Who we are
CareerForge (“CareerForge”, “we”, “us”) provides career coaching services, including resume and LinkedIn optimization, interview and negotiation coaching, and introductions to recruiters, through thecareerforge.co (the “Site”). The business is operated by [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME], [REGISTERED ADDRESS].
For the purposes of data protection law (including the GDPR and UK GDPR), we are the controller of personal data described in this policy. Contact: hello@thecareerforge.co.
In short: we collect what you give us (contact details, career information, documents) and standard analytics data. We use it to deliver and improve our services and measure our advertising. We do not sell your personal data for money, and we never put your resume or call content into advertising platforms.
Information we collect
Information you provide
- Contact and booking forms: name, email address, phone number (optional), your career situation or goals, and any message you write.
- Plan Finder quiz: your answers about your goals, timeline and situation, used to suggest a plan and pre-fill the booking form.
- Service delivery: resumes, LinkedIn profiles, job descriptions, work history, target roles, and notes from calls.
- Payments: when you buy a plan, payment is handled by our payment providers (see Sharing). We receive confirmation, your name, email and the plan purchased. We do not receive or store your full card number.
- Emails you send us and our replies.
Information collected automatically
- Device and browser type, approximate location (derived from IP address), pages viewed, referring site or ad campaign, and interactions such as quiz completion, using the resume demo slider, and form submission results.
- Cookie and similar-technology data described in the Cookies section.
Please do not send us sensitive information we do not need (government ID numbers, health information, financial account numbers, or details about race, religion, or similar). If your resume contains such details, tell us and we will handle them with extra care or remove them.
How we use your information and our legal bases
| Purpose | Examples | Legal basis (GDPR / UK GDPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Provide our services | Respond to enquiries, schedule calls, deliver resumes and coaching, process orders | Contract (or steps taken before entering one) |
| Communicate with you | Booking confirmations, delivery updates, replies to questions, the Resume Audit checklist or interview cheat sheet you ask for | Contract; legitimate interests; consent where required |
| Analytics and site improvement | Understand which pages and features are used, fix problems | Consent where required by law; otherwise legitimate interests |
| Advertising measurement | Measure whether ads lead to bookings or purchases, build ad audiences | Consent where required by law; otherwise legitimate interests |
| Security and fraud prevention | Detect spam and abuse of our forms | Legitimate interests |
| Legal and accounting | Tax records, responding to lawful requests, enforcing our terms | Legal obligation; legitimate interests |
We do not use your information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. Marketing emails are sent only if you ask for them or where the law otherwise allows, and every message includes a way to unsubscribe.
International transfers
CareerForge is operated from India and serves clients mainly in the United States and Canada. Our providers are located in the US, India and elsewhere, so your data may be processed outside your country. Where required, we rely on safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (where the provider participates), or your consent. You can ask for details by emailing us.
How long we keep information
- Enquiries and form submissions: up to 24 months after our last contact, unless you become a client.
- Client files (resumes, notes, deliverables): for the duration of the service and up to 24 months afterwards so we can support revisions and guarantee claims, then deleted or anonymized on request or on a regular schedule.
- Payment and tax records: as long as the law requires (typically 6 to 8 years).
- Analytics and advertising data: according to the retention settings of Google and Meta (see Cookies).
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or port your personal data, to object to or restrict certain processing, to withdraw consent at any time, and not to be discriminated against for exercising your rights. Email hello@thecareerforge.co with “Privacy request” in the subject. We may need to verify your identity, and we respond within one month (GDPR/UK), 45 days (US state laws, extendable once) or 30 days (PIPEDA), or sooner where required.
European Economic Area and UK
You have the rights above and may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
California and other US states
We collect the categories in “Information we collect” (identifiers, contact details, professional and employment-related information, internet activity) for the business purposes in this policy. We do not sell personal information for money. Use of advertising and analytics cookies may be considered “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising or “targeted advertising”. To opt out, send a Global Privacy Control signal, use the cookie opt-outs above, or email us. We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of anyone under 16. We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information to infer characteristics about you.
Canada
We handle personal information under PIPEDA and applicable provincial laws. You may access and correct your information, withdraw consent (subject to legal or contractual limits), and complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Our privacy contact is the email address above.
India
We process personal data in line with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, including rights to access, correction, erasure and grievance redressal. Grievances can be sent to the email above and will be acknowledged promptly.
Security
We use HTTPS, access controls and reputable providers, and limit access to client files to people who need them. No system is perfectly secure; if a breach affecting your data occurs we will notify you and regulators as the law requires.
Children
Our services are for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has given us data, contact us and we will delete it.
Advertising platform compliance
We use Meta and Google advertising products in line with their policies. We do not send Meta or Google health, financial-account, government-ID or other sensitive data, and we do not use the contents of your resume or calls for advertising. Events sent to Meta are limited to standard page and conversion events (such as Lead or InitiateCheckout with the plan name).
Changes and contact
We may update this policy and will change the date above; for material changes we will take reasonable steps to notify you. Questions or requests: hello@thecareerforge.co · [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME], [REGISTERED ADDRESS].