1. Initial screening interview Most employers conduct preliminary interviews to vet selected applicants and ensure their skills are a strong enough match for the role. If an organisation is outsourcing recruiting to an agency, then an external recruiter will take over the initial screening interviews. These initial screening interviews are kept short, generally a 15-20 minute phone interview or via a video conferencing tool. Screening interviews aim to narrow down which candidates to invite (shortlisting) to the official first interview round.