While the travel nurse industry shrunk by 37% last year, Care Team Solutions, based in Buffalo, NY, defied the downturn. Leveraging Staffing Referrals seamlessly integrated with Bullhorn ATS, they turned referrals into their primary talent acquisition source—doubling referral placements and achieving strong growth in a shrinking market.
Company Background: A Contrarian Approach
Care Team Solutions founders Justin and Kyle Cuviello established their agency on a simple yet bold premise: genuine human relationships outperform transactional automation.
“Our background in Fortune 500 sales taught us the value of listening and trust,” Cuviello explains. Their unique strategy was tested during the industry downturn post-pandemic. Instead of downsizing, they invested in their team. This bold move allowed them to grow revenue from $13.5M to a projected $16M in 2024, including a notable 12% growth within just 45 days.
Challenge: Navigating Industry Headwinds
During the 2023 downturn, Care Team Solutions faced challenges with traditional job boards failing to deliver ROI. Key obstacles included:
- Psychological Barriers: Recruiters hesitant to request referrals, concerned about appearing overly sales-focused.
- Consistency Issues: Lack of systematic referral engagement from recruiters.
- Visibility Gap: Inadequate tracking within Bullhorn ATS to manage and optimize referrals effectively.
Solution: An Integrated and Automated Referral Program
Care Team partnered with Staffing Referrals to revolutionize their approach:
- Automated Engagement: Personalized SMS and email campaigns prompt referrals effortlessly, eliminating recruiter discomfort.
- Real-Time Visibility: Dashboards integrated with Bullhorn provided immediate insights, enhancing candidate trust.
- Gamification and Incentives: Ambassador dashboards and leaderboards increased talent engagement by 20%.
- Efficient Management: Seamless Bullhorn integration drastically reduced administrative tasks, allowing recruiters to focus on meaningful relationships.
Transformation: From Transactional to Relational
Care Team shifted their entire recruiting model, prioritizing quality over quantity:
- Recruiters now spend less time on high-volume outreach and more on cultivating lasting relationships.
- Staffing Referrals’ automation supports both introverted and relationship-driven recruiters.
- Minimal administrative oversight required—less than two hours monthly to manage referrals.
Results: Outperforming the Market
- Referral Placements Doubled: From 19% of all placements in 2023 to 39% in 2025.
- Growth During Industry Decline: Achieved a remarkable 12% growth in 2024.
- Improved Productivity: Management time reduced to under two hours per month.
- Higher Recruiter Satisfaction: Reduced burnout through fewer cold contacts and increased warm leads.
- Seamless Data Flow: Accurate, automated data tracking within Bullhorn ATS.
The Referral Flywheel Effect
Increasing referrals reduced low-yield activities, allowing deeper relationship building. This self-sustaining cycle provided access to passive candidates, differentiating Care Team significantly from competitors reliant on diminishing active candidate pools.
Strategic Advantages of Bullhorn Integration
- Unified Workflow: Single system data entry through Bullhorn ATS.
- Accurate Source Attribution: Enhanced ROI tracking and optimization.
- Automated Communications: Timely, triggered interactions improving candidate experience.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Insights into recruiter performance drove continuous improvement.
Strategic Insights for Industry Leaders
Care Team Solutions’ approach underscores vital lessons:
- Automate Strategically: Maintain productivity and scalability through targeted automation.
- Deep Integration: Seamless tech stack integration (like Staffing Referrals + Bullhorn) boosts efficiency.
- Invest in Relationships: Prioritizing meaningful candidate connections enhances recruitment outcomes.
- Counter-Cyclical Growth: Investing during downturns positions companies for accelerated recovery.
- Referrals as Core Strategy: A robust referral strategy transforms recruiting processes fundamentally.
“Staffing Referrals and Bullhorn provided the strategic edge we needed,” concluded Cuviello. “Referrals aren’t optional; they’re foundational.”
“The biggest difference is that Staffing Referrals continually optimizes our process, boosting profitability and relationship-building without us having to constantly manage it ourselves.”
— Justin Cuviello, Co-founder, Care Team Solutions
Learn how you can thrive in a down market by scheduling a demo here.