Pre-Screening Interview: How to Run a Short, Fair First Call

A pre-screening interview is a short first call that confirms a candidate meets the role's basics before formal interviews begin.

It protects the hiring manager's or client's time, because only candidates who meet the core requirements move forward. A consistent screen also helps you compare candidates fairly and explain your choices.

What is a pre-screening interview?

It's a brief first conversation, often by phone or video, that checks whether a candidate meets the job's basic requirements. You'll also hear it called a phone screen or a screening interview. Recruiters use these calls to narrow a list of candidates before anyone advances to formal interviews.

The pre-screen sits between reviewing applications and the first formal interview in the recruitment process. In-house, a recruiter often runs it before passing candidates to the hiring manager. On the agency side, you screen candidates before presenting them to the client.

What a pre-screen is for

The pre-screen confirms that a candidate meets the basics, so the hiring manager or client spends interview time only on people who could do the job. It isn't a full assessment of skills or working style. Deeper questions belong in later rounds, such as a panel interview.

A pre-screen often covers a few areas:

• Required qualifications: a license, certification, or skill the job can't go without.
• Pay: whether the candidate's expectations and the role's range overlap.
• Location and schedule: commute, travel area, shift times, or remote setup.
• Interest: why they're open to a move and what they want next.

The call matters for another reason. SHRM points out that these screens are often the first live interaction between candidates and the employer. A rushed or disorganized call can shape how a strong candidate sees the whole job.

Pre-screening interview questions to ask before formal rounds

Ask a short set of questions tied to what the job needs, and ask the same ones of every candidate. SHRM's guidance says consistent questions and a ratings scorecard help recruiters stay objective and assess candidates fairly.

The same SHRM article suggests ranking the job's key factors in order of importance, then using them as your screening criteria with all candidates. A clear job description gives you a head start, especially if it separates required skills from nice-to-haves. Record your ratings on an interview scorecard so you can compare answers later.

Here are example questions, grouped by what they help you learn:

• Role fit: "This role requires a current certification. Is yours active, and when does it renew?"
• Pay and logistics: "The pay range for this role is [range]. Does that work for you?" or "The shift starts early in the morning. Will that fit your schedule?"
• Motivation: "What did you like most about your last role?" and "What's prompting you to look now?"
• Experience: "Tell me about a recent time you handled a problem this job deals with every week."

The structure stays the same across roles, but the details change. Here's how the focus might shift for three different jobs.

What to avoid asking in a pre-screen

Keep your questions to what you need to judge whether someone is qualified for the job. EEOC guidance says information requested in the pre-employment process should be limited to what's essential for determining if a person is qualified.

Disability questions need particular care. The EEOC's applicant guidance says the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bars questions likely to reveal a disability before a job offer. That rule covers written questionnaires and questions asked during interviews.

The EEOC's small business page lists examples of questions to avoid, including what medications a candidate takes and whether they've filed workers' compensation claims. The same page says you can ask a candidate to describe or demonstrate how they'd perform specific job tasks. For a home health aide, you might ask how they'd help a client move from a bed to a chair.

How to run the call

Run each call in the same order, so every candidate gets a similar experience and you can compare them afterward. Schedule it ahead of time, so the candidate can take it somewhere quiet and come prepared.

• Review the resume first: SHRM recommends reviewing resumes and jotting down questions or concerns beforehand, such as a missing technical skill or an employment gap. Look over common resume red flags and decide how you'll ask about each one.
• Confirm dates and key claims: Start with the most recent role and confirm employment dates by month and year. Check specific claims, too, like a license or a system they say they've used.
• Take notes in a template: Filling in the same note template on each call keeps your notes organized and easier to compare. Write a short summary right after the call, while the details are fresh.
• Close with next steps: End the call by explaining what happens next and when. If you're sure the candidate isn't a fit, be upfront about the reasons why.

Useful notes record what the candidate said, not only your impression. A note that she ran month-end close at her last job and wants a hybrid role tells a hiring manager more than "strong candidate" does. The same goes for agency work, where the client reads your summary before deciding whether to meet anyone.

Use your notes to check fit before the next round

Before you send a candidate forward, check your notes against the ranked requirements you set at the start. If an item is blank, a quick follow-up call or email can fill it in. That's often faster than finding the gap in a formal interview.

Then tell the candidate when they'll hear from you, and keep that promise. If plans change on the hiring manager's or client's side, a short update keeps a good candidate engaged while you wait.