Privacy Policy

Hire Alum, Inc. ("Hire Alum," "we," "our," or "us") operates the platform at hirealum.com. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use our platform, how we use that information, and what rights you have over your data. We've written this policy in plain language because we believe transparency is a minimum standard, not a legal formality.

By using Hire Alum, you agree to the collection and use of information described in this policy. If you don't agree, please don't use the platform.

1. Information We Collect

Account information

When you create an account, we collect your email address. If you choose to complete your profile, we also collect your full name and graduating class year. This information is used to identify you on the platform and to associate you with any business listings you create.

Business listing data

When you submit a business listing, we collect everything you provide: business name, category, tagline, description, city, state, website, phone number, and email address. This information is displayed publicly on your school's directory page. You control what you submit and can update or remove it at any time.

Usage data

We collect standard usage information when you interact with the platform — page views, clicks, time on page, and similar metrics. This is collected through Google Analytics using your browser's IP address and anonymized identifiers. We use this data to understand how the platform is being used and where to focus improvements.

Authentication data

We use a one-time passcode (OTP) system for sign-in. When you request a sign-in code, we store a temporary, hashed version of that code and your email. The code expires after a short period and is marked as used after it's entered. We do not store passwords of any kind.

Cookies and session data

We use an httpOnly session cookie to keep you signed in between visits. This cookie contains only a session identifier — it does not contain personal information. We also use cookies set by Google Analytics for traffic analysis.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and operate the Hire Alum platform, including displaying your business listing on your school's directory page.
• Authenticate you when you sign in and maintain your session across visits.
• Send you transactional emails — including OTP sign-in codes, listing confirmation emails, and notifications directly related to your account or listing.
• Notify our team when a new listing is submitted so we can review it for quality and appropriateness.
• Analyze aggregate usage patterns to understand which features are working well and where the platform can be improved.
• Comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our Terms of Service.

We do not use your information for advertising targeting, and we do not build behavioral profiles to sell to third parties.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your information with advertisers or data brokers. The limited circumstances in which we share data are:

• Service providers: We use third-party services to operate the platform — including Resend for transactional email, Google Analytics for usage metrics, Neon for database hosting, and Vercel for web hosting. These providers access only the data necessary to perform their function and are bound by appropriate data processing agreements.
• Public listing data: Business listing information that you submit is displayed publicly on your school's directory page. This is the core function of the platform. You control what you submit.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, court order, or other governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety, or investigate fraud.
• Business transfers: If Hire Alum is acquired or merges with another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change via email or a prominent notice on the platform.

4. Data Retention

We retain your account information and listing data for as long as your account is active. If you request deletion of your account, we will delete your personal information within 30 days, subject to any legal obligations that require us to retain certain records for a longer period.

OTP sign-in codes are deleted or marked as expired within 24 hours of generation. Session cookies expire after 30 days of inactivity. Analytics data is retained in Google Analytics according to the retention settings we've configured (currently 14 months).

5. Your Rights

You have meaningful rights over your data, and we take them seriously:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You can update your name, class year, and other profile information directly through the platform. If something can't be updated in the UI, contact us and we'll fix it.
• Deletion: You can request that we delete your account and all associated personal data. Business listing information will be removed within 30 days of your request.
• Portability: You can request an export of your data in a machine-readable format.
• Objection: You can object to certain types of processing, including analytics tracking, by adjusting your browser settings or using a browser extension that blocks Google Analytics.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@hirealum.com. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

If you are located in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, you have additional rights under the GDPR or UK GDPR, including the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

6. Cookies

We use two categories of cookies:

• Essential cookies: A session cookie (session_user_id) that keeps you signed in. This cookie is strictly necessary for the platform to function and cannot be disabled without breaking authentication.
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics sets cookies (_ga, _ga_*) to distinguish users and track sessions. These are third-party cookies subject to Google's own privacy policy. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

We do not use advertising, tracking, or third-party marketing cookies.

7. Children's Privacy

Hire Alum is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information — including encrypted connections (HTTPS), httpOnly session cookies, and access controls on our database. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to reduce risk and respond quickly to any incidents.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we'll post the updated policy with a new effective date and, where appropriate, notify you by email. Your continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your data rights, or have a privacy concern, please contact us:

Hire Alum, Inc.

Email: hello@hirealum.com