I don't have very much context of what a career center should entail, so for those of you either…read moreseeking positions (or filing for unemployment) should take my review in the context that I had a specific task in mind when I went on Friday, October 11, 2013 - to file in person for unemployment as a currently furloughed civilian "non essential" government employee. Location: 3 out of 5 I lived in the general downtown area of Chicago for about 10 years, and moved recently to the "dark side" of Wisconsin. I call Milwaukee home now, but still retain my job in the loop. Since Federal employees who are currently furloughed have to file in person, I did have to make the drive down to Grayslake. A 45 minute drive wasn't terrible in light traffic, and to boot - there were plentiful shopping/dining/amusement options in case the day dragged on, such as Gurnee Mