Screening interview The first contact with a candidate, usually conducted over the phone or in person. The purpose of this interview is to select the most qualified candidates to move forward in the process. First interview A one-on-one interview to further assess the candidate's experience and qualifications. This interview may be in-person, virtual, or by phone. Second interview A more in-depth interview to further reduce the pool of candidates. This interview may be additional meetings with the same interviewer or a day-long meeting with multiple staff members.