When you have a difficult task in front of you, it pays to have the right tools to get the job done. Having the tools is, of course, not enough. You need to know how to use them. Finding work in an economy like Illinois’, with an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, is not an easy task. Illinois Skills Match provides the help, direction and resources you need to improve your chances of finding a new job.

So, What Is Illinois Skills Match?

The first thing you need to do if you become unemployed in Illinois is ensure you have an alternative income source. If you have savings, a real estate portfolio or have a rich uncle, this may not be a problem. Unfortunately, most of us are rather lacking in the rich relatives and real estate portfolio department. A more common method of ensuring a steady income during periods of financial instability is filing for unemployment benefits. You can do this online or over the phone. If you meet the requirements of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, you will receive a monetary disclosure letter detailing what weekly benefits you will receive and for how long. However, this is only the start. To begin receiving unemployment benefits you must file for your weekly benefits on a bi-weekly basis.