Sources for Finding Job Candidates Large

Finding Job Candidates in Illinois

August 3, 2020

Illinois has multiple windows and resources for job candidates to create and post their resumes and employers to view and connect with qualified human resources.

Finding the best sources for job candidates is an investment that can be maximized for the best results. There are many sources for finding job candidates, to get started, here are some options to consider.

No-cost HR Resources and Services for Employers

Virtual Job Fair (VJF)

The Virtual Job Fair (VJF) tools are a new opportunity for Employers to easily advertise their organization and connect with qualified job applicants at no cost. Employers will be able to set up virtual job booths where interested job seekers can learn more about their organization and available job openings. Request webinar assistance when hosting their Virtual Job Fair events.




Illinois JobLink (IJL)

Illinois JobLink (IJL) is a no-cost online job board service for employers and job candidates. Businesses can post job openings and connect to a pool of job candidates. Get quick and easy access to post job openings and connect directly to job candidates. The job candidates post their resumes to IJL for employers to review and make contact. Employers decide which job candidates to contact for a job interview.



Illinois workNet American Job Centers 

These job centers provide no-cost HR services for businesses. These Centers provide training services to ensure job-ready candidates, offer screenings, and other services to connect employers to job-ready candidates. Opportunities for job fairs, one-on-one interviews, and options for using the Center facility to interview candidates are offered across Illinois. To connect to the Center near you, use the Illinois workNet Service Finder.  Enter an Illinois city or zip code and you'll see the complete contact information for the Center(s) closest to you. Even if it is not located in your city, contact them; these Centers serve one or more counties.  



Technical Schools, Community Colleges, and Universities

These institutions have career centers where their students can post their resumes and connect with employers. Contact schools that prepare their students for the types of job openings your business is hiring. Use the Public & Private Training Programs Search, enter your city or zip code, or search by Job Family. Use the main phone number for the school or visit their website to connect to their career or job center let them know you're an employer looking to connect to job candidates they have prepared. Many of these schools hold career fairs and other events with employers and could prove to be a great source of talent now and in the future. 



Student and Trade Organizations 

Both types of organizations often provide their members, who specialize in specific industries or occupations, services to connect to employers. Use the Student & Trade Connections search along with your favorite online search engine to find various organizations, and contact information, and view their websites for ways to connect to their professional members.

Print and Online Options

Newspaper Advertisements

Newspapers still post jobs and typically offer options to include job advertisements in print and online to attract job candidates. There may be no or low-cost options for you. in your area.  If you're hiring locally, this may be a good option. Contact the newspapers in your area to find out about job listings and advertising fees. 

Online Job Boards

Many online job boards have emerged that provide services to connect employers and job candidates. These services often charge fees to use their online services which may include posting job openings, searching for and contacting job candidates, and screening tools that help identify the most qualified candidates based on their resumes and other information they post to the job site. Reviewing and deciding on good job sites for the types of job candidates your business needs, could take an investment in time to research the options and select the best services to meet your business needs. If the Job Board charges employers to use it, weighing the benefit of accessing job candidates should be a consideration. It may be worth the cost. Below are just a small number of examples of popular online job boards, to find more, use your favorite online search engine: 


Social Media

As more and more people of all ages use social media, employers are finding that sources such as LinkedIn provide access to pools of candidates. If your business uses social media, consider using it for recruiting. These guides provide tips on using various social media sites. Posting information on a social media feed may have no costs, but be aware that social media sites that have special tools for finding job candidates may charge a fee to use them:

Job Placement and Recruiting Services

Many job placement and recruiting services are ready to meet business hiring needs by providing the searching and pre-screening so the business can review resumes and interview job candidates that have met their hiring requirements. Fees will be charged for these services. To find services that specialize in the types of job openings your business needs to fill, use your favorite search engine or phone directory. 

These sources for job candidates are a good start for businesses to consider. Finding the right sources is based on each business's job openings, culture, and other needs. Spending time doing additional research is recommended to find the best sources.

To read more about hiring in general, check out Illinois workNet's
Hiring for Employers page.

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