Privacy Policy

skillster | Updated: May 2026

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data refers to any information that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information on data protection, please refer to our Privacy Policy listed below this text.

Data Collection on Our Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find the operator’s contact information in the legal notice section of this website. The data is entered by either the candidate or the company. No additional data is added by the website operator.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, on the one hand, when you provide it to us. This may include, for example, data you enter into a contact form, as well as your strengths videos, your personality test results, your information on corporate culture, your professional and personal master data under “Your Profile” in the candidate section, your certificates, your resume, and your photo. No data is collected that is not exclusively related to the provision of the skillster service.

Other data is automatically collected by our IT systems when you visit the website. This primarily consists of technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page view). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.

What do we use your data for?

skillster is based on the provision of candidate data for the creation of a strengths video and the completion of a personality test. The strengths video can be used for personal purposes, sent to employers, or used to actively apply for a job posting. All data from platform users is used exclusively for this purpose. Every active user must be registered; viewing candidates is strictly linked to providing a company’s master data. Company master data is not shared with candidates.

skillster and the personality test or strengths video can also be used by candidates in private mode for a fee of 9 euros. This ensures that the candidate’s data cannot be viewed by companies.

Apart from the individual viewing of candidates on the skillster platform—where, with the exception of the resume and personality analysis, no data can be downloaded—applications can also be transmitted to recruiting companies via API interfaces. This typically occurs as part of the integration with HR management system providers. If a candidate applies directly to a job posting, the applicant’s personal information is transferred to paying companies via API interfaces. The transfer takes place as soon as a candidate applies to a job posting via a corresponding link and has fully created their profile on skillster.

The candidate has the right to delete their profile on skillster—and thus the data held by the hiring company—at any time. The videos remain exclusively on the servers of our service provider nanocosmos GmbH, Am Borsigturm 42, 13507 Berlin, the provider of our video solution. Data that has been processed by the hiring company in its own data processing systems after transmission is no longer accessible to skillster. According to the Terms and Conditions, paying companies are obligated to skillster to use the data exclusively for recruitment purposes.

Some of the data is collected to ensure the website functions properly. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking, or deletion of this data. You have the right at any time to delete your profile, thereby making your profile and data no longer visible to companies.

Personal information may be transferred to paying companies via API interfaces as soon as a candidate applies for a job posting via a corresponding link. The candidate has the right to delete their profile—and thus make it invisible to the searching company—at any time.

You can delete your data yourself at any time or have it deleted by skillster. Upon deletion, the candidate profiles will no longer be displayed in a company’s “Favorites” or “List.” Due to the 14-day backup cycle, your data will also be deleted from the backup after 14 days.

Where is your data stored?

The videos recorded by candidates are stored on the servers of our service provider nanocosmos GmbH, Am Borsigturm 42, 13507 Berlin.

Data regarding master data, professional criteria, personality test results, and the desired corporate culture is stored on a web server operated by the provider Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestrasse 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany.

You can contact us at any time regarding this or other questions about data protection at the address provided in the legal notice. Furthermore, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Analytics Tools and Third-Party Tools

When you visit our website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is primarily done using cookies and so-called analytics programs. The analysis of your browsing behavior is generally anonymous; the browsing behavior cannot be traced back to you. You may object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information on this can be found in the following privacy policy.

2. General Information and Mandatory Notices

Data Protection

The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with statutory data protection regulations as well as this privacy policy.

Data regarding personality profiles, personal information, photos, certificates, and other documents such as a resume are stored on a server located in Germany operated by skillster or its partners.

In principle, candidate data on skillster may only be found and viewed by registered companies. An employer registered on the platform can view the data of found candidates directly and download documents such as the anonymous personality profile, grades, and resume. Videos and photos cannot be downloaded.

skillster undertakes to make the most recent version of the videos available for the video player. Furthermore, skillster undertakes not to use previous versions for any commercial purpose. However, skillster is entitled to use previous versions of the videos to improve candidate-related services.

When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data that can be used to personally identify you. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and how we use it. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

Users who do not respond to the email reminder after 60 days to actively renew their profile will be deactivated after an additional 30 days. After that, the account and all profile data will be deleted.

