Mastering social media for Public Sector recruitment success – key takeaways from our webinar

Last week, we hosted a webinar to explore how public sector organisations can use social media to attract top talent. The discussion went beyond the slides, touching on creative strategies and practical approaches to recruitment that don’t require big budgets. Here’s a recap of the key insights:

Communications professionals already have the creativity and skills to craft engaging social media content – skills that can be invaluable in recruitment. While HR teams often manage job advertisements separately, comms teams can play a crucial role in employer branding.

Instead of simply posting job listings, think about storytelling; highlighting the workplace culture, showcasing teams in action, and giving potential applicants an authentic view of your organisation. By collaborating with HR, comms professionals can ensure that recruitment messaging aligns with the broader brand identity.

A common challenge in public sector recruitment is working with limited resources. However, high-quality content doesn’t have to be costly. Simple, authentic videos filmed on a smartphone can be just as effective (if not more!) than polished, corporate productions.

People connect with people, and seeing real employees doing their jobs adds authenticity. Feature staff members talking about their roles, share behind-the-scenes glimpses of daily work and celebrate team successes. These small but impactful efforts can humanise your organisation and attract candidates who align with your values.

Luan highlighted the importance of ensuring that job seekers can research and understand an organisation before they apply. This involves:

• Maintaining strong company pages on platforms like LinkedIn
• Using LinkedIn Life and employee profile pages to showcase workplace culture
• Encouraging hiring managers to have up-to-date and engaging profiles that reflect the organisation’s values and mission

Building a social media presence that goes beyond job posts ensures that potential candidates see the organisation as a great place to work, increasing applications from engaged and informed individuals.

Jen shared an inspiring case study on how University Hospitals Birmingham tackled one of its biggest recruitment challenges. Faced with over 240 vacancies across multiple roles, including consultants, nurses, IT staff, and housekeepers; her team developed a bold, social-media-driven recruitment campaign. You can explore their approach here.

By strategically using Orlo to monitor the campaign’s performance, the team was able to track engagement, refine their approach in real-time, and ultimately fill all vacancies successfully.

Key takeaways from their success:

• Creativity is essential – They embraced innovative storytelling methods, using video content and employee testimonials to attract candidates.
• Outreach is crucial – They leveraged multiple platforms, including LinkedIn and Facebook, to reach a wide but targeted audience.
• Authenticity wins – By highlighting the day-to-day realities of working in the NHS, they were able to make roles more appealing to potential candidates.

Their campaign proved that even in a challenging hiring environment, social media can be a game-changer when used strategically.

Your current employees can be your biggest advocates. A successful recruitment strategy includes engaging your team and encouraging them to participate. Consider ways to make it fun:

• Encourage friendly competition – Challenge teams to create the best social media content showcasing their department.
• Provide clear guidance – Offer simple best-practice tips so employees feel confident sharing content.
• Celebrate contributions – Show appreciation when staff members contribute by sharing their posts and highlighting their involvement.

When employees see their content making an impact, it creates a sense of pride and encourages ongoing participation.

While LinkedIn is an important platform for professional recruitment, it’s not the only one. Depending on the role and target audience, consider:

• Facebook Groups – Great for engaging local communities.
• Instagram & TikTok – Ideal for showcasing workplace culture and behind-the-scenes content.
• Nextdoor – A powerful tool for reaching community-minded candidates who are already invested in improving their local area.
• X (Twitter) – Useful for engaging in industry conversations and sharing quick updates.
• Bluesky – A relative newcomer that’s growing fast, a useful addition to your channel mix that puts you ahead of the competition in a crowded recruitment market.

Whatever platform you use, ensure your content is accessible, inclusive, and aligned with your organisational values.

Recruitment isn’t just about filling vacancies; it’s about continuously building an employer brand that attracts the right people. This means:

• Regularly sharing content that highlights your organisation’s culture and values.
• Showcasing how different roles contribute to the bigger picture.
• Engaging with candidates and responding to recruitment-related messages.

Job seekers research employers before applying, so maintaining an engaging and informative social media presence can make all the difference.

Social media is a powerful tool for recruitment, but success requires more than just job postings. By using your existing communication skills, embracing authenticity, engaging employees, and choosing the right platforms, public sector organisations can attract purpose-driven talent who are eager to make a difference.

Catch up with the webinar here to get the full insight.

If you have further questions or want to discuss strategies for your organisation, get in touch!