CV clause – a small detail, just one sentence, and it can decide whether the employer will consider your CV at all. After the entry into force of the GDPR Act in 2018, the clause in the CV changed its wording.
GDPR stands for the full name of the Data Protection Regulation. With the entry into force of the regulation, the rules for the processing of personal data have changed throughout the European Union. This also applies to recruitment, because by participating in the recruitment process, you provide an external company with sensitive personal data.
GDPR protects you against the processing and use of your personal data without your consent. This regulation also gives you the right to “be forgotten”, which allows you to withdraw your consent to the right to process your personal data.
If you haven’t updated your CV for a long time, read how the current CV clause is correct.
IS A CLAUSE TO THE CV MANDATORY?
It may surprise you, but in accordance with applicable regulations, the mere sending of an application to a job advertisement is already consented to the processing of personal data.
The regulations impose the obligation to have consent to process CV data on the employer, and not on the job applicant. It is the employer who must ensure that they have your consent to the processing of sensitive data such as name, addresses, career path, interests or education.
As a candidate, you are therefore not under any obligation to include a data processing clause in your CV. However, if the employer requires such a clause in the CV in the job advertisement, it must be done.
Always read carefully what the employer’s clause is. If you consent to the processing of your personal data in the manner described by the employer, copy the text without changes and place it in your CV.
If the employer requires such a clause in the advertisement, and your CV is missing it, you will not be included in the recruitment process. Without your consent, the employer will not be able to process the data and include you in the process for the position.
However, if the advertisement does not say that you need to include a clause, you are not obliged to include it in your CV. Of course, nothing will happen if you do this, and it will be even better if you do. Unfortunately, most people (including HR and recruiters) do not know that you do not have such an obligation, so they may misinterpret the lack of a clause in your CV.
To sum up: as an applicant, you are not obligated to include a clause in your CV, but for peace of mind it is better to do so. It’s only one sentence, so it will take you a few seconds to add it to your CV.
WHAT DOES THE CV CLAUSE SOUND LIKE?
There is actually no hard-coded CV clause. Theoretically, you can formulate it freely. However, in order not to fall into some legal trap, it’s best to keep it simple or just use a ready-made formula.
It is important to include in the clause a voluntary, unambiguous and informed consent to the processing of data from the CV. Ready formulas contain a sentence that begins with the words: “I agree”.
Before copying anything from the internet, always check that the clause makes sense and does not contain errors. If necessary, fill in the details of the company that will process your CV.
The clause that complies with the GDPR reads as follows:
I consent to the processing of my personal data by (including entering the name of the company) in order to recruit for the position I am applying.
If you enter the name of a specific company in your CV, remember to change it when applying to other companies. Working in recruitment, it often happens that I open a CV, and there the consent to processing was given to … another company. In such a situation, consent is invalid because you give it to another data administrator.
CV CLAUSE WITHOUT COMPANY NAME
For the security of your personal data, try to write the name of the company in the clause. I know changing that name every time you apply to another company can be a pain, but it’s better to protect your data this way. When the company name is entered in the clause in your CV, it will be easy to determine which company you have given your consent to in case someone transfers your data to another company without your knowledge.
However, if you need a clause without a company name, here is a formula like this:
I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process for the position I am applying for.
The CV clause can be expanded and specified by providing its legal basis – GDPR regulation:
I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process (in accordance with the Act of May 10, 2018 on the protection of personal data (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 1000) and in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/679 of April 27, 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free the flow of such data and the repeal of Directive 95/46 / EC (GDPR)).
Or a slightly abbreviated version:
I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and the repeal of Directive 95/46 / EC (GDPR).
There is no requirement to include this longer version in your CV, however. So you can go ahead and use the shorter version to save space on your CV.
HOW TO WRITE A CLAUSE IN THE CV?
There may be times when an employer requires a clause in his CV. In this case, a clause should be included in the CV that reads exactly as the employer wants it.
The lack of such a personalized clause in the CV may result in the CV not being able to be processed by the employer. Also if the clause is incorrectly worded – for example, containing data from another company.
Remember, however, that the clause in your CV only applies to recruitment for the position for which you applied. If you would like your employer to include your application in future recruitment processes, attach another clause to your CV:
I also consent to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of future recruitment by the above-mentioned company.
Or another version without indicating company name:
I consent to the processing of my personal data in the field of future recruitment processes.
Example of a company name clause:
I consent to the processing of my personal data by (company name) also for the purposes of future recruitments.
You can combine two consents into one by wording the clause like this:
I consent to the processing of my personal data by (company name) in order to recruit for the position I am applying for, as well as for future recruitments by (company name).
The following are two consents combined into one, without a company name:
I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process for the position I am applying and for future recruitment processes.
HOW TO ADD A CLAUSE ON A CV
It is best to add the current clause at the bottom, that is, to the footer of the document in which you write your CV – for example Word or Google Docs. This is where recruiters expect to find your consent to the processing of personal data.
You can set the text in the footer of the document to be repeated on every page of your resume, although it is not required to do so.
You can make the font smaller or use gray to distinguish the clause text from the resume text. Just make sure the text is legible.
DO I HAVE TO SIGN UNDER A CLAUSE in my CV?
If you send documents electronically – by e-mail or through the system, then of course there is no need to include a scanned signature.
However, if you hand over your CV to the employer in person, for example at a job fair, your legible signature should appear under the CV clause. The point is that there is no doubt afterward whether the CV was actually submitted by you.
Right now, most employers tend to try to encourage potential candidates to apply through their sites. When applying through the system, you select all consents immediately. This way there is no doubt that someone will laugh at your CV.
CLAUSE IN CV OR MOTIVATIONAL LETTER?
Do you have to include the clause in the cover letter as well?
There is no need to add a clause to your cover letter if you have already included it in your CV. All you have to do is include the clause in one of the documents that you send to the employer. It is best to include a clause with consent to the processing of personal data in your CV.
DO I NEED A CLAUSE FOR THE CV IF I APPLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM?
Today most recruitment is carried out in systems and application documents are sent electronically. It makes work easier and faster, although it creates many challenges related to data security.
If you apply through the employer’s system, all consents necessary for the processing of your data should appear when submitting documents. In such a situation, there is no need to enter the consents again in the CV or other documents. Unless the employer explicitly asks for it – so read carefully all messages appearing in the system.
The same is true when you apply through job posting platforms. Here, too, when setting up an account and applying, the information about consent to data processing should appear. Very often, after clicking the “apply” button, the employer’s website opens, where you register and accept the consent.
CHANGE OUT OF DATE CLAUSE IN CV
If you haven’t updated your CV for a long time, there is probably an old clause in your document. Unfortunately, the old clause does not meet the requirements set out in the GDPR. Delete it and insert the current GDPR-compliant clause. To be sure which clause is meant, I present its content below.
Obsolete CV clause – remove from CV and replace with the new one given at the beginning of this article:
I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process (in accordance with the Act of August 29, 1997 on the protection of personal data; consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2016, item 922).
I hope that I have cleared all my doubts related to the clause in the CV on data processing.
