For candidates, clients, business contacts, suppliers and website users

Effective date: 30 July 2026

1. Who we are

Ad Talent Recruitment Ltd provides fixed fee recruitment advertising, candidate attraction, application management, screening, shortlisting and related recruitment support to employers throughout the United Kingdom.

Our details are:

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, Ad Talent Recruitment Ltd will usually be a data controller for the personal information it collects and uses for its own recruitment and business purposes.

2. When we act as controller or processor

Recruitment can involve more than one organisation. The data protection role of each organisation depends on who decides why and how the personal information is used.

• Ad Talent will normally act as an independent controller when it advertises vacancies, receives or sources candidate information, communicates with candidates, carries out screening, creates suitability notes, manages its recruitment records and operates its business.
• A recruiting employer will normally act as an independent controller for candidate information it receives and uses to make recruitment and employment decisions.
• In limited circumstances, Ad Talent may process information solely on a client’s documented instructions. In that situation, Ad Talent may act as a processor and the relevant written data processing terms will apply.
• Where Ad Talent and another organisation jointly determine the purposes and means of processing, we will explain the arrangement where required.

Once a client receives candidate information, the client’s own privacy notice and data protection responsibilities will normally also apply. Candidates may ask us which organisation is responsible for a particular use of their information.

3. Who this notice applies to

• people who apply for vacancies advertised or managed by Ad Talent
• prospective candidates identified through a lawful talent search or referral
• referees and other people whose details are supplied during recruitment
• clients, prospective clients and their employees or representatives
• suppliers, service providers, professional advisers and business partners
• people who contact us, attend meetings or interact with our social media
• visitors to our website and users of our online services
• any other person whose personal information we process in connection with our lawful business activities

4. Personal information we collect

Candidates and prospective candidates

• name, address, general location and contact details
• CV, employment history, education, qualifications, skills and professional memberships
• licences, certifications, driving information and travel or commuting information where relevant
• career preferences, salary expectations, notice period, availability and preferred working arrangements
• answers provided through applications, screening calls, interviews and assessments
• screening notes, suitability assessments, candidate summaries and communications
• application history, interviews, offers, outcomes, withdrawals and placement information
• right to work, visa and sponsorship information where relevant
• references and referee contact details where relevant and lawfully obtained
• information from job boards, CV databases, professional networking platforms and public professional sources
• technical and system information created when a candidate uses an application or tracking platform

Special category information

Where relevant, necessary and legally permitted, we may process more sensitive information, including health or disability information, reasonable adjustment needs, racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, trade union membership and diversity or equal opportunity information.

We will only process special category information where an Article 6 lawful basis and an additional condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR apply. Depending on the circumstances, this may include employment and social protection obligations, substantial public interest conditions such as equality of opportunity or safeguarding, the establishment or defence of legal claims, or explicit consent. Where the law requires an appropriate policy document, we will maintain one.

Criminal offence and DBS related information

Some vacancies may involve regulated work, safeguarding responsibilities or roles where criminal offence information is lawfully relevant. Ad Talent will only process criminal offence or DBS related information where there is a lawful basis, a condition authorised by UK law and appropriate safeguards. Formal DBS, identity, right to work and employment checks remain the responsibility of the recruiting employer unless Ad Talent has expressly agreed to carry out a particular check.

Clients, prospective clients and business contacts

• name, role, employer and business contact details
• vacancy briefs, recruitment requirements and campaign instructions
• communications, meeting notes, feedback, account history and service records
• contracts, quotations, purchase orders, invoices and payment records
• complaints, enquiries, testimonials and marketing preferences
• information from business websites, Companies House, professional networking services and other lawful public sources

Website and technical information

• IP address, browser, device and operating system information
• website pages viewed, interactions, referral sources and approximate location information
• cookie choices and analytics information
• website forms, live chat, email enquiries and uploaded information
• email delivery, opening and engagement information where lawfully used
• security logs and information used to prevent fraud, misuse or unauthorised access

5. How we obtain personal information

• directly from you through an application, CV, form, email, telephone call, meeting, interview or other communication
• from job boards, recruitment platforms, CV databases and applicant tracking systems
• from clients and employers who ask us to support recruitment
• from referees, former employers, professional bodies or screening providers where appropriate
• from professional networking platforms, business websites and other publicly available professional sources
• from recruitment partners, referrals or third parties where the sharing is lawful
• automatically through our website, cookies, analytics, security logs and communication systems

Where we receive personal information from another source, we will provide relevant privacy information within the period required by law, usually within one month, at the first communication, or before the information is first disclosed, unless an exemption applies.

