Every time a candidate submits their resume, they're trusting you with sensitive personal information. Their work history, contact details, sometimes even their salary expectations. This trust should not be taken lightly.
Yet the hiring technology industry has a troubling relationship with candidate data.
The Current State of Candidate Privacy
Most ATS platforms treat candidate data as a resource to be exploited:
- Data aggregation: Building massive databases of candidate profiles
- AI training: Using your candidates' resumes to train models
- Third-party sharing: Selling or sharing data with partners
- Indefinite retention: Keeping data long after it's needed
This isn't just ethically questionable—it's increasingly illegal. GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California, and similar regulations worldwide are raising the bar for data protection.
Our Privacy-First Approach
At SutraWorks Hire, privacy isn't a feature—it's a foundation. Here's how we're different:
1. BYOK Architecture Your AI processing happens with your own API keys. We never see the prompts, responses, or analysis. The AI provider sees the data you send, but we don't.
2. Minimal Data Collection We collect only what's necessary to provide the service. No behavioral tracking, no profile building, no data mining.
3. Clear Data Ownership Your candidate data belongs to you. Export it anytime. Delete it completely. We provide the tools; you maintain control.
4. Transparent Processing Every data operation is documented. Know exactly what happens to candidate information and why.
Why This Matters
Privacy-first isn't just about compliance—it's about building a hiring process that candidates can trust:
- Better candidate experience: Applicants feel respected when their data is protected
- Competitive advantage: Privacy-conscious candidates may prefer your opportunities
- Future-proofing: Regulations are only getting stricter
- Ethical foundation: Building technology that respects human dignity
The Technical Details
For those interested in the specifics:
- Encryption at rest: All stored data is encrypted using AES-256
- Encryption in transit: TLS 1.3 for all communications
- Access controls: Role-based permissions with audit logging
- Data residency: Choose where your data is stored
*Ready to build a more ethical hiring process? [Contact us](/contact) to learn more about our privacy-first approach.*