Posted on: 12/03/2026

Thought Leadership

In public sector recruitment, success is often measured by how many applications a role receives. But volume does not guarantee quality. In this article, Chloe Herrmannexplores why focusing on genuine engagement, transparency and trust leads to better matches between candidates and employers. By shifting attention from quantity to intent, public sector organisations can improve outcomes, reduce pressure on resourcing teams and build a stronger, more sustainable workforce for the future.

By Chloe Herrmann, Principal Consultant – Resourcing

Across the public sector, attracting talent remains a consistent priority. Yet recruitment success is still commonly judged by one measure: how many applications a role receives.

But does volume really tell us anything about the quality of match?

Application numbers can offer a quick indication of interest, but they are becoming a weaker measure of success. In many cases, they now obscure more than they reveal about intent, preparedness and long-term fit. High volumes do not necessarily reflect candidate suitability, commitment or understanding of the role. Instead, they often mask rising pressure on resourcing teams, longer shortlisting processes and more difficult hiring decisions.

As labour market conditions shift and candidate behaviour changes, application volume alone is no longer a reliable indicator of recruitment effectiveness. Continuing to treat it as such risks reinforcing practices that increase workload without improving outcomes. For public sector employers, where fairness, transparency and effective use of resources are essential, this presents a clear challenge. It invites a reassessment of how recruitment success is defined and what evidence we use to judge it.

Why application numbers alone fall short

Many candidates now apply for multiple roles at pace, often as a response to labour market uncertainty and changing candidate expectations. While understandable, this behaviour means application counts are becoming a weaker indicator of candidate fit or intent.

For employers, the challenge is familiar. More applications do not necessarily mean more appointable candidates. In some cases, they increase the workload for shortlisting panels without improving the quality of outcomes.

For HR and resourcing professionals, this raises an important question. If application volume is no longer a reliable measure of success, what should we be paying attention to instead?

Looking for signals of genuine interest

A more useful way to understand recruitment effectiveness is to look at signals that indicate deliberate engagement and informed decision making.

These signals can include:

• Candidates setting up job alerts for specific types of public sector roles, suggesting ongoing interest rather than one off activity

• Repeat visits to recruitment platforms, indicating trust in the opportunities being presented

• Search behaviour that shows candidates actively refining criteria such as role type, location or contract, rather than browsing at random

Taken together, these behaviours suggest that candidates are exploring opportunities with intent. They also provide insight into how well roles are resonating with the audiences they are designed to reach.

For employers, this kind of engagement is often more valuable than high application volumes. It points towards candidates who understand the role, the organisation and the wider public sector context before deciding to apply.

The importance of transparency and trust

Trust plays a central role in public sector recruitment. Candidates want to know that roles are genuine, salaries are clear and job descriptions accurately reflect what is on offer. When this information is missing or unclear, candidates are more likely to apply speculatively or disengage altogether.

Transparency supports better outcomes on both sides. Candidates are able to make more informed decisions, and employers receive applications from people who have a clearer understanding of what the role involves.

For public sector organisations, maintaining this trust is not optional. It underpins fair recruitment practice and supports confidence in the system as a whole.

Building the future workforce

Recruitment is not only about meeting today’s needs. It also plays a role in shaping the future public sector workforce. Improving career desirability, particularly among younger people, requires visibility, engagement and consistency. Face to face activity such as careers events and job fairs, alongside clear and accessible online information, helps people understand the breadth of opportunities available and the value of public service careers.

When recruitment is approached in this way, it supports longer term workforce sustainability rather than short term fixes.

What this means for the West Midlands

Across the West Midlands, public sector recruitment is about more than filling vacancies. It is about building a workforce that reflects our communities, supports essential services and offers meaningful career opportunities over the long term.

At West Midlands Employers, this perspective shapes how we approach recruitment, resourcing and workforce development offers. Through WMJobs, we focus on creating the conditions for better matches between candidates and public sector employers. That means prioritising transparency, role clarity and trust, so people can make informed decisions about whether a role is right for them.

Rather than concentrating on application numbers alone, we pay attention to signals that show genuine interest and intent. Repeat visits, job alerts and search behaviour help us understand how people engage with public sector opportunities and where roles are resonating with the audiences they are intended to reach.

Alongside this, we continue to invest in direct engagement across the region. Careers events, job fairs and early careers activity all play an important role in improving awareness of public sector careers and encouraging the next generation to see public service as a positive career choice.

This approach reflects a simple aim. To support fair, effective recruitment and help strengthen the public sector workforce in the West Midlands, now and in the future.