If you give us information about another person, such as a referee, please make sure you have a lawful reason to do so and that the person is aware their details may be shared with us.

6. How and why we use personal information

The table below summarises our main purposes and lawful bases. The basis used will depend on the particular circumstances.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the purpose, necessity and likely impact on the individual. You may object to processing based on legitimate interests. We will stop unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds or the processing is needed for legal claims.

7. Candidate applications and sharing with employers

• If you apply for a vacancy that names the employer, we will normally share relevant application information with that employer as part of the process.
• If an advert is confidential or the employer is not named, we will provide relevant information about the opportunity and will normally obtain your agreement before sending your identifiable CV or profile to the employer.
• If we identify you for a different opportunity, we will normally contact you before presenting identifiable information to that employer. We may first discuss a non identifying profile with the employer.
• We will only share information that is reasonably necessary and relevant to the recruitment purpose.
• The employer is responsible for its own recruitment decisions, final checks and employment obligations. The employer’s privacy notice will normally apply to its use of your information.
• Ad Talent does not charge candidates for finding or seeking permanent employment.

8. Screening, profiling and artificial intelligence

Ad Talent may compare candidate information with the requirements agreed for a vacancy and create screening notes, suitability summaries, categories or recommendations. This may amount to profiling, but it is carried out or reviewed by a person and does not by itself decide whether a candidate is employed.

We may use approved artificial intelligence assisted tools to support tasks such as drafting job adverts, organising or summarising information, preparing notes, improving communications and carrying out preliminary analysis. We use these tools as support, not as a replacement for human judgement.

• Ad Talent does not make a final hiring, rejection or other decision producing legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means.
• Human review remains part of Ad Talent screening and candidate presentation activities.
• We aim to use only the personal information reasonably necessary for the task and apply appropriate confidentiality, contractual and security controls.
• Clients may use their own recruitment tools or assessment methods. Their privacy information should explain those activities.

9. Who we share personal information with

Where necessary and lawful, we may share personal information with:

• recruiting employers and their authorised recruitment, HR or management contacts
• job boards, recruitment advertising services, CV databases and social media platforms
• applicant tracking, recruitment management and multiposting providers, including LogicMelon
• customer relationship management providers, including HubSpot
• email, telephone, messaging, cloud storage, website, hosting, backup and cyber security providers
• approved artificial intelligence, productivity and document processing providers used under appropriate controls
• screening, assessment, background checking, identity or reference providers where relevant and agreed
• payment, accounting and financial service providers
• professional advisers, including accountants, insurers, consultants and solicitors
• regulators, courts, law enforcement, public authorities and government bodies where required or permitted by law
• a prospective purchaser, investor, funder or adviser in connection with a business sale, merger, restructuring or transfer
• recruitment partners or other third parties where there is a lawful and transparent reason to share

We do not sell personal information. Service providers acting on our behalf must be subject to appropriate confidentiality, security and data protection obligations. Where another organisation acts as an independent controller, it is responsible for its own compliance and privacy information.

10. International transfers

Some of our service providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred to a separate organisation outside the UK, we will use a lawful transfer mechanism and take appropriate steps to protect the information.

• UK adequacy regulations
• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement
• the UK Addendum to approved standard contractual clauses
• binding corporate rules or another lawful safeguard
• a permitted legal exception where applicable

You may contact us for further information about the safeguards used for a particular transfer.

11. How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including recruitment, service delivery, legal, accounting, regulatory, safeguarding and dispute resolution requirements.

We may keep information for longer where there is an active complaint, claim, investigation, safeguarding concern or legal requirement. When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised or placed beyond normal use pending deletion from backups. Anonymised information may be kept for longer because it no longer identifies an individual.

Where Ad Talent acts solely as a processor, information will be returned or deleted in accordance with the client’s lawful instructions and the relevant contract, subject to legal retention requirements.

12. Marketing and vacancy communications

We may send relevant recruitment service information to clients, prospective clients and business contacts where permitted by data protection law and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Depending on the communication and recipient, we may rely on consent or legitimate interests.

• You may opt out of marketing at any time by using an unsubscribe link or contacting us.
• We will check and respect applicable preferences and objections, including relevant telephone preference registrations.
• Opting out of marketing will not stop essential service, account, vacancy, application or legal communications.
• We may retain limited information on a suppression list so that we do not contact you again for the marketing you have refused.

Candidates may ask to receive information about relevant vacancies. The basis for these messages will depend on the circumstances, including whether the person requested the alert, has an active relationship with Ad Talent, or has consented.

13. Cookies and website technology

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for essential operation, security, preferences, analytics and, where used, marketing. We will request consent where the law requires it. You can manage your choices through the cookie controls on our website and your browser settings.

Further details, including cookie names, purposes, providers and durations, should be set out in our separate Cookie Policy.

14. Security and personal data breaches

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information from accidental or unlawful loss, destruction, alteration, disclosure, misuse or unauthorised access.

• access controls and role based permissions
• password protection and multi factor authentication where available
• secure cloud systems, backups and recovery arrangements
• confidentiality requirements and appropriate supplier contracts
• security updates, monitoring and incident procedures
• staff awareness, data minimisation and secure deletion practices

Access is limited to people who need the information for a legitimate purpose. No system is completely secure, but we will respond to suspected breaches promptly and will notify the ICO and affected individuals where the law requires us to do so.

15. If you do not provide information

• Candidates are not required to provide every item of information, but we may be unable to assess an application, communicate about a vacancy or present the candidate to an employer if relevant information is withheld.
• Clients must provide the information reasonably required to deliver the service, comply with legal obligations, create accurate adverts and administer contracts and payments. We may be unable to provide services without it.
• Non essential cookies are optional. Refusing them should not prevent use of the main website, although some functions or personalisation may be reduced.

16. Keeping information accurate

Please tell us if personal information changes or is inaccurate. Candidates and clients are responsible for providing information that is accurate, complete and not misleading. We may check or clarify information where reasonably necessary, but the recruiting employer remains responsible for final verification and hiring decisions.

17. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may have the right to:

• be informed about how your personal information is used
• request access to your personal information
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• request deletion of information in certain circumstances
• request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• object to processing based on legitimate interests
• object at any time to direct marketing
• receive information you provided in a portable format where the right applies
• withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing
• request safeguards or human involvement where a significant decision is made solely by automated means, if applicable
• raise a complaint about our use of personal information

These rights are not absolute. We may need to retain or continue using information where the law permits or requires it. We may ask for information to confirm identity and, where appropriate, clarify the scope of a request. We will respond within the legally required period. There is normally no fee, although the law permits a reasonable fee or refusal in limited circumstances, such as a manifestly unfounded or excessive request.

To exercise a right, email hello@ad-talent.co.uk or write to the address in section 1, for the attention of Tracy Iley.

18. Data protection complaints

You may complain if you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with data protection law. Complaints may be sent by email, through our website contact form, by telephone or in writing using the contact details in section 1.

• We will provide a clear route for making a data protection complaint.
• We will acknowledge receipt within 30 days.
• We will make appropriate enquiries and investigate without undue delay.
• We will keep you reasonably informed where the investigation is ongoing.
• We will communicate the outcome without undue delay and explain any action taken or why we believe our handling was lawful.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. You may contact the ICO at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 0303 123 1113, or through its website. We would welcome the opportunity to address your concern first, but this does not limit your right to contact the ICO.

19. Children and young people

Our services are mainly directed at adults. However, apprenticeship, graduate, education or early career recruitment may involve people under 18. Where this occurs, we will take account of the person’s age, the nature of the information and any additional legal or safeguarding requirements. We do not knowingly use children’s information for unrelated marketing.

20. Other websites and services

Our website, adverts and communications may link to job boards, employers, social media platforms and other external services. Those organisations control their own privacy practices. You should read their privacy information before providing personal information to them.

21. Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this notice to reflect changes to our services, technology, suppliers, legal obligations or regulatory guidance. The current version will be published on our website with its effective date. Where a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of affected individuals.

22. Contact us

Questions, requests and complaints about this notice or our use of personal information should be sent to:

Ad Talent Recruitment Ltd  |  The Simple Hiring Solution