If the user takes action and responds to the email reminder after 60 days, their profile will remain active for another 60 days.

By registering on skillster, users agree that personal data—including data they upload as videos, results from the ViQ personality test, photos, references, resumes, or other supplementary data—will be stored for the purpose of being found by companies or applying for job postings.

Protection against unauthorized video access is ensured through access protection via username and password. The video player integrated into the platform displays the videos of the selected person; access via third-party browser solutions is not possible due to the lack of password authentication.

Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating via email) may be subject to security vulnerabilities. It is not possible to completely protect data from access by third parties.

Withdrawal of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You may revoke consent you have already given at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The lawfulness of data processing carried out prior to revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of violations of data protection laws, the data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The competent supervisory authority for data protection matters is the State Data Protection Commissioner of the federal state in which our company is headquartered. A list of data protection commissioners and their contact details can be found at the following link: www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/anschriften_links-node.html

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract provided to you or to a third party in a commonly used, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only take place to the extent that it is technically feasible.

SSL or TLS Encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address bar of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock icon in your browser bar. When SSL or TLS encryption is active, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, Blocking, Deletion

Within the scope of applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to receive information free of charge regarding your stored personal data, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing, as well as, where applicable, the right to correct, block, or delete this data. For this and any other questions regarding personal data, you may contact us at any time at the address provided in the legal notice.

Promotional Emails and Newsletters

We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications containing promotional content only if the user has consented to receiving them.

Use of the mailing service provider “Zoho One”

Newsletters are sent via “Zoho One,” a newsletter distribution platform provided by Zoho, represented in Germany by Natalie Söll Vertrieb GmbH, Damaschkestr. 1, 95615 Marktredwitz (https://www.soell-vertrieb.de/impressum.html).

The email addresses of our newsletter recipients, as well as their other data described in this notice, are stored on zoho one’s servers. zoho one uses this information to send and analyze the newsletters on our behalf. Furthermore, according to its own information, Zoho One may use this data to optimize or improve its own services, e.g., for the technical optimization of the delivery and presentation of the newsletters or for business purposes to determine which countries the recipients are from. However, Zoho One does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to contact them directly or to pass it on to third parties.

Newsletter Subscription

By consenting to receive newsletters under Candidates/ViQ & Profile, you will receive newsletters from skillster. skillster is authorized to send “non-bulk emails” such as individual reminders or user notifications (operational reminders) related to the use of the platform to registered candidates at any time.

Cancellation / Withdrawal

You may cancel your subscription to our newsletter at any time, i.e., withdraw your consent. A link to withdraw your consent can be found at the end of every newsletter. Additionally, you may cancel your subscription or withdraw your consent by sending a request to the email address listed in the legal notice.

3. Data Collection on Our Website

Contact Form

If you submit inquiries to us via the contact form, the information you provide in the form—including the contact details you enter there—will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We will not share this data without your consent.

The processing of the data entered in the contact form is based exclusively on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke this consent at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The lawfulness of the data processing operations carried out prior to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request its deletion, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

Registration on this website

You can register on our website to use additional features on the site. We use the data entered for this purpose solely for the purpose of using the respective offer or service for which you have registered. The mandatory information requested during registration must be provided in full. Otherwise, we will reject the registration.

For important changes, such as to the scope of the service or technically necessary changes, we will use the email address provided during registration to inform you.

The processing of the data entered during registration is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke your consent at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The lawfulness of any data processing that has already taken place remains unaffected by the revocation.

We will store the data collected during registration for as long as you remain registered on our website, after which it will be deleted. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

Processing of Data (Customer and Contract Data)

We collect, process, and use personal data only to the extent necessary for the establishment, content, or modification of the legal relationship (master data). This is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures. We collect, process, and use personal data regarding the use of our website (usage data) only to the extent necessary to enable the user to use the service or to bill for it.

The collected customer data is deleted upon completion of the order or termination of the business relationship. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

Data Transfer Upon Conclusion of a Contract for Services and Digital Content

We transfer personal data to third parties only if this is necessary for the fulfillment of the contract, such as to the financial institution responsible for payment processing. No further transfer of data takes place, or only if you have expressly consented to the transfer. Your data will not be disclosed to third parties without your express consent, for example for advertising purposes.

The legal basis for data processing is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures.

Cookies

Some websites use so-called “cookies.” Cookies do not harm your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies serve to make our website more user-friendly, effective, and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies.” They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them. These cookies allow us to recognize your browser on your next visit.

You can configure your browser to notify you when cookies are set and to allow cookies only on a case-by-case basis, to block the acceptance of cookies in specific cases or generally, and to enable the automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser. If you disable cookies, the functionality of this website may be limited.

Cookies that are necessary for the execution of the electronic communication process or for the provision of specific functions you have requested are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies to ensure the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. To the extent that other cookies (e.g., cookies for analyzing your browsing behavior) are stored, these are addressed separately in this privacy policy.

4. Analytics Tools and Advertising

Google Analytics

This website uses features of the web analytics service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies.” These are text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website is generally transmitted to a Google server in the United States and stored there.

The storage of Google Analytics cookies is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

IP Anonymization

We have enabled the IP anonymization feature on this website. This causes Google to truncate your IP address within member states of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before it is transmitted to the United States. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the United States and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity, and to provide other services related to website and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser Plugin

You can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting your browser software settings accordingly. You can also prevent the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) by Google, as well as the processing of this data by Google, by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Objection to Data Collection

You can prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set to prevent the collection of your data during future visits to this website: [Disable Google Analytics]

For more information on how Google Analytics handles user data, please refer to Google’s Privacy Policy: support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245

Demographic Features in Google Analytics

This website uses the “demographic features” function of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be generated that contain information about the age, gender, and interests of site visitors. This data is derived from interest-based advertising by Google as well as from visitor data provided by third parties. This data cannot be attributed to any specific individual. You can disable this feature at any time via the ad settings in your Google Account or generally prohibit the collection of your data by Google Analytics, as described in the section “Objection to Data Collection.”

Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking

This website uses Google AdWords. AdWords is an online advertising program provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

As part of Google AdWords, we use what is known as conversion tracking. When you click on an ad placed by Google, a cookie for conversion tracking is set. These cookies expire after 30 days and are not used to personally identify users. If the user visits certain pages on this website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we can recognize that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to that page.

Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. The cookies cannot be tracked across the websites of AdWords customers. The information collected using the conversion cookie is used to generate conversion statistics for AdWords customers. Customers learn the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag; however, they do not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users.

If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can opt out of this use by easily disabling the Google conversion tracking cookie via your web browser under user settings.

The storage of “conversion cookies” is based on Art. 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. For more information, please refer to Google’s Privacy Policy: www.google.de/policies/privacy/

Google Analytics Remarketing

Our websites use the features of Google Analytics Remarketing in conjunction with the cross-device features of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

This feature allows the advertising audiences created with Google Analytics Remarketing to be linked with the cross-device features of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. In this way, interest-based, personalized advertising messages that have been tailored to you based on your previous usage and browsing behavior on one device (e.g., a mobile phone) can also be displayed on another of your devices (e.g., a tablet or PC).

If you have given your consent, Google links your web and app browsing history to your Google Account for this purpose. This allows the same personalized advertising messages to be displayed on any device on which you sign in with your Google Account.

To support this feature, Google Analytics collects Google-authenticated user IDs, which are temporarily linked to our Google Analytics data to define and create audiences for cross-device advertising.

You can permanently opt out of cross-device remarketing/targeting by disabling personalized ads in your Google Account: www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/

The aggregation of collected data in your Google Account is based solely on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). For data collection processes that are not aggregated in your Google Account, the collection of data is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Further information can be found in Google’s Privacy Policy: www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/

5. Use of Anthropic Claude (AI-powered matching and script generation)

This supplement describes the processing of personal data through the use of Anthropic Claude as an AI technology service provider. It applies in conjunction with the other sections of this Privacy Policy.

Introduction and Scope

The following provisions concern the processing of personal data through AI-powered functions based on the technology of Anthropic PBC, 548 Market St PMB 90375, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA (“Anthropic”). Specifically, this applies to:

• the AI-powered matching of resumes, personality profiles, questionnaire responses, and video content to job descriptions and job postings,
• the automated generation of job postings based on the matching results, and
• the AI-powered creation of individual scripts based on personality profiles, resumes, and questionnaire responses.

In this context, Anthropic acts exclusively as a data processor in accordance with Art. 28 of the GDPR. Responsibility for the processing remains with skillster.

Categories of data processed

As part of the AI-supported processing, the following personal data is transmitted to Anthropic:

For matching: Professional details from the resume (work history, qualifications, degrees, skills), results from standardized personality profile tests, written answers to questions as part of the application or onboarding process, and technical metadata from video submissions (e.g., transcripts; no biometric data).

For script generation: The complete personality profile, relevant excerpts from the resume, and the submitted questionnaire responses. This data is used to create a personalized script that authentically reflects the individual and their strengths.

Where possible, the data is pseudonymized prior to transmission. Direct naming or unique identifiers are only transmitted if this is technically necessary for the respective function.

Legal bases for processing

Depending on the context, processing is based on the following legal bases of the GDPR:

• Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (Consent): If special categories of data are processed or the processing goes beyond what is necessary for the performance of the contract, we obtain explicit consent.
• Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (Performance of a contract): The processing is necessary for the provision of our service—AI-powered career and recruiting support.
• Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (Legitimate Interest): To the extent that we use AI for quality assurance and the further development of our matching algorithms, we rely on our legitimate interest, which outweighs the interests of the data subjects.

If personal data within the meaning of Art. 9 GDPR is processed (e.g., psychological profile characteristics), this is done exclusively on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR.

Purposes of Processing

The transmitted data is processed exclusively for the following purposes:

• Matching: Analysis and comparison of candidate profiles with job requirements to enable the most accurate recommendation possible.
• Job Posting Generation: Automated drafting of job postings based on the determined requirement profiles and matching results.
• Script generation: Creation of a personalized text that serves as the basis for a video self-presentation or a job interview.

Any use of the transmitted data by Anthropic for its own training purposes is contractually prohibited. Anthropic processes the data exclusively for the purpose of providing the commissioned service within the scope of API usage.

Data transfer to third countries

Anthropic is headquartered in the United States. Data transfer is based on appropriate safeguards in accordance with Art. 46 GDPR, specifically on the basis of the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the EU Commission and, where applicable, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, provided that Anthropic has joined it. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Anthropic that meets the requirements of Art. 28 GDPR.

Retention Period

We transmit data to the Anthropic API exclusively in the context of individual requests (so-called “stateless” processing). Anthropic stores API requests and responses by default for up to 30 days for the purposes of abuse prevention and technical support, unless a shorter period has been contractually agreed upon. Anthropic does not store or analyze data beyond this period. On our end, we store the results of AI processing (matching results, generated scripts, job postings) in accordance with the general retention periods set forth in this Privacy Policy.

Automated Decision-Making

AI-supported matching serves exclusively as a decision-making aid. A fully automated decision within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR, which produces legal or similarly significant effects for data subjects, does not take place. All matching results are reviewed by qualified employees prior to use and are only utilized after human approval.

Rights of Data Subjects

Data subjects may exercise the rights listed in Section 2 of this Privacy Policy (access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent) at any time. In the event of a withdrawal of consent, the relevant AI functions can no longer be used. Results that have already been processed remain unaffected by this, provided that another legal basis justifies further processing.

6. Payment Providers

PayPal

On our website, we offer, among other options, payment via PayPal. The provider of this payment service is PayPal (Europe) S.à.r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg.

If you select payment via PayPal, the payment details you enter will be transmitted to PayPal. The transmission of your data to PayPal is based on Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent) and Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (processing for the performance of a contract). You have the option to withdraw your consent to data processing at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the validity of past data processing operations.

If you have any questions regarding data protection, please contact us at any time at the address provided in the legal notice.