Candidate Data Retention and Purge Schedule (Retention)

Candidate Data Retention and Purge Schedule (Retention)

1. 01

   Map every candidate record store before writing a single deletion rule

   List each system holding applicant data: the ATS itself, video interview libraries, assessment outputs, and any spreadsheet a recruiter exported. Agencies running GoHire or Spark Hire for client requisitions often find candidate video and scoring artifacts living in two or three places.

2. 02

   Assign a retention clock to each store based on the client contract, not the platform default

   A staffing retainer may require 24 months of applicant history for placement disputes, while a project-based search may only need 90 days. Write the number into the client's statement of work so the purge date is contractual, not discretionary.

3. 03

   Separate rejected-candidate data from active-pipeline data at the point of disposition

   Rejected applicants carry the highest regulatory exposure and the least operational value. Tag them for accelerated deletion while keeping anonymized rejection reasons for hiring-quality reporting.

4. 04

   Schedule the purge as a recurring calendar event owned by a named person

   Quarterly is workable for most agency books. The owner exports the deletion log, confirms completion in each system, and files the log against the client account. Unowned retention schedules decay within two cycles.

5. 05

   Verify deletion actually propagated to downstream tools and backups

   Deleting a candidate in the ATS does not remove their video from an interview platform or their assessment score from a third-party scorer. Confirm each integration honors the delete call, and document any that do not.

6. 06

   Keep a minimal audit record that survives the purge

   Retain candidate ID, requisition, disposition date, and deletion confirmation. This satisfies most client audit requests without holding personal data past its window.

7. 07

   Review the schedule whenever a client adds a new hiring tool or jurisdiction

   A Canadian client onboarding Folks RH or a global employer adding WorkMotion for cross-border hires changes the legal surface. Re-run the mapping step and update the retention clock before the next purge cycle.