Recruiting strong clinical and leadership talent in post-acute care has never been more competitive. Skilled nursing facilities, long-term care communities, and post-acute operators all report the same frustration: “We just can’t find qualified candidates anymore.”
The truth is, you can attract exceptional Directors of Nursing, Administrators, Registered Nurses, Regional Nurses, and department leaders—but only if you understand why they’re passing on your facility in the first place.
After decades in healthcare executive search, here are the real reasons your post-acute facility is struggling to attract candidates—and what to do about it.
1. Your Reputation Online Doesn’t Match Your Culture
Every candidate—clinical or executive—Googles your facility before agreeing to an interview.
They look at:
- Google reviews
- CMS star ratings
- State survey results
- Employee comments
- Indeed and Glassdoor ratings
If your online reputation paints a picture of high turnover, survey deficiencies, or chaotic leadership, strong candidates will decline immediately.
Even if your culture is positive internally, your online presence may be sabotaging your hiring.
What to do
- Respond professionally to negative reviews
- Highlight improvements and new leadership
- Ask top-performing staff to leave honest reviews
- Showcase culture, retention, and success stories on your website
This builds credibility and immediately improves your candidate pipeline.
2. Your Compensation Isn’t Competitive—Even If You Think It Is
The post-acute labor market has changed dramatically. Candidates now compare salary and benefits across multiple states, not just locally.
Common employer blind spots:
- Outdated salary ranges
- Below-market shift differentials
- No relocation support
- Rigid schedule policies
- Incomplete bonus structures
Strong leaders and clinicians expect total compensation to reflect workload, acuity, and regulatory pressure.
What to do
- Review current salary benchmarks quarterly
- Offer hiring bonuses that are actually meaningful
- Consider flexible scheduling for nurses and supervisors
- Build transparent bonus plans tied to achievable KPIs
If your compensation doesn’t match industry standards, top candidates simply move on.
3. You’re Moving Too Slowly in the Hiring Process
Top-tier Administrators, DONs, and RNs do not stay on the market long.
A common problem in post-acute care is multi-step, slow, or inconsistent hiring:
- Long gaps between interviews
- Delayed decisions
- Candidates left waiting for approvals
- Poor communication
- Scheduling bottlenecks
By the time you schedule a second interview, another facility has already hired them.
What to do
- Implement a 72-hour max turnaround for each hiring step
- Pre-schedule interview slots weekly
- Give candidates a firm timeline
- Communicate fast, clearly, and consistently
Speed is a competitive advantage—and can double your hiring success.
4. Job Descriptions Are Generic, Outdated, or Unappealing
Candidates reject roles that feel unclear or unrealistic. Many post-acute job descriptions are outdated, copied from old HR files, or overloaded with compliance language.
Strong candidates want to understand:
- Leadership style
- Team culture
- Reporting structure
- Facility census and acuity
- Realistic expectations
- Growth potential
If the posting reads like a legal document, you’re losing talent instantly.
What to do
- Rewrite job descriptions to highlight culture, support, and success metrics
- Emphasize stability, teamwork, and leadership backing
- Share real facility strengths
Clarity attracts better applicants.
5. Candidates Don’t See a Path Forward
The best DONs, Administrators, RNs, and clinical leaders want growth, not stagnation.
Facilities without advancement opportunities lose candidates to organizations with:
- Clear leadership ladders
- Regional or corporate development tracks
- Tuition reimbursement
- Mentorship
- Opportunities to improve operations
Career-focused clinicians and administrators want to know where this role can lead.
What to do
- Offer defined career pathways
- Promote internal advancement stories
- Highlight corporate support and leadership development
When candidates see a future, they choose you.
6. Poor Workload Balance and Staffing Concerns
One of the biggest deal-breakers for candidates is perceived burnout risk.
Concerns include:
- Chronic understaffing
- Excessive call burden
- High acuity without support
- Repeated survey issues
- Administrative overload
- No ADON, unit manager, or MDS support
- Corporate pressure without resources
Strong leaders know that walking into a facility without support is a recipe for failure.
What to do
- Be honest about challenges but highlight solutions
- Provide clear support commitments
- Invest in strong mid-level leadership
- Emphasize your staffing strategy
Facilities that offer stability attract the best people.
7. You’re Not Using a Specialized Healthcare Recruiter
General job boards and internal HR teams often don’t reach passive candidates—especially in long-term care and skilled nursing.
In post-acute care:
- 70–80% of top talent is not actively applying for jobs
- They respond only to specialized recruiters who understand the industry
- They want confidentiality, clarity, and trust
A specialized recruiter opens doors that job postings never will.
What to do
Partner with an experienced post-acute executive search firm that:
- Speaks the language of healthcare leadership
- Has access to passive candidates
- Understands regulatory pressure
- Knows the behavioral traits of successful operators
- Represents your facility professionally
This dramatically increases your reach and the quality of your candidate pool.
Conclusion
Your post-acute facility can attract exceptional candidates—once you address the core issues driving them away.
By improving your reputation, speeding up your hiring process, offering competitive compensation, and clearly showcasing your culture and support systems, you position your facility as an employer of choice in a competitive market.
If you need help recruiting experienced Administrators, Directors of Nursing, Regional Nurses, or leadership talent, Premier Search, Inc. specializes in placing the strongest healthcare leaders nationwide.
Please contact Bernie Reifkind, CEO (bernie@premiersearch.com)