I was once interviewed for a director of social services post over the phone. It was a longlist interview conducted by two women  - one a former director the other a recently appointed chief executive both acting as recruitment consultants. Successful candidates would make it on to the shortlist where they would have a more traditional panel interview with members.

I was told that telephone interviews were being used because of the amount of interest that had been shown in the post and the severe time constraints that had been placed on the recruitment process by the availability of the leader and relevant cabinet member. The result was that having left work early I was interviewed  at seven pm one Friday evening whilst sitting at my kitchen table, the kids and dogs having been banished to other rooms.