pool admin situation. What? I have 15 years of exec level experience behind me... It was a total disaster. Not sure what went wrong (again YOU called ME). I was eager for the discussion to end as it was very negative toward me. Were they trying to fill a very jr spot w/ a senior person and this was their intro? Tear you down then offer you something/anything? They had my current CV. I'm not sure why they wasted my time or theirs. At the end they offered to keep me on their books for other junior roles but I shouldn't expect a call. I didn't expect a call and never got one. It was all very bizarre and I felt treated poorly. I rode the subway home in tears and I'm not an emotional person. I left feeling like "what just happened here?".