The Application Math Most Platforms Cannot Match
When you post a permanent role on a general job board, you are competing with every other employer posting that day. You get a few applications, most of them off-target, and you end up back on the phone with your agency contact.
In 2025, permanent healthcare jobs posted on DirectShifts averaged 84.37 applications per job post. That is not a glitch in the data. That is what happens when a platform builds a verified, specialty-specific clinician base and you post a role that clinicians actually want.
Applications Per Job by Category: 2025
Permanent roles attract the most applications by a significant margin. Clinicians looking for long-term stability concentrate their attention on permanent posts. When you list one on DirectShifts, you are visible to the full active user base.
What 84 Applications Actually Gives You
Eighty-four applications on a single permanent role sounds like volume you cannot manage. It is actually a selection advantage. With that many applicants:
- You can filter by specialty and sub-specialty with precision
- You can compare compensation expectations across candidates
- You can shortlist by licensure and geographic preference in minutes, not days
- You eliminate the situation where you have to accept the one candidate your agency found
You go from scarcity to selectivity.
Permanent Job Postings in 2025
DirectShifts had 41 permanent jobs posted in 2025. Total permanent applications across those roles numbered in the thousands based on the 84.37 average. Each employer who posted a permanent role had a deep applicant pool to work from.
Why Permanent Candidates Choose DirectShifts
Clinicians looking for permanent positions want to find roles that match their specialty, lifestyle, and compensation requirements without being filtered through a recruiter who has their own placement incentives. DirectShifts gives them that control. They apply directly. That means the applications you receive are genuinely interested candidates, not people a recruiter called cold.
Locum and Per Diem: Still Strong Numbers
While permanent led in applications per job, locum roles averaged 17.23 applications per post. That is a solid pipeline for an engagement type where speed to fill matters. Per diem came in at 4.56, reflective of the more transactional, local nature of those roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many applications does a permanent healthcare job get on DirectShifts?
In 2025, permanent jobs averaged 84.37 applications per post, the highest of any job category on the platform.
Why do permanent roles get more applications than locum on DirectShifts?
Permanent roles attract clinicians in a longer-term search mode who are actively evaluating their career options. They apply with more intent than per diem or short-term locum seekers, and the permanent pool on DirectShifts is large enough to generate high per-post volume.
Can I post permanent physician jobs on DirectShifts?
Yes. DirectShifts supports permanent placement for physicians, nurse practitioners, PAs, nurses, and behavioral health clinicians.
Is DirectShifts a good alternative to a physician recruitment firm for permanent placements?
For many practice types, yes. You post directly, receive applications from verified clinicians, and hire without a placement fee. The 84.37 average applications per permanent post in 2025 shows strong market depth for permanent roles.
How long does it take to fill a permanent role through DirectShifts?
Time-to-fill depends on specialty, location, compensation, and the volume of qualified applicants. Practices in high-demand markets with competitive compensation typically fill faster. The high application volume per post means the shortlisting phase is faster than with agency-dependent searches.
Does DirectShifts support specialty-specific filtering for permanent job applications?
Yes. Employers can filter applications by specialty, licensure, location, and other criteria within the platform.
What permanent healthcare roles get the most attention on DirectShifts?
Behavioral health, family medicine NPs, and general nursing roles drove the highest confirmed user counts in 2025. These specialties are well-represented in the applicant pool for permanent positions.
Is there a cost to post permanent jobs on DirectShifts?
Contact DirectShifts directly for current pricing. The model is designed to reduce reliance on expensive placement firms and deliver better cost-per-hire for employers.
Source: DirectShifts 2025 Year in Review. Application averages reflect calendar year 2025 data across permanent job category posts.
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