Terms & Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using CareerBuddy ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Service. These Terms form a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you") and CareerBuddy ("we", "us", "our").

2. Description of Service

CareerBuddy is an AI-powered career platform that provides:

• CV and resume analysis with ATS scoring and keyword matching.
• AI-assisted CV and resume building tools.
• Cover letter generation tailored to job descriptions.
• AI-powered interview practice sessions with scoring and feedback.
• Career coaching through AI conversation.
• Progress tracking and career readiness insights.

The Service operates on a credit-based system. Users receive starter credits upon registration and may purchase additional credits through PayFast.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use this Service. By registering, you confirm that you are of legal age and have the authority to enter into these Terms. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities under your account.

4. Credits & Payments

• Starter credits: New users receive a complimentary allocation of starter credits upon account creation.
• Purchasing credits: Additional credits can be purchased via PayFast. Prices are displayed in South African Rand (ZAR) on the billing page.
• Credit usage: Credits are consumed when using AI features. Each feature has a defined credit cost. Credits are deducted upon use, regardless of the outcome or quality of the generated result.
• Non-refundable: Purchased credits are non-refundable except where required by law. Unused credits remain in your wallet and do not expire unless your account is closed.
• Payment processing: All payments are processed by PayFast. CareerBuddy does not store your payment card details. Disputes regarding transactions should be directed to PayFast in the first instance.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law.
• Upload content that is fraudulent, defamatory, infringing, or otherwise objectionable.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, its systems, or other users' data.
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Service.
• Use automated tools to scrape, harvest, or extract data from the Service.
• Share your account credentials or transfer credits between accounts.
• Resell or redistribute AI-generated content as a commercial service without disclosure.

6. AI-Generated Content

The Service uses artificial intelligence to generate analysis, suggestions, interview questions, cover letters, and coaching responses. AI-generated content may contain errors, inaccuracies, or outdated information. You are solely responsible for reviewing, verifying, and editing any AI-generated output before using it in job applications or professional contexts. CareerBuddy does not guarantee that AI-generated content will result in job offers or improved ATS scores.

7. Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of the documents you upload (CVs, resumes, cover letters). By uploading content, you grant us a limited license to process it through our AI services to provide the features you request.

The Service, its design, features, and underlying technology are owned by CareerBuddy and protected by intellectual property laws. AI-generated content produced through the Service is yours to use for your personal career purposes.

8. Privacy

Our handling of your personal information is described in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

9. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. We do not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure. We do not warrant that AI-generated content will be accurate, complete, or suitable for your specific situation. You use the Service at your own risk.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, CareerBuddy shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service. Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall not exceed the amount you have paid for credits in the three (3) months preceding the claim.

11. Account Termination

You may close your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service if you violate these Terms or if we determine that your activity poses a risk to the Service or other users. Upon termination, unused credits may be forfeited at our discretion.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved in the courts of South Africa, unless otherwise required by mandatory consumer protection laws.

13. Changes to Terms

We may revise these Terms from time to time. The most current version will always be available on this page with the updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions, please reach out through the platform's support channels.