My initial contact with the company was a phone interview with the HR Director in CA. I had gotten information from the external recruiter about the company and the person I would be talking to. I didn't know much about the industry, so did a bit of research ahead of time. The interviewer was very thorough and I was very candid about my past experiences. Paid off because she appreciated me sharing more than most candidates had before. Got me to the next step in the process.