Candidate Attraction Support
Attracting the right candidates to NHS Scotland roles is about more than advertising a vacancy. Clear, inclusive attraction helps people understand your role, see themselves in it, and feel confident applying.
This section of the Hiring Managers Support Centre brings together practical guidance, tools and nationally aligned resources to help you attract a wider, more diverse pool of candidates to your vacancies. It is designed to support hiring managers to create clear, inclusive and compelling attraction activity that reflects NHS Scotland values and helps candidates understand both the role and the organisation.
You’ll find support on promoting roles effectively, showcasing what makes NHS Scotland a great place to work, and reaching candidates who may be unfamiliar with the NHS or new to working in Scotland. Whether you are recruiting to a hard‑to‑fill post, planning a local recruitment event, or reviewing how your vacancy is presented, this guidance is here to help you strengthen your approach and improve candidate engagement from the very start of the recruitment journey.
On this page you'll find:
- Why Candidate Attraction Matters
- Understanding Who You're Attracting
- What Candidates Care Most About
- Your Role as a Hiring Manager
- Tools to Support Candidate Attraction
- Candidate-facing NHS Scotland Resources
Have a question or suggestion?
If you have any questions about the information provided, or if you think additional content would be helpful, please contact the Centre for Workforce Supply at nes.cwsmarketing@nhs.scot.
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Why Candidate Attraction Matters
How a role is described and presented directly affects who applies. Clear, welcoming attraction content helps to:
- Reach candidates beyond the traditional NHS talent pool
- Support values‑based recruitment
- Reduce confusion and unnecessary enquiries
- Encourage candidates who may not have considered NHS Scotland before
Many people applying to NHS Scotland are motivated by development, flexibility, values and community impact, as much as by pay. Your attraction approach plays a key role in reflecting this.
Understanding Who You're Attracting
Candidates come to NHS Scotland from a wide range of backgrounds. This may include:
- People at the start of their careers, including school leavers and apprentices
- Career changers and those returning after a break
- Experienced professionals from outside the NHS
- Candidates moving to Scotland from overseas
Many candidates will be unfamiliar with NHS terminology, structures and job titles. Using clear language and explaining what roles involve can make a significant difference to who applies.
Find clear guidance on NHS Scotland benefits, jargon and terminology:
What Candidates Care Most About
Pay, benefits and security
NHS Scotland offers competitive pay, a clear pay structure, pension benefits and a wide range of staff rewards and discounts.
Work–life balance and flexibility
Flexible working options, family‑friendly policies and support for carers help candidates balance work with life outside the workplace.
Learning and career development
Opportunities to learn at work, gain qualifications, access continuing professional development and progress over time are major attractions for candidates at all stages of their careers.
Culture, values and belonging
Candidates want to work in organisations where they feel welcome, respected and supported. NHS Scotland’s values‑based approach, staff networks and wellbeing support play an important role here.
Your Role as a Hiring Manager
As a hiring manager, the way you show up and communicate can make a real difference to who applies and how confident they feel.
What has the greatest impact:
- Writing clear, welcoming job information
- Being visible, approachable and open
- Encouraging enquiries and informal conversations
- Being honest about what the role involves
- Focus on being clear, human and supportive
Tools to Support Candidate Attraction
Use these tools to create clear, inclusive job adverts that reflect Once for Scotland principles, attract diverse applicants, and support fair, consistent recruitment. They also save time by providing clear, structured guidance when drafting job adverts.
Explore resources to:
- Attract a wider and more diverse range of applicants
- Clearly explain what the role involves and who it’s for
- Focus on skills and values, not just NHS experience
- Reduce unintentional barriers that may discourage good candidates
- Support fair, inclusive and consistent recruitment decisions
- Save time by using clear, structured guidance when drafting adverts
Job Advert Checklist
The job advert checklist helps you review adverts before publishing, ensuring they are clear, inclusive, well structured and appropriate for external audiences. Using the checklist supports Once for Scotland expectations, promotes fair access to opportunities, and helps remove unnecessary barriers for potential applicants.
Avoiding Jargon and NHS Acronyms
NHS terminology can be hard to understand, especially for people outside the organisation. Once for Scotland guidance promotes plain English in job adverts by avoiding jargon and unexplained acronyms, making roles clearer and more accessible to a wider range of candidates.
Visit the NHS Jargon Buster as a quick reference whenever you need a refresher or want to check you’re using plain, understandable language.
Making Roles Understandable to Non-NHS Candidates
Many candidates may be new to the NHS. Using clear, everyday language, focusing on transferable skills and values, explaining the role’s impact on patient care, and outlining available training and support helps attract a wider range of applicants and makes it easier for them to see how they meet the role requirements.
Showcasing Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is the combination of benefits, opportunities, culture and experiences that make your organisation an attractive place to work. It helps communicate why candidates should choose your organisation, what they can expect as an employee, and what makes your workplace unique.
When promoting a vacancy, consider how you balance both NHS Scotland branding and your local Health Board identity. National NHS Scotland branding helps reinforce the shared values, purpose and benefits of working for Scotland's health service, while local branding allows you to showcase the unique aspects of your organisation, team, community and working environment.
Online Resources for Hiring Managers
Explore the collated range of national NHS Scotland tools, platforms and guidance to support effective candidate attraction. It includes links to core recruitment systems, careers websites, and attraction toolkits, alongside practical resources to help you promote your role, showcase the benefits of working in NHS Scotland, and reach a wider, more diverse pool of candidates.
Explore NHS Scotland's Hiring Manager Support Centre
