Candidate Qualification. Broadly speaking, this refers to a stage within the employer's hiring process at which the candidate is considered to have met the basic job qualifications or otherwise still remains within a pool of candidates considered for a position after the elimination of unqualified candidates. The process and policy governing how candidates are qualified varies widely from employer-to-employer. The key aspect of "qualification" as an event, is that it is likely to trigger other hiring or evaluation processes, such as the scheduling of on-site or follow-up interviews and pre-employment assessments and screenings. Qualification often is not a single threshold, but a series of graduated thresholds, each of which might serve as an event trigger.

Conditional Employment Offer. This is an offer of employment that is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check or screening or the candidate's delivery of some evidence or requisite related to qualifications or employability (e.g., the candidate's successful graduation or completion of a current course of study, obtainment of a license, etc.). Conditional employment offers need to be constructed with knowledge of applicable law and the particular hiring situation. However, broadly speaking, conditional offers can be: 1. contingent upon the individual passing a background check before they start work, 2. made without restrictions before the background check has cleared, or 3. made with restrictions before the background check has cleared (e.g., a truck driver may enter on duty, but not actually perform in the role of a vehicle driver until screenings are complete).