Side by side graphics of a map and service icons, respectively

Service Finder Tool

September 1, 2023

The Service Finder is a comprehensive search tool designed for individuals (such as job seekers, laid-off workers, students, etc.), employers, and workforce/education professionals to locate free resources, services, programs, and providers in Illinois that can assist in achieving career, employment, and training goals. Local and statewide organizations can utilize the Service Finder to enhance outreach efforts and ensure communities can easily connect to available services. Individuals can find services in their area to get the help they need.

Types of Providers and Services

Locations in the Service Finder highlight the audiences and services offered.

Providers fall under one of two types:

Illinois workNet Partner locations help individuals, employers, educators, and workforce partners achieve career, employment, and training goals.
Work Support Referrals offer specialized services to individuals needing assistance and support to enter the workforce or keep their jobs. These locations are essential parts of aid and complement service locations.

Audiences include Adults, Formerly Incarcerated/Justice-Impacted Persons, Homeless Individuals, Immigrants, Individuals with a Disability, Laid-Off Workers, Veterans, Youth, and more!

Service areas range from Child Care, Disability Services, Education and Training, Emergency Needs/Crisis, Financial Literacy, Food/Nutrition, Housing, Job/Career Readiness Services, Unemployment Services, etc.

Sites include but are not limited to:

Illinois workNet/American Job Centers
Local Workforce Innovation Boards
State and Local Government Offices
Grantees (Program utilizing Illinois workNet tools)
Agencies (Community Action, Referral Service, Social Service)
Education Institutions (School Districts, Community Colleges, Universities, etc.)
Hotlines/Information Lines
Libraries
Organizations (Community-Based, Faith-Based, Nonprofits, etc.)
Resource Hubs

Get Started

Your organization may offer beneficial services and resources to individuals and businesses; therefore, adding your site to the Service Finder helps potential individuals and businesses connect to resources and services provided in your community. Organizations interested in becoming partners can log in to their Illinois workNet account and submit the site information to the Service Finder.

Step-by-step instructions are under the Resources section of this page.

General steps to submit a site to the Service Finder include:

If you do not have an account, click the Sign-Up button at the top of the screen to register.

Navigate to the Service Finder page in the Menu dropdown under Network & Connect.
Select the "Add or Edit Locations" option on the Service Finder page.
Complete and submit the location and services information.

A member of the Illinois workNet team or a Local Workforce Innovation Area (LWIA) Manager will review the site entry to ensure the required information is complete and confirm that the organization offers services and resources that align with the Service Finder and its audience. The Primary Contact may receive a phone call or email to verify the information or notify of any missing details.

After the review, an email notification will inform you whether the site has been approved or denied. If approved, Illinois workNet will grant the site contact(s) with Partner access to their existing account(s), and the new site will be visible in the Service Finder.

An Illinois workNet team member may email information about other tools offered on the Portal if the organization's services are more suitable in a different area of Illinois workNet. Examples:

Employers who want to promote job openings do not need to add their site to the Service Finder. Instead, they can go to the Virtual Job Fair (VJF) platform to create an Employer Booth regardless of their interest in holding an event. Employers can find additional instructions here.
Training providers interested in becoming WIOA-eligible should refer to these instructions. Submitting a site to the Service Finder differs from completing the WIOA training provider application.

Refer to the Content Policy for further details on entities included on the Portal.

Manage Site Information

The site contact(s) can manage information at any time. Accurate information is essential for the public, so automatic email notifications are sent every six months to request the site contact to log into the Portal, review the information, and make updates as needed.

To access the Service Finder Administration:

First, log in to your Illinois workNet Partner account.
Select My Dashboard, then click Service Finder Administration under the Partner Tools section.
Your Partner site(s) will appear on the Service Finder Administration dashboard. To make updates, select the Edit button next to the site.

Step-by-step instructions are under the Resources section of this page.

Generate and Use Site-Specific URLs

Utilize the Service Finder to gather data efficiently. Site contacts can automatically track customers' usage of Illinois workNet by generating a site-specific URL to set as the homepage of Resource Room computers. Once set, you can access the Usage Frequency Report under the Reports tab of the Service Finder Administration.

In addition to site contacts, LWIA Managers/Coordinators can access the usage statistics for all sites within their LWIA, and state-level staff at the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) can see counts for all sites within the Service Finder. Check out the Site-Specific URL Instructions for additional information on generating the unique URL and using the report.

Summary of Service Finder Materials:

Below are links to Service Finder-related resources arranged by audience.

Service Finder (Search Tool)
Individuals: User Guide for Finding Services on Illinois workNet (English) (Spanish)
Employers: Using the Service Finder for Employers Article
Partners:

Become a Partner:

Instructions for Current Partners:

Need Assistance?

Illinois workNet is here to help whether you are wondering how to find an Illinois workNet Center in your area or unsure if becoming an Illinois workNet Partner is a good fit for your organization. Submit a Contact Us inquiry to reach out.

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