GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES NEW ELECTRONIC RECRUITING AND HIRING SYSTEM

CHICAGO - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced that the state's new web-based electronic hiring system is up and running.  The launch of www.work.illinois.gov came less then one year after the Governor announced plans for the website creation.  The new eRecruiting website is designed to expand access to jobs within state government and significantly increase the pool of applicants.  All Illinois state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor are using the new program, giving job seekers one-stop for finding, applying for and tracking the status of their state job application. 

 

"I am committed to streamlining the hiring practices within the state.  The new website makes it easy for more talented people to find and apply for jobs in state government," said Governor Blagojevich. "We need to use every tool that is available to attract the best and brightest to public service.  This new technology helps us achieve this."

 

The web-based system run by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) was created with the user in mind.  The website, www.work.illinois.gov lets applicants focus their search for a state job, by allowing them to search open positions by job description, county and/or salary. 

 

 "The new program is really driven from the job seekers perspective," said Maureen O'Donnell, Acting Director of Central Management Services. "The program helps applicants target their job search more effectively by focusing on a particular field of interest. An applicant can even register for email notification of specific job opportunities."

 

The new eRecruiting website also lets job seekers register a personal profile and basic professional background, and each time a position is applied to, the previously-entered profile information will automatically be included in the application.  This eliminates the need to re-enter the same information for every job application.  

 

The system also makes it easier for applicants to track their progress.  The job seeker can log on to www.work.illinois.gov anytime to check the status of their application.

 

"In just the first couple of weeks more then 50,000 job seekers have come to the website," said O'Donnell.  "In fact, the state received over 2,500 job applications since the program went online."

 

At any time the state can have as many as 500 job postings.  Illinois residents without home-based computers can go to their local library for free high-speed internet access via the Illinois Century Network or visit dozens of state Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) facilities across the state to access this system.