GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) legislation came into effect on 25th May 2018.
Introduced by the European Commission, GDPR aimed to improve the handling and storage of personal data and put the person whose data it is in greater control of how others use it.
It’s now been 18 months since it replaced the Data Protection Directive. When first announced, GDPR caused a rash of activity as businesses, including recruiters, tried to get their data compliant before the deadline, leaving many job seekers bewildered by the process.
Now, with the initial dust settling, if you are considering changing your finance role, do you believe you are in control of your data? Are there things you still need to know about GDPR, and how might it affect you during the recruitment process?
Read on for the low down on GDPR and why you should be controlling your data.
What GDPR Means for You
GDPR introduced greater rights to you, the owner of the data.
You can request your data, an audit trail (more in this later) of how it’s been used, request changes or amendments to your data, and ask to see what data is help on you and ask for recruiters to delete data they hold on you at any time. Moreover, you have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, such as profiling, when applying for job roles.
Additionally, you can ask for your data to be transferred to another company, object to a recruiter using or processing your data and request a Subject Access Request at any time.
GDPR also stipulates that any requests you make must be processed within one month of receipt.
Marketing Consent
In addition to putting the candidate in control of what data is processed, used and stored by their recruiting company, GDPR has the additional benefit to the individual of putting them in charge of what marketing material they agree to receive, and the format in which that material is delivered, for example, by email or post.
Assuming opt-in from existing clients and candidates (also known as ‘soft opt-in’ consent) no longer applies. From now on, recruiting companies who want to market to you will have to offer an opt-in tick box to allow you to formally give your consent and confirm the type of marketing you would like to receive; even if you are a current candidate with them.
Additionally, each piece of marketing you receive should offer an opt-out option, so you can decide when and if you wish to stop receiving marketing. This gives you much more control over information that is sent to you.
Posting Information on Online Job Sites
I want to digress just a moment to talk about posting your information online.
In the past, many finance job seekers have posted details of themselves and their CVs onto online job sites in the hope of securing a job. This information is then picked up by multiple recruitment agencies.
The question is when you decide to delete your information from the site – who still has access to that data? You may not be sure who has already accessed it, printed it off or stored it on other servers.
Under GDPR, you have the right to be forgotten, but how can recruitment sites enforce this with third parties? The fact is, they can’t: If third parties can download information, there’s no way know where that data will end up.
Although recruiters should be keeping the data on servers they control, and ‘pushing’ it out for clients to read to ensure that data management practices remain compliant, it’s probably wise to not put your information on these sites in the first place.
It’s astonishing to think that 90 per cent of the data in the world was generated over the last two years alone.
It’s worth re-reading that stat!
And with a projected 200 billion smart devices expected to be in use by 2020, now is the time to think about the personal data you are putting out into the online world for anyone to pick up.
With cybercrime on the increase, working directly with a recruiter face to face is a much safer option for keeping your data secure.
What GDPR Means for Recruitment Agencies
For recruiters, GDPR means that any personal information stored on their systems or within emails or other information about applicants is regulated under the new laws.
So, agencies have had to take their responsibilities seriously when using and processing data they hold about candidates. This includes personal information such as your name, age, address and any additional information which may appear on your CV such as qualifications, interests, skills, abilities, etc.
As I mentioned earlier, recruitment companies also need to keep a full audit trail for every jobseeker they hold data on. This includes records of how and when candidate gave their consent for the storing and processing of their data, as well as an audit trail that shows explicit consent to send their CV to potential employers.
Finally, agencies should not be holding onto information from candidates they are no longer working with, without a valid reason, to which the candidate has agreed.
Conclusion
The value of your personal data should never be underestimated.
Finance recruiters who recognise and respect the value of personal data can reassure you that your data is in secure hands.
Rebus Financial Recruiters are committed to protecting your data, and you can be sure we only process that information you are happy for us to use.
So, if you’re looking for your next financial role and want to use an agency you can trust, then register with us today.
Thanks,
Rachel
Contact Rebus Financial Recruitment or call us on 01282 930930 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, you can achieve great things.
Thanks,
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, which historically range from a wide variety of organisations including SME’s to large PLCs.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we get to the heart of employer and employee needs; and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly. To find out more, get in contact with one of our team today, or you can call us on 01282 930930.
