The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

• Personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (for example, name and contact details)
• Assessment information (for example your responses and scoring information)
• Portfolio information (for example uploaded activities, files, images, videos and any other material that you choose to upload)
• Character Map information (preferences as captured in bronze and silver registration – including your work preferences, your preferred work environment, CVs, skills and experience information, any job matches and outcomes)
• Video-portrait information (for example video portraits, notes and supporting meta-data)

How we get the personal information and why we have it

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:

• Portfolio information: To enable you to build a portfolio that keeps a library of examples of work that you’ve carried out and proof-points of behaviours that you’ve demonstrated. This enables you to pull on reference points during career conversations.
• Assessment information: To enable you to develop your self-awareness, looking at your personality from a range of different lenses, including your personality type, preferred leadership styles, typical team style behaviour, your values and your commercial mindset.
• Character Map information: To enable you to clearly and coherently describe who you are, we collect your preferences, previous experience, and profile type. Any job matches that are suggested to you are recorded, any introductions to recruiters and subsequent outcomes are recorded.
• Video-Portrait Information: To enable you to provide a non-written explanation of who you are, and to give you the chance to practice for interviews using yourself as the key critic, we collect Video Portrait videos and commentary.
• Coaching Information: To enable you to have effective coaching sessions, we store scheduling and discussion information.

Purpose for data collection

We use the information that you have given us in order to :

• Generate your Character Map
• Identify and propose new work opportunities to you
• Store and manage your portfolio
• Record and manage your video-portraits
• Generate and explain your assessment profile cards
• Deliver effective coaching

We may share this information with recruiters with your express permission ONLY (which will be captured on email, or through the website platform).

Lawful Basis

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing this information is: We operate on a Contract basis.

How we collect your personal information

We collect your personal information via:

• Your direct responses to registration information
• Your responses to assessments
• Your inputs in creation of video portraits
• Your inputs in coaching sessions
• Your activity on the site
• Your feedback / inquiries registered on the site

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored in the cloud on a secure database and an encrypted file-store.

Retention period of information

• We keep Portfolio Information for the duration of time you hold an account with us.
• We keep Assessment Information for the duration of time you hold an account with us.
• We keep Character Map Information for the duration of time you hold an account with us.
• We keep Video-portrait Information for the duration of time you hold an account with us.
• We keep Coaching Information for the duration of time you hold an account with us.
• When you close your account with us, or when you ask for data to be deleted or when we close your account with us, your data (Portfolio Information, Assessment Information, Character Map information, Video-Portrait information, and Coaching information), is removed from the database and cleared from the file-store. The file-store has a period of soft-delete when the data can be recovered, if required. After this period, it is fully deleted and becomes unrecoverable.
• You may delete all your data at any time through the Account Settings, Personal Data menu.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
• You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at privacy@higher.work if you wish to make a request.

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at:

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data. The ICO’s address: