Competing with each other in the labour market makes little sense if you are all working for the same social goal. Seven housing associations in and around Amsterdam therefore chose a different route: going public together with one story, focusing on candidates with heart skills.
Together with Goals, they developed a joint employer brand and target group campaign that is not about degrees or years of experience, but about motivation, drives and the will to mean something to tenants and neighbourhoods.
Why heart skills are central to the campaign
The housing associations found that they all faced the same challenges: many vacancies, competing employers and an image of the sector that does not always match reality. At the same time, the social impact of the work is actually huge: you work on housing, liveability and equal opportunities in the city.
That is why they chose a campaign that focuses on heart skills:
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not only what you can do, but more importantly why you want it
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space for starters and lateral entrants from different backgrounds
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focus on candidates energised by social issues
The message: if your heart beats faster for meaningful work in the city, there is probably a place for you in the housing sector.
Doing recruitment together based on heart skills
Instead of each building their own campaign, the seven corporations joined forces in one joint platform and a shared Employer Value Proposition. Employer branding agency Goals guided this process, with sessions with employees from all the organisations to get the story from the inside.
Key choices here:
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Sector first, then employer
Candidates are first introduced to the sector as a whole through the platform. Vacancies are deliberately not centralised; you will find them on the sites of the individual corporations. -
Heart skills as a common thread
The "Use your heart skills" campaign connects all organisations. In images, language and examples, it is all about what you come with your heart to bring: from social management to IT and finance. -
An activation test around heart skills
An online test helps candidates discover whether the housing sector suits their heart skills. Not only for 'usual suspects' such as social work or construction, but also for other fields.
This creates a single story that presents the sector as an attractive employer while leaving room for each corporation's own identity.
What you can learn from heart skills in public housing
The approach of these Amsterdam corporations shows how powerful it is to use heart skills as a starting point in your employer branding:
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Start with the intention
What social or human impact do you want to make as an organisation? Having that in focus makes it much easier to attract the right people. -
Tell the story before the vacancy
People want to recognise themselves in the purpose and culture first, then the job. A campaign around heart skills lays that foundation. -
Work together where you can
Organisations in the same sector are often not real competitors. Banding together increases your reach and makes your story stronger. -
Involve employees from day one
An EVP and campaign only become credible if they come from the mouths of employees. That ensures recognition and internal buy-in.
Read more about heart skills at Amsterdam corporations
Want to read the full story about the campaign and the seven corporations' joint platform? Werf& wrote an extensive article about it, including interviews with HR and recruitment professionals involved:
Source: Peter Boerman, How seven Amsterdam housing associations are teaming up to look for 'heart skills', Werf& (8 October 2025).
Read the original article at Werf&.
