Including GDPR Compliance

Optima Connections Limited take the privacy of our candidates and clients very seriously. We were founded in 1990 and are established as a leading Search and Recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of high-calibre IT and Quantitative professionals to the technology and banking sectors.

1. Cookies

Optima Connections website uses cookies to keep track of sessions. We don’t collect any personally identifiable information other than that, which is collected by Google Analytics which collects data for Google. You can see Google’s privacy policies on their websites. All we can obtain or control through our Google Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics account access is non-personal statistics and trends – nothing that could identify you personally.

If you use any of the forms then they collect whatever information you put in it such as your name, email address, phone number and message. That is emailed to us where we treat it as per our policy below.;

2. How we receive information

Optima receive your personal data (curriculum vitae) when you apply directly for a job opportunity that we are advertising, either via our website, or a variety of different job boards eg: CWJobs, Jobserve, Totaljobs, E-financial etc.

We receive personal data in the form of a Curriculum Vitae from job boards when they recommend you for a position that we are advertising.

We download curriculum vitae from candidate databases (CW Jobs, Indeed, Jobserve, Total Jobs, E Financial etc.) that are relevant for vacancies that we are working on.

During telephone conversations or face to face interviews, we may collect other personal information such as your address, citizenship/right to work in the UK / passport, previous salary information.

If you accept a contract position through Optima, we will ask for your national insurance number, copy of passport and proof of address which we submit to HMRC on an Employment Intermediaries report quarterly.

3. How we use your personal details

This section explains how Optima Connection handle any personal data received into our company. When applying to job opportunities through Optima Connections you MUST consent to us retaining your details on file.

By providing consent (in various forms – verbal, email, letter, text) to Optima Connections Limited you are giving Optima permission to hold/store the information you provide on our secure database. Optima Connections will never share your personal information or your curriculum vitae with any of our current / future clients without your consent.

Due to the nature of IT and Banking recruitment, we receive a significant number of candidates that reconnect with us periodically. It is not uncommon for this to occur many years after we have placed candidates in role. For this reason, your consent is for Optima Connections to retain your personal details until such time as you wish us to delete your records from our database.

If you do not consent to Optima Connections to storing your personal details / CV then please do not submit your details to any current jobs we may have advertised. We are unable to process your application without receipt of consent to process and store your personal information.

4. Job Alerts and Career Advice

On occasions we contact candidates that are stored on our database who may not be actively looking for a new role but who we have had contact with in the past.
When you contact Optima Connections you MUST consent to us storing the personal data you have provided.

By providing us with consent, you are agreeing to us retaining your personal data and you are also giving us consent to contact you if/ when we receive details of a role which specifically matches your career aspirations.

5. Our Promise to our candidates

Optima Connections will never share your personal information or your curriculum vitae with any of our current / future clients without your consent. Your details will only be shared once we receive your consent and you have spoken with one of our recruitment consultants. You will be informed of where your details/CV have been sent and for what purpose/ what job role.

6. Contacting Recruitment Consultants directly

If you contact Optima Connections Limited directly and request to speak with one of our consultants with regard to a vacancy that you have seen advertised or regarding a general job search, you are giving your consent to Optima processing your email and the data contained within your email for lawful purposes, as per sections 2, 3 and 5 above.

If you send an updated CV directly to Optima Connections or one of our consultants you are giving consent to Optima Connections processing and retaining your information as per sections 2, 3 and 5. As referred to in Clause 5 of our privacy notice, we will not share your information with any current or future client without your explicit consent.

7. Request to have personal data amended

We understand that over time your career history will need updating as you progress into new roles. Optima Connections will update your profile within seven working days of receiving an updated CV. Under the GDPR Act you have the right to ask to access your personal information at any time. Once Optima Connections have verified your identity we will provide the information you have requested within 14 working days.

In the very unlikely event you find personal data stored about you by Optima Connections Limited is inaccurate/ wrong then you must advise us immediately and we will amend your personal details within 5 working days.

8. Request to have personal data removed or deleted

Upon request to delete an individual’s record from our database, Optima Connections will ensure that all details will be permanently deleted within 7 working days . However we will keep financial accounting data for the period prescribed by law.

9. Notification of Breaches

We are aware of our responsibility as a recruiter to protect your information and to only share details with our clients upon receipt of your explicit consent. All of our systems are protected and only Optima Connections staff and consultants working for Optima Connections have access to the personal information stored in your registration. All members of staff have had the sufficient training relating to the Data Protection act as well as full GDPR training.

In the unlikely event that our computer systems are compromised and there is a potential loss of confidentiality we will report this breach to you.

In the unlikely event that personal data is taken or exposed from Optima Connections records without our consent, we will provide reports surrounding that exposure within 72 hours of being notified of such an event and take any action necessary to restore security of your personal data.

10. Access

If Optima Connections receives a request for access to personal information we will verify your identify before releasing your personal data to you. We will not release information to any third party.

11. Changes to our Privacy Policy

This privacy policy may be changed by Optima Connections at any time. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will be updated on our website. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at info@optima-connections.com