East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Hospital Sisters Health System - Central Illinois Division, Springfield, Illinois

Southern Maine Health Care, Maine

WellSpan Health, York Pennsylvania

Suburban Community Hospital, East Norriton, Pennsylvania

CHRISTUS Health, Corpus Christi, Texas

Gallagher MSA Search, on behalf of St. Luke's Health System, Boise, Idaho

CHRISTUS Health, Alexandria, Louisiana

CHRISTUS Health, Houston, Texas

BJC HealthCare, St. Louis, Missouri

Here’s a simple truth: Human Resources is an outdated term. The HR director or HR coordinator no longer just focuses on hiring and firing employees and making sure the company is in compliance with benefits and payroll. In fact, many businesses are even shying away from the title HR coordinator, as it may sound stuffy or scary, and — worst of all — it appears to commoditize human beings.

"You need to go beyond puppies and rainbows." That’s the advice I just got from a search firm expert who was advising to go deeper in our questioning. Get past the fluff and canned responses. He said it’s ok to make candidates uncomfortable.

The U.S. health care industry is feeling the staffing pinch, with a growing and aging population that requires more care, and has greater access to it than ever before. Despite the creation of 475,000 new health care jobs in 2015 to handle this growth (according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data), there is still a shortage of key positions, making it a job-seeker's market.

You know the theory of supply and demand, but if you only thought it was relevant to pass a college economics class, you’re missing out on one of the most crucial components of the recruitment process. Supply and demand should play a role in your everyday approach to finding the right candidates to fill your open positions or build your talent pool.