As a short term (1 yr) contractor - from "out of town" - they did not require the same rigorous interview level one would expect for a perm position. We did a 1-2 hour detailed phone interview that covered the contract project - what they were attempting - what they needed - my background - how I would approach solving their challenges - and reached agreement. Terms were straight "dollars / hr" - plus travel expenses - no other benefits - and were negotiated via the head-hunter. (I could not resist adding the fun "appearance" question we exchanged via phone interview! - I reassured them that I conformed to traditional "casual business" appearance.)