Recruitment Agency Confidentiality Policy

beazee

An email arrived:

F....s Recruitment Solutions Database Update
Niamh [surname] via sendgrid.me

Hi [first name rarely used],

We are delighted to see more and more jobs coming to us every day; the Irish jobs market has been growing steadily and it’s a trend that is set to continue well into 2012. To deal with this increased demand, we are currently running a project to update our database.

We’ve spoken previously, but we would like you to send us your most up-to-date CV. This will help us to come to you with the best opportunities in the market place.

Our client’s requirements are often urgent and having your correct details in our database will make sure you don’t miss out. All of your details will be held in the strictest of confidence.

PLUS: If you would like help in updating your CV or in drafting a brand new one; please contact us for FREE assistance, via this email or by phone, on 01-66 .. ..0.

We are looking forward to help you find your next job. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions at all.

Kind Regards,

Niamh [surname]

Recruitment Administrator
F....s Recruitment Solutions
[email]nsurname@f....s.ie[/email]
01 66. ...0

What's my beef?
1. First time I hear company name, own email search returned results: null
2. Sent through mass email sender (sendgrid.me), spam
3. Unknown person, own email search result: zero
4. A long time since somebody called me [official name] (2006/2007 at last).
5. "Irish jobs market has been growing steadily" - is it the same Ireland we live in?
6. "We’ve spoken previously..." - wonder on what occasion?
7. "All of your details will be held in the strictest of confidence" - I wouldn't get this email if they were in the first place

Quick Google search:
1. Person I apparently spoke with started there only in September, received no recruitment calls since then.
2. Business established in mid-2010, not that I was looking for a job in last 2 years.
3. Business owner (sole trader) had worked before for 6 years at a recruitment agency I had dealings with in the past.

Should I inform recruitment agency their database might have been stolen?

Not that I have a problem with recruitment emails. I have a problem with this particular one I did not opt for, from an unknown company and a person lying to me we had dealings in the past. Not the best practice I've seen.

What's your opinion?

Victor

Data Protection Commissioner?

www.dataprotection.ie

Delancey

Probably got your details from the hack of the recruit ireland site a year ago - I've been plagued with spam since then.

RATM

beazee wrote: »

Quick Google search:
1. Person I apparently spoke with started there only in September, received no recruitment calls since then.
2. Business established in mid-2010, not that I was looking for a job in last 2 years.
3. Business owner (sole trader) had worked before for 6 years at a recruitment agency I had dealings with in the past.

Should I inform recruitment agency their database might have been stolen?

Not that I have a problem with recruitment emails. I have a problem with this particular one I did not opt for, from an unknown company and a person lying to me we had dealings in the past. Not the best practice I've seen.

What's your opinion?

Do you mean the owner of the new (2010) agency was previously working at an agency you had dealings with? If so it sounds like he has just transferred the database to his new company. This may or may not be against data protection rules- it depends on what T&C's you signed up for in any agreement when registering with them. You would've agreed for your CV to be shared with third parties (i.e. employers) but it may not define third parties as only employers.

The other possibility is that the database was sold or just taken. Is the previous agency still in business? If so it is highly unlikely that they would ever sell their database to a competitor setting up. Theft does come to mind here but without all the facts its hard to be certain of any wrong doing.

The other possibility is your CV was on a job board like Monster, RecruitIreland, etc. Agencies can buy CV's for less than 30c each. Part of the job boards T&C's is that you allow it to be saved and stored by third parties, agencies or employers. People put up their CV on boards when they are job seeking and then take it down once they've moved job. However in the meantime the CV may have been saved by countless agencies and employers who now have your data and can and do store it on their servers at will.

beazee

RATM wrote: »

it depends on what T&C's you signed up for in any agreement when registering with them. You would've agreed for your CV to be shared with third parties (i.e. employers) but it may not define third parties as only employers.

dataprotection.ie says:
Marketers may send you electronic mail for direct marketing purposes where:
- You have given them explicit consent to do so within the last twelve months, or
- they have obtained your personal contact details in the course of a sale to you of a product or service within the last twelve months, they informed you of their identity, the purpose in collecting your contact details, the persons or categories of persons to whom your personal data may be disclosed and any other information which is necessary so that processing may be fair, and

Dealings with any employers or agencies where finished in ca. 2008

The other possibility is that the database was sold or just taken. Is the previous agency still in business?

Still growing strong. Three offices in Ireland and two abroad.

Theft does come to mind here but without all the facts its hard to be certain of any wrong doing.

It's not my job to assess was it theft or not. I was just curious is there any common point we share. And it is a previous employee of a recruiter.

The other possibility is your CV was on a job board like Monster, RecruitIreland, etc. Agencies can buy CV's for less than 30c each.

And it is fine with me (CV still hanging on Monster) but why would anyone suggest we "spoke earlier" instead of "we found your CV on Monster and are interested if you are still interested"

beazee

1. To Whom It May Concern

I acknowledge receipt of your e-mail to the Data Protection Commissioner.
Where your email relates to a query (as distinct from a formal complaint
under the Data Protection Acts), you should be aware that in line with our Customer Service Charter we aim to reply within 15 working days and usually much sooner.
In doing so, we will communicate clearly, providing you with a full
response to your query.

If we are not in a position to issue a reply within that period, we will
inform you of its status.
Regards

2. No response from Niamh on how did she come to have my email address and on what occasion had we spoke last.

beazee

Hi [me],

As part of an on-going project to increase our database, we have been gathering a number of the better IT CVs from a number of the external candidate sites, such as Monster, PlanetRecruit, IrishJobs, Loadzajobs and others. We would have gotten you details this way and contacted you from that.

I can assure you your details we not taken from another agency and nor would we ever engage in that practice

If you would like to speak more about this, please contact our General Manager on his email: g......h@f....s.ie or mobile 080-000 0000

We will also delete your details from our database with immediately effect

Kind Regards

Niamh ....

And so my details were deleted from their database not even asking for it.
Explanation seems logic, looks all fine.

Apart from one detail: IT CVs?
Not that I know nothing of computers but the only CV listed online is about a different sector.