PUBLIC BODY
Case Study:
Services
Candidate Journey
Employer Value Proposition
Microsite
Campaigns & Content
Permanent Recruitment
Result
Over 400 applications per recruitment campaign
Introduction
The Department for Business and Trade ("DBT") was formed in 2023 following the merger of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade, which itself was formed in 2016 immediately following the Brexit referendum.
Having progressed from a start-up to a scale up digital, data and technology function, DBT sought to source diverse permanent hires into its software development, engineering, architects, and service design teams, reducing reliance on its contractor base to deliver user centred services.
-
DBT faced multiple challenges in attracting talent, including:
High demand for digital professionals across areas such as software engineering, cyber security, and platform engineering
Basic salaries lower than the market average, making it harder to compete for top talent
Smaller regional talent pools outside of London, particularly limiting access to skilled professionals to sites in Belfast, Darlington, Salford and Edinburgh.
A strategic desire to increase gender and ethnic diversity.
-
Having analysed the candidate journey, DBT’s recruitment marketing assets, and written talent insights reports against each DBT office location, we implemented several targeted changes with measurable benefits:
Targeted regional and diverse groups, expanding our reach and improving representation
Used proactive outreach and referrals, helping to attract passive candidates
Launched a content-rich microsite, funnelling applications and increasing conversion rates through videos and tailored messaging
Replaced written personal statements with online video questions, making the process more engaging and inclusive.
Hosted hiring manager Q&As, increasing awareness of DBT and candidate interaction.
-
Since partnering with DBT in 2021, Inspire People has delivered strong results by driving innovation and modernising their recruitment marketing approach:
400+ applications on average per recruitment campaign
Over 40% of shortlisted candidates were women or from ethnic minority backgrounds, supporting DBT’s diversity goals
Approximately 70% of applicants rated their experience as Good or Very Good in post-campaign surveys
We’ve successfully delivered key hires across the UK, including roles such as Chief Architect, Cyber Risk Leads, Head of Service & Interaction Design, Principal and Senior Software Developers, Senior Product Owners, Senior Service Designers, Senior Site Reliability Engineers, and Technical Architects.
In 2024, following a Further Competition through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) RM6229 Permanent Recruitment 2 – Lot 2 framework, Inspire People was awarded the contract to provide Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) recruitment services to DBT. The agreement is for an initial two-year term, with the option to extend for two additional 12-month periods.
Head of Digital, Data and Technology Recruitment / Department of Business and Trade
“Inspire People quickly understood our challenges and worked closely with hiring managers to create a tailored EVP that attracted a diverse range of candidates. We appreciated their innovative approach, including video shortlists. This marked a significant contribution towards our permanent workforce, involving vital, hard to recruit for roles. Their promotion of our EVP was so effective that candidates accepted lower salaries to join us.”
