Healthcare systems across the U.S. have long faced significant hiring challenges due to an aging population and the demanding nature of the field. However, the iCIMS February 2025 Workforce Report reveals positive shifts in hiring activity. With an increase in job openings, applications, and faster hiring times, the report suggests a potential turnaround in healthcare recruitment. Yet, uncertainty remains, and HR leaders must remain agile to navigate these evolving trends.
Insights from the iCIMS Workforce Report
1. Surge in Job Openings and Applications
- Healthcare job applications rose 24% month-over-month in January 2025, outpacing the overall labor market.
- Job openings in healthcare increased 25% from last month and are up 5% from January 2024.
- Despite the surge in job openings and applications, overall hiring is down 5% from this time last year.
2. Demand for Clinical Roles Drives Growth
The increase in healthcare job openings is largely driven by clinical roles such as doctors, physician assistants, and nurses. These roles are seeing more applicants compared to the previous year, indicating a growing interest in critical healthcare positions.
3. Older Workers Lead the Charge
- While the overall labor market skews younger, only 52% of healthcare applicants were under 35 in January 2025, compared to 64% in other industries.
- As older healthcare professionals retire, they leave gaps in key roles, while also driving greater demand for healthcare services.
4. Low-Paying Healthcare Jobs Gain Interest
- Applicants per opening (APO) for healthcare jobs under $50K increased from 28 to 31 APO, reflecting a growing interest in lower-paying roles.
- In contrast, APO for six-figure healthcare jobs remains much lower in healthcare (21) compared to the overall market (45), suggesting a challenge in attracting top talent for higher-paying positions.
5. Healthcare Jobs Are Filled Faster
- In 2024, healthcare jobs took an average of 37 days to fill, the lowest in the past five years. This is a marked improvement from 2022, when the average was 43 days.
- Leading healthcare employers are streamlining their hiring processes to fill roles faster and stay competitive in the labor market.
Success Story: Mercy Health System’s Hiring Transformation
Mercy Health, the sixth-largest Catholic health system in the U.S., faced significant recruitment challenges due to inefficient, manual processes. With thousands of open positions and over a million visits to their career sites, Mercy needed a scalable, sustainable hiring solution.
By partnering with iCIMS, Mercy achieved impressive results:
- 25,000 applications per month with a 27% applicant conversion rate.
- Average time to fill dropped to 11 days, down from 13 days two years earlier.
Mercy’s transformation highlights the potential for healthcare organizations to reduce time-to-hire and improve the candidate experience by leveraging modern talent acquisition technology.
The iCIMS February 2025 Workforce Report offers a glimpse of hope for the healthcare industry. With job openings and applications on the rise and hiring times shrinking, the sector is poised for growth. However, HR leaders must remain flexible, ready to adapt as hiring trends continue to evolve. By embracing innovative recruitment technology and optimizing hiring processes, healthcare organizations can meet the growing demand for clinical roles and secure the talent they need for the future.
