Phone Screening vs. Phone Interviews: Know the Difference!

A recruiter spends a huge amount of time in the CV Screening process to build a pipeline of potential candidates. A phone call is usually the first point of screening a candidate. If the candidate meets the initial expectations, the recruiter lines up a phone interview or a face to face interview.

Let’s now understand the difference in detail.

Phone Screening

Phone screening is the first call made to set an acquaintance with the candidate. It is done to:

• Assess preliminarily whether the candidate meets the base expectations. For instance, to gauge whether s/he has good communication skills even though s/he meets desired qualifications on paper.
• To communicate the job profile and the employer value proposition.
• To set up an appointment for a detailed and structured interview.

You can say that phone screening is a pre-employment screening tool. It builds a relationship with the candidate and converts him/her to a ‘prospect’.

Phone Interviews

When a candidate passes the phone screening criteria, s/he can be called to appear for an interview – either face to face in person or via a video call or on the phone. The interviews conducted on a phone is called the phone interview. A phone interview can be the final stage of recruiting or can be followed by the next round of interviews. During a phone interview,

• A series of questions are presented to the interviewer to test his technical and functional competence, behavioral and soft skills, etc.
• Mutual expectations are discussed.
• Salary negotiations are made.

You can say that a phone interview is a stage where a job offer could be made, provided there are no subsequent interviews.

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