A Candidate Can Be Campaign-Qualified Even If You Decide Not to Interview or Hire Them
CQA status is based on the objective campaign requirements. The employer's later hiring judgment is separate.
Campaign qualification asks
Did the applicant meet the written required criteria and complete the agreed application process?
Hiring judgment asks
Do you want to interview this person, advance them, make an offer, or hire them? Those decisions remain with the employer.
Examples of Objective Conditions the Campaign Can Address
The final policy is campaign-specific. These are examples, not automatic promises.
Invalid or fraudulent
False or unusable contact information, clearly fraudulent submissions, or other invalid application records as defined in the campaign.
Duplicate
An applicant matching a prior record inside the agreed duplicate lookback period.
Wrong geography
An applicant outside an objective geographic rule when geography is a required campaign criterion.
Missing required criterion
An applicant who clearly does not meet an objective must-have documented before launch.
Unreachable
When the written policy includes an unreachable rule and the agreed contact attempts and timing requirements are documented.
Incomplete application
A submission missing required application information when completion standards are part of the campaign definition.
Use a Documented Process Instead of Arguing About “Fit”
Review promptly
Employer reviews delivered applicants within the agreed campaign window.
Identify the rule
State which written credit or qualification rule the applicant appears not to meet.
Provide evidence
Submit the application record or other documentation required by the written policy.
Apply the remedy
Use the credit, replacement, adjustment, or other remedy stated in the campaign agreement.
The Policy Is Not a Guarantee of Interviews, Hires, or Employee Performance.
An applicant may satisfy the campaign definition and still not be selected by the employer. A credit decision is based on the written applicant and campaign rules—not subjective preference after delivery.
Common Questions About Applicant Credits
What is an applicant credit?
An applicant credit is the campaign remedy specified in the written terms when a delivered applicant qualifies for credit under the agreed rules. The exact remedy, timing, and documentation requirements are defined before launch.
What types of applicants may qualify for credit?
Depending on the written campaign terms, examples can include invalid or fraudulent submissions, duplicates within the agreed lookback period, invalid contact information, applicants outside the approved geography, or applicants missing an objective required qualification.
Does every rejected candidate qualify for a credit?
No. An employer deciding not to interview or hire an applicant does not by itself mean the applicant is nonconforming. Credits are based on the written campaign definition and objective credit rules.
How are duplicate applicants handled?
The campaign agreement should define the duplicate lookback period and the data used to identify a duplicate. A submission inside that agreed window may qualify for credit when the rule is met.
What if an applicant does not respond to us?
Unreachable-applicant rules, if included, should define the required contact information, employer follow-up steps, contact window, and documentation needed for a credit request.
How quickly must a credit request be submitted?
The specific dispute or credit-request window is established in the campaign agreement. Employers should review applicants promptly and submit documentation within the agreed period.
Can the credit policy change after the campaign starts?
Changes should be made only through a written amendment or other agreed written update. The campaign should not use new qualification rules retroactively.
Does a credit guarantee a replacement applicant?
Not automatically. The remedy may be a credit, replacement, adjustment, or another action specified in the written campaign terms.
Agree on the Candidate Profile and Credit Rules Before Delivery Begins.
The employer intake starts the review. Any paid campaign should document the specific qualification, duplicate, delivery, dispute, and credit rules that apply.