Privacy notice statements

The Search Consultant takes the privacy of our candidates seriously and we look forward to working with you to further develop your career. We value your privacy and want you to understand the choices and control you have over your data that we hold on you as you will understand in order to perform our services properly we collect and use information about you.

The notice explains key points concerning what information we collect about you and the reasons why we process your data and your rights around this. We know it seems lengthy but please read the statement carefully.

Some terms to be clear about

Throughout this privacy notice, certain words or phrases have specific meanings, we need to be clear about how certain words are used in this statement.

You will be referred to as ‘ the candidate’ or ‘You’

When we talk about ‘us’ or the ‘Company’ we mean The Search Consultant Limited. The registered office for The Search Consultant is 8 Shaw Park Business Village, Off Shaw Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 9LE. To carry out our Activities the Company uses a number of IT systems such as a candidate database (Matchmaker), which allows you to search and apply for jobs that closely match your skills and experience in specific locations.

‘Data’ means both Personal Data and where relevant Special Categories of Personal Data.

‘Personal Data’ means any information about candidates, who can either be directly identified from the information or indirectly identified if that information was connected with other information.

‘Processing’ means any use that is made of Data including (but not limited to) collecting, storing, amending, disclosing or destroying it (also includes ‘Processes’ and ‘Process’).

What personal information does the company collect and use?

Personal information that the company usually collects includes, but is also not limited to:

Your name;
Date and place of birth;
Contact details and qualifications;
Employment history;
If you contact us, in some cases we keep a log of this correspondence;
Feedback about you
Feedback you have given on others / clients
Collect information for marketing purposes and analysis

Where your data is obtained from?

We obtain your data from various sources, mainly but not limited to the below;

Direct from yourself;
LinkedIn;
Various job boards;
Referrals

Why we use personal information about you?

The company collects and processes personal information:

To provide you with the services expected by you such as finding suitable jobs / opportunities to apply for. This includes sending your CV and other methods of application to prospective employers / our clients for their consideration. Also keeping you informed of future work opportunities by email, telephone, mail and any other communication methods.
To obtain statistical data and research, for example to identify and compare the effectiveness of placements in different sectors / locations.
Where required to comply with any legal obligation
Monitor compliance with policies and procedures
Investigate any complaints
Comply with regulators such as governing bodies

Legal basis

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) is a new regulation which replaces the Data Protection Regulation (Directive 95/46/EC) The Regulation aims to harmonise data protection legislation across EU member states, enhancing privacy rights for individuals and providing a strict framework within which commercial organisations can legally operate.

Even though the UK has expressed its intention to leave the EU in March 2019, the GDPR will be applicable in the UK from 25th May 2018. The Government intends for the GDPR to continue in UK law post Brexit and has also introduced a Data Protection Bill to replace the current Data Protection Act in due course.

To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts we intend to enter into or have entered into between you and us and to provide you with the information and services that you request from us or we think will be of interest to you because it is relevant to your career or to your organisation.

The core service we offer to our candidates and clients is the introduction of candidates to our clients for the purpose of permanent, contract, interim and part-time engagement.

Our legal basis for the processing of personal data is for our legitimate business interests, described in more detail below, although we will also rely on contract, legal obligation and consent for specific uses of data.

We will rely on contract if we are negotiating or have entered into a placement agreement with you or your organisation or any other contract to provide services to you or receive services from you or your organisation.

We will rely on legal obligation if we are legally requiring to hold information on to you to fulfil our legal obligations.
We will in some circumstances rely on consent for particular uses of your data and you will be asked for your express consent, if legally required. Examples of when consent may be the lawful basis for processing include permission to introduce you to a client (if you are a candidate).

Legitimate Business Interests

Our legitimate interests in collecting and retaining your personal data is described below:

As a recruitment business and recruitment agency we introduce candidates to clients for various types of employment. The exchange of personal data of our candidates and our client contacts is a fundamental part of this process.

In order to support our candidates and clients resourcing needs we require a database of candidate and client personal data containing historical information as well as current resourcing requirements.

To maintain and develop our business we need to record the personal data of prospective candidates and client contacts.

Do you have to give us the personal information that we ask for?

You are not obliged to provide us with your personal information, however it is impossible for us to work together if you do not.

Do we process information without any human intervention?

Yes we sometimes do. The Company may use automated systems and automated decision making such as profiling in order to fulfil services that are requested from us. For example we may conduct a search of our candidates using automated criteria such as skillset, rate of pay and availability. This is to be able to assemble a shortlist of candidates in order to fulfil the client requirement.

How long do we keep your personal information?

We understand our legal duty to retain accurate data and only retain personal data for as long as we need it for our legitimate business interests and as long as you wish to receive our services and up to 2 years thereafter. If you are successful in finding work through the company we will need to keep your personal information for a longer period in order to comply with its ongoing legal and contractual obligations. We aim to conduct a data review every 2 years.

Who do we share your data with?

As previously mentioned we usually disclose your data to third parties, this is done for the purposes above.

We share your data to:

To our clients / prospective employers who are offering jobs / opportunities you may be interested in. They owe contractual and other confidentiality obligations in relation to your data to us, and to you;
Our suppliers which are mainly IT suppliers who host or support our IT systems which includes information about you;
Government, police or regulations if we consider we are legally obliged to do so or it would be prudent to do so;
As part of any due diligence exercise for example an acquisition or any other business transaction.

Do we transfer your data outside of the European Union?

No we do not.

What are your rights?

Your rights in terms of your information are;

Right to access and obtain a copy of your personal information
Right to rectification
Right to be forgotten
Right to object

In terms of ‘right to object’ as far as the company’s processing of your data is based on the company’s legitimate interest and no other processing ground, or relates to direct marketing, you are entitled to object to the Company processing your data by reference to your particular situation.

If you want to exercise any of your rights, please email us at info@thesearchconsultant.co.uk When exercising your rights, the Company may ask you to identify yourself before actioning your request.

Changes to this statement

The terms of this Statement may change from time to time. We shall publish any material changes to this Statement through appropriate notices either on this website or contacting you using other communication channels.