Terms of Service

1. Definitions

• "Career Step", "we", "us", or "our" refers to the Career Step platform and its operators.
• "Service" refers to the Career Step website, applications, and all related features.
• "User", "you", or "your" refers to any individual who accesses or uses the Service.
• "Subscriber" refers to a User with an active paid subscription.
• "CV" refers to any curriculum vitae or resume created using our Service.
• "Content" refers to any information, text, or data you submit to the Service.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Career Step, you confirm that:

• You are at least 16 years of age;
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement;
• You agree to comply with these Terms and all applicable South African laws;
• You have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

3. Service Description

Career Step is a subscription-based platform that provides:

• Professional CV creation tools with multiple ATS-friendly templates;
• AI-powered content enhancement and language improvement;
• Job description matching and ATS compatibility scoring;
• Interview preparation tools and mock interview features;
• Salary information and negotiation guidance;
• Career planning and workplace rights information;
• Job search aggregation from multiple South African job boards;
• PDF CV generation and download.

4. Subscription and Payment

5. User Responsibilities and Conduct

By using our Service, you agree to:

• Provide accurate information: All information in your CV must be truthful and accurate. You are solely responsible for the content you create.
• Not falsify credentials: You must not create fake qualifications, fabricate work experience, invent skills, or misrepresent your background.
• Maintain account security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
• Not share accounts: Your account is personal and non-transferable.
• Comply with laws: You must not use the Service for any unlawful purpose or to violate any applicable laws.
• Respect intellectual property: You must not copy, distribute, or create derivative works from our templates or platform.
• Not circumvent restrictions: You must not attempt to bypass subscription limits or access controls.
• Not abuse the Service: You must not use automated tools, bots, or scripts to access the Service.

6. AI Content Enhancement

Your responsibility: You remain solely responsible for reviewing all AI-generated suggestions and ensuring the accuracy and truthfulness of your final CV. AI outputs are suggestions only and should be verified before use.

Disclaimer: While we design our AI to be helpful and accurate, we cannot guarantee that AI outputs will be error-free. You must review and approve all content before downloading or sharing your CV.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1 Your Content

You retain ownership of the personal information and content you submit to Career Step. By using our Service, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive licence to process, store, and display your content solely for the purpose of providing the Service.

7.2 Our Property

Career Step, including its design, templates, code, features, and branding, is our intellectual property protected by South African and international copyright laws. You may not:

• Copy, reproduce, or distribute our templates or designs;
• Reverse engineer or attempt to extract the source code;
• Create derivative works based on our platform;
• Use our branding or trademarks without permission.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, Career Step expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including but not limited to:

• Any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement;
• Any warranty that the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free;
• Any warranty regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any content, data, or information;
• Any warranty that the Service will meet your requirements or expectations;
• Any warranty regarding the results that may be obtained from the use of the Service;
• Any warranty that defects will be corrected;
• Any warranty regarding AI-generated content, suggestions, or recommendations;
• Any warranty regarding salary data, job market information, or career advice;
• Any warranty regarding third-party job listings or external content;
• Any warranty regarding ATS compatibility scores or job matching results;
• Any warranty regarding employment outcomes, interviews, or job offers.

You acknowledge and agree that Career Step has no control over, and no duty to take any action regarding employment decisions made by any employer or recruiter. Any reliance on the Service is strictly at your own risk.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, Career Step shall not be liable for:

• Any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages;
• Any loss of profits, revenue, business, savings, goodwill, or anticipated savings;
• Any loss of data or corruption of data;
• Any loss of employment opportunities, job offers, or interviews;
• Any loss of income or earning potential;
• Any reputational damage or harm to your professional standing;
• Any decisions made by employers, recruiters, or hiring managers;
• Any reliance on CV content, AI suggestions, or any information provided through the Service;
• Any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in AI-generated content;
• Any inaccuracies in salary data, market information, or career guidance;
• Any third-party actions, content, products, or services;
• Any unauthorised access to or alteration of your data;
• Any interruption or cessation of the Service;
• Any bugs, viruses, or other harmful components;
• Any other matter relating to the Service.

These limitations apply regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, warranty, or otherwise), even if Career Step has been advised of the possibility of such damages, and even if a remedy fails of its essential purpose.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS EXCEED THE LESSER OF: (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO US IN THE THREE (3) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (R100.00).

10. Assumption of Risk

By using Career Step, you expressly acknowledge and agree that:

• You use the Service entirely at your own risk;
• You are solely responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of all content in your CV;
• You are solely responsible for reviewing and verifying any AI-generated content before use;
• You assume full responsibility for any decisions you make based on information from the Service;
• You assume full responsibility for your job search, applications, and career decisions;
• Career Step is a tool to assist you, not a guarantee of any outcome;
• Success in job applications depends on many factors outside our control;
• We have no control over how employers or recruiters evaluate your CV or application.

11. Indemnification

You agree to fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Career Step, its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, partners, licensors, and suppliers from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, proceedings, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising from or related to:

• Your use or misuse of the Service;
• Your violation of these Terms;
• Your violation of any applicable law, regulation, or third-party right;
• Any content you create, submit, or share through the Service;
• Any false, misleading, inaccurate, or fraudulent information in your CV or account;
• Any misrepresentation of your qualifications, experience, skills, or credentials;
• Any claim by an employer, recruiter, or any third party related to your CV or job applications;
• Your failure to review and verify AI-generated content;
• Any reliance on information, content, or features provided by the Service;
• Any claim that your CV content infringes the rights of any third party;
• Any unauthorised use of your account;
• Any dispute between you and any employer or third party.

This indemnification obligation will survive the termination of these Terms and your use of the Service.

12. No Employment Guarantee

You expressly acknowledge and agree that:

• Career Step does not guarantee that you will obtain employment, interviews, or job offers;
• Career Step does not guarantee that your CV will be selected by any employer or pass any ATS system;
• Career Step does not guarantee the accuracy of ATS scores or job matching percentages;
• Career Step has no relationship with any employer and cannot influence hiring decisions;
• Success depends on your qualifications, the job market, and many factors outside our control;
• A well-crafted CV is only one factor in job search success;
• You are solely responsible for your job search strategy and career decisions.

13. Third-Party Content and Links

Our Service may include links to third-party websites, job listings, or resources. Career Step disclaims all responsibility and liability for:

• The content, accuracy, opinions, reliability, or availability of third-party sites;
• Job listings aggregated or linked from external job boards;
• Any transactions, interactions, or disputes between you and third parties;
• The privacy practices, security, or policies of third-party websites;
• Any products, services, or content provided by third parties;
• Any damages or losses caused by your reliance on third-party content.

Your use of third-party sites is entirely at your own risk and subject to their terms and conditions. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

14. Release

You hereby release and forever discharge Career Step, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, and successors from any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, expenses, and liabilities of every kind and nature, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with:

• Any dispute between you and any employer, recruiter, or third party;
• The acts or omissions of any employer, recruiter, or third party;
• Your job search, applications, interviews, or employment outcomes;
• Any content you create using the Service;
• Any reliance on information provided through the Service.

You expressly waive any protection that would limit the scope of this release to claims known or suspected to exist at the time of signing this agreement.

15. Termination

15.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by cancelling your subscription and requesting account deletion through our support channels.

15.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately, without notice or liability, if you:

• Violate these Terms of Service;
• Provide false or misleading information;
• Engage in fraudulent activity or payment fraud;
• Abuse the Service or other users;
• Attempt to circumvent subscription limits or security measures;
• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose;
• Create CVs with intentionally false qualifications or experience.

15.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. We may delete your account and CVs without liability. Provisions regarding intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, release, and dispute resolution survive termination indefinitely. No refunds will be provided for termination due to your breach of these Terms.

16. Force Majeure

Career Step shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, riots, embargoes, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, accidents, strikes, power outages, internet or telecommunications failures, pandemics, government actions, or third-party service provider failures.

17. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time in our sole discretion. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page;
• For material changes, we will notify you via email or platform notification;
• Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance;
• If you do not agree to modified terms, you must stop using the Service and cancel your subscription immediately.

18. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

18.1 Informal Resolution

Before initiating any formal dispute resolution proceedings, you agree to first contact us at support@careerstep.co.za and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

18.2 Binding Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, any dispute, controversy, or claim arising from or relating to these Terms, or the breach, termination, or validity thereof, shall be finally resolved through binding arbitration administered by the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) in accordance with its rules. The arbitration shall take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, and be conducted in English. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

18.3 Class Action Waiver

YOU AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. YOU HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION AGAINST CAREER STEP.

18.4 Limitation on Time to File Claims

ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES; OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.

18.5 Small Claims Exception

Notwithstanding the above, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within the court's jurisdiction.

19. Consumer Protection

These Terms are intended to comply with applicable South African law. To the extent that the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) or other mandatory consumer protection legislation applies to you and these Terms, any provisions that would otherwise be prohibited or unenforceable shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to comply. Where these Terms conflict with mandatory consumer protection provisions that cannot be waived, those provisions shall prevail, but only to the extent required by law.

20. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the parties' original intent. If modification is not possible, the invalid provision shall be severed, and the remaining Terms shall be enforced.

21. Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by an authorised representative of Career Step. No waiver of any term shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term.

22. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other legal notices or policies published by us on the Service, constitute the entire agreement between you and Career Step regarding your use of the Service. These Terms supersede all prior agreements, communications, representations, and understandings, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof. Any terms or conditions provided by you (including in any purchase order) that are different from or in addition to these Terms are expressly rejected.

23. Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms, or any rights or obligations hereunder, without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer these Terms, in whole or in part, without restriction. Subject to the foregoing, these Terms will bind and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

24. Acknowledgement