In these cases, they have to take the necessary steps to protect it. Even though online recruiters deal with lots of confidential information daily, they rarely employ proper security measures. Since recruiters dig deep to find the best candidates for available positions, their contact lists are likely extensive, full of private data.
Losing personal information can lead to severe consequences, like losing a job or being sued by someone. At the same time, anyone who is working online needs to protect themselves and their data. Luckily, there are simple ways that you can boost your security and prevent adverse outcomes. Here’s what you need to do.
Handle Personal Data Carefully
When collecting data from candidates, you need to tell them that you’re doing it. You need to inform potential employees about how their data is going to be managed. More importantly, they need to give you their permission to do this. So, mutual agreement between the recruiter and the candidate is a must.
Personal information is very sensitive and protected by law. If you are using someone’s data without their approval, you can cause serious damage to their finances or digital privacy. If you are working with people from the EU, consider the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As a recruiter, you have the duty to process data and be fully responsible if it is exploited against the law. Data isn’t just some basic information or a simple string of numbers. It means a lot, and if it ends up in the wrong hands, it can be abused in many ways. According to the law, recruiters must fulfill candidates’ requests if they want their data to be removed.
Tips on Doing Research and Talent Hunting
While looking for people that are suitable for the available positions, recruiters might need to use a lot of sources. In addition to that, they deal with a lot of files that include resumes, motivational letters, or other content that might be relevant to the employer. So, there is an undeniable necessity for dealing with this information. Not all candidates will be completely honest. Some of them might be targeting the company in general. By convincing you to download a file, they might be looking for a weak access point to enter the company’s database. As a result, there is a lot that you need to consider.
A virtual private network (VPN) is one of the comprehensive solutions to this issue. As a recruiter, you send and receive data daily. You jump from one website to another. So, you need to have this traffic concealed from curious parties. An easy-to-use Atlas VPN is a choice for companies and individuals to secure their online activities. Instead of blindly relying on internet security, you encrypt web traffic and prevent hackers from monetizing it. At the same time, VPNs also create a safe connection. You can even change your IP address when using a reliable VPN.
Use Security Software
This tip is a no-brainer, but many people still forget about the benefits of an antivirus tool. As mentioned before, the recruiters’ devices are full of valuable information. Resumes, bank account details, phone numbers, physical addresses, and tons of other information are necessary for employment. Therefore, as a recruiter, you have the responsibility of securing your device from unauthorized access.
Besides installing such security programs, you need to make sure they are updated regularly. Always check for updates to ensure that you have the latest version. Updates are essential for these tools, and they happen regularly. The reason is quite simple. New threats appear each day, and these security companies add new protection measures and improve their programs. If you skip updates, your device could be exposed to some of the latest threats.
Don’t Share Data with Anyone
No matter if you are working for a company full-time or freelancing as a recruiter. You need to handle all the data you gather with utmost care. The first thing you should understand is that you are the first in line if something goes wrong with data.
It means that you need to take responsibility for the data you collect. Depending on the established processes within your company, make sure that you follow all the protocols. Don’t share any data with people who shouldn’t have it, even those working at the same company.
Secure All of Your Passwords
As an online recruiter, you probably use a lot of different platforms for your work. This includes social networks, recruitment platforms, custom tools, email, and so on. All of these services are just like any other – they can be hacked.
However, the most common way cybercriminals get access to data is by figuring out the password. First of all, your passwords need to be complex and lengthy. Include letters, different characters, and numbers. At the same time, consider using some of the password managers and two-factor authentication. As a recruiter, you can take the initiative and suggest that the entire company starts following the same password-preserving rules.
Bottom Line
By following these simple steps, you can secure the data of your candidates and use it accordingly. Bear in mind that all data matters. When recruiting people, you need to protect their personal information, just like you would your own. If something were to happen (if their data gets stolen or misused), a weak protection strategy might be the reason behind the breach.