This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we look after it and the choices you have. If anything is unclear, please get in touch.
Who we are
This website, careersbridge.uk, is operated by Careers Bridge (“we”, “us” or “our”), which provides career services under the Careers Bridge brand.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, we are the controller of the personal information described in this policy. This means we decide how it is used and are responsible for keeping it safe.
You can contact us about anything in this policy via info@careersbridge.uk, or write to us at the address shown on our Contact page.
The information we collect
We only collect information that we need to respond to you, deliver our services and run our website properly.
When you use our contact form
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your phone number, if you choose to give it
- The content of your message
When you complete our get-started or resume writing forms
To understand your situation and recommend the right support, these forms ask for some or all of the following:
- Your name, email address and mobile number
- The package or type of support you are interested in
- Your education level, years of experience, notice period and industry
- Your right to work in the UK and, if you hold a visa, its expiry date
- Your town or city, postcode and, if you choose to share them, your address, region and driving licence status
- Your current and preferred job titles, preferred locations, working pattern, salary expectations and the type of role you want
- Your LinkedIn profile URL and your CV, if you choose to share them
- Anything else you include in your message
We do not ask for special category information such as your religion, health or ethnicity, or for identifiers such as your National Insurance number, through our website.
Documents and details you share with us later
If you become a client, you may also send us cover letters, certificates or other documents by email. CVs uploaded through our website are stored in a private area of our website that is not publicly accessible, and are only used to provide our services. While we work together, we will also keep records of the roles we discuss, the applications you approve and our correspondence with you.
Please only share what is relevant to your job search. We do not usually need special category information, such as health details. If you choose to share it, for example so we can mention a reasonable adjustment in an application, we will only use it with your explicit consent and for that purpose.
Information collected automatically
When you visit our website, our hosting provider and any analytics tools we use may collect technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device, the pages you visit and when you visit them. Some of this is collected using cookies. You can read more on our Cookies Usage page.
How we use your information
The law requires a valid reason, known as a lawful basis, for each way we use your information. Here is what we do and why.
- To respond to your enquiries. We use your details to reply and arrange a consultation. Lawful basis: taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, or our legitimate interests in responding to people who contact us.
- To deliver our services. We use your information to write and edit your documents, search for suitable roles, prepare applications and submit them on your behalf once you have approved them. Lawful basis: performance of our contract with you.
- To manage our relationship with you. Sending updates, invoices and service messages, and keeping a record of what we have agreed. Lawful basis: performance of our contract and our legitimate interests in running our business.
- To meet our legal obligations. We keep certain records, such as tax records, and may share information with authorities where the law requires it. Lawful basis: legal obligation.
- To improve our website and services. We may look at how visitors use our website, usually in aggregate. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests, and your consent where non-essential cookies are involved.
- To send occasional news and tips. We only send marketing emails if you have agreed to them or, if you are a client, about similar services. You can opt out at any time. Lawful basis: consent, or our legitimate interests as permitted by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have checked that they are not outweighed by your rights and reasonable expectations. We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.
Who we share your information with
We never sell your personal information. We only share it where we need to, and only with:
- Employers, recruiters and job platforms, for roles you have approved. When we apply for a role on your behalf, we share your CV, cover letter and the details needed for that application.
- Service providers. Trusted businesses that help us run our services, such as email, hosting, file storage, payments and accounting. They may only use your information on our instructions and must keep it secure.
- Professional advisers. Such as accountants, insurers or legal advisers, where this is necessary.
- Authorities. Where we are required to by law, or where it is needed to protect our rights or the safety of others.
Employers and recruiters who receive your approved applications are responsible for how they then use your information, under their own privacy notices.
International transfers
Some of our service providers may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as transferring only to countries the UK recognises as providing adequate protection, or using approved contract terms such as the International Data Transfer Agreement.
If you ask us to apply for roles with employers based outside the UK, your application details will need to be sent to those employers in their own countries. We will only do this for roles you have approved.
How long we keep your information
- Enquiries that do not lead to work are usually kept for up to 12 months, so we can pick up the conversation if you come back to us.
- Client records and documents are kept for as long as we are providing services to you, and then for up to six years after our work ends, so we can deal with any questions or claims and meet our legal and accounting obligations.
- Financial records are kept for as long as tax and company law requires.
You can ask us to delete your documents and personal information sooner. We will do so unless we need to keep something for a legal reason, in which case we will explain why.
How we keep your information secure
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including access controls, strong passwords, encrypted connections and reputable service providers. Only people who need your information to do their work can access it.
No way of sending information online is completely secure, so please take care when emailing sensitive documents. If a data breach is likely to affect your rights, we will tell you, and the regulator, where the law requires us to.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights. Some of them only apply in certain circumstances.
- Access: ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Rectification: ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Erasure: ask us to delete your information.
- Restriction: ask us to limit how we use your information, for example while a concern is looked into.
- Objection: object to us using your information on the basis of legitimate interests, and object to direct marketing at any time.
- Portability: ask for information you have given us in a commonly used electronic format, or ask us to send it to another organisation.
- Withdraw consent: where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time. This does not affect anything we did before you withdrew it.
To use any of these rights, contact us via info@careersbridge.uk. We do not usually charge a fee, and we will normally respond within one month. We may need to confirm your identity before we act on your request.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please tell us first so we can try to put things right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK regulator for data protection. You can find out how to contact the ICO at ico.org.uk.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page, and we will let current clients know about any significant changes.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or your personal information? Please contact Careers Bridge via info@careersbridge.uk, or write to us at the address shown on our Contact page.