Finding the Unfindable: Recruiting for Hard-to-Fill Healthcare Roles
Every healthcare organization has that role. The one that sits open for months. The one where the job posting gets plenty of views but never the right applicant. For many groups, it’s a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). It could just as easily be a specialist physician, an advanced practice provider, or an experienced nurse leader.
The problem usually isn’t the opportunity. It’s visibility. The people you most want to hire aren’t looking for you, so you must find them.
The Best Candidates Aren’t Looking
Experienced clinicians in high-demand specialties are already employed, well compensated, and busy. They’re not refreshing job boards on their lunch break. A posting reaches only the small slice of candidates actively searching, and drops your opportunity into a crowded comparison on salary alone.
The real talent pool is passive: providers who would consider the right move but aren’t out looking for one. Reaching them takes a different approach.
We developed a new approach for a Midwest regional health care system that needed to recruit CRNAs. In one month, the campaign generated 38 CRNA leads. Here’s what made the difference.
Meet Them Where They Work
If candidates won’t come to you, go to them. Geofencing draws a virtual boundary around a physical location and serves ads to mobile devices inside it. For recruitment, that means putting your message in front of clinicians at the facilities where they alreadypractice.
For this system, we geofenced selected locations across Chicago, St. Louis, and Peoria. Ads ran on news, weather, and local media apps, including The Weather Channel, with a built-in lead form so candidates could raise their hand without leaving the ad.
The first 30-days of the campaign earned over 200,000 impressions and 1,500 clicks, and it continued to grow from there. Chicago delivered the majority of leads. When qualified candidates are scarce, the question isn’t where to post. It’s where they already are.
Sell the Life, Not Just the Job
Pay and benefits get attention. But for a clinician considering a move, the deciding question is more personal: What would my life look like there?
The creative led with a clear promise, “CRNA Careers with Big-Time Benefits,” and backed it with what comes with the job: a welcoming community, quality benefits and pay, and real work-life balance. We tested two versions across multiple ad sizes. One featured a local landmark at sunset. The other, an aerial view of the community.
One image made all the difference, and when we see more traffic to one test area, we push more resources to it to leverage the momentum. That’s the power of creativity that helps people picture themselves somewhere new, and it’s why we test instead of guess.
Keep the Conversation Going
A form submission is a moment of curiosity, not a commitment. What happens next determines whether that curiosity becomes an application.
Every lead entered a four-part email series built around the reasons CRNAs leave large systems: top pay with work-life balance, a close-knit team, an escape from the daily grind, and relief from burnout. Each email pointed back to the system’s careers site with a clear call to apply.
The results? A 25.9% open rate, a 12.7% click rate, 98% delivery, and zero unsubscribes. Candidates didn’t just tolerate the follow-up. They wanted more.
Every Campaign is Market Research
Because geofencing is measurable, every campaign makes the next one smarter. Here is what the data revealed:
- Where to focus: Larger populations. Chicago led on impressions, clicks, and leads.
- Who’s listening: Most leads were ages 45–54, followed by 35–44. That’s experienced, mid-career talent.
- When they respond: Mondays were the most active day for lead generation.
That’s a recruitment strategy built on evidence, not assumptions.
It’s Your Move
Job postings alone won’t fill hard-to-fill roles. You fill them by reaching the right people, in the right place, with a story that makes them stop and consider what’s possible.
At Werremeyer, we help healthcare organizations combine precise targeting, compelling creative, and thoughtful follow-up to connect with the talent they need most. If you’re recruiting CRNAs, physicians, or other specialized providers, we’d love to help.
The right candidate is out there. Let’s go find them.