Phone interviews are often a preliminary interview with the condidates after
reading their applications/qualifications. Often these interviews save time
and money for both parties concerned (bringing a candidate in for an
interview can be expensive...plane tickets, lodging, etc). The general
questions and some specifics are handled this way...mainly is there a
compatibility of needs. These are usually followed up with the selected
candidates coming in for a personal interview and the job is offered from
that interview session or series of interviews. Seldom is one hired strictly
from a phone interview. This may be new to education but it is not new to
the business/corporate world.