1. Introduction
At Companion Recruitment (“we”, “us”, or “our”), we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, and store personal information during the recruitment process, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. What Information We Collect
We collect personal data to assess your suitability for roles and to provide recruitment services. This may include:
- Identity & Contact Data: Name, email address, telephone number, and address.
- Application Data: CVs, cover letters, employment history, qualifications, and skills experience.
- Verification Data: Right-to-work documentation, references, and, where required by specific roles, information relating to background or security checks.
- Communication Data: Records of our correspondence and interview notes.
3. How We Use Your Data (Lawful Basis)
We process your data based on the following legal grounds:
- Contractual Necessity: To take steps to enter into a contract or provide our services to you.
- Legal Obligation: To comply with legal requirements, such as verifying your right to work in the UK.
- Legitimate Interests: To assess your suitability for positions and to manage our recruitment pipeline effectively.
- Consent: Where we ask to retain your details for future opportunities outside of a specific application.
4. Who We Share Your Information With
We treat your data with discretion. We only share your information with third parties where necessary, such as:
- Clients: Hiring managers or prospective employers who have requested recruitment services.
- Service Providers: IT, CRM, or cloud storage providers that help us operate our business securely.
- Legal/Regulatory Bodies: Where we are required by law to disclose information.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.
5. Data Retention
We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected.
- If your application is unsuccessful, we will typically hold your information for 12 Months unless you provide consent for us to keep it longer for future roles.
6. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have several rights regarding your data, including:
- Access: To request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Rectification: To correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Erasure: To request we delete your data in certain circumstances.
- Object: To object to our processing of your data based on legitimate interests.
7. Contact Us
If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact:
Email: matthew.nikolich@companionrecruitment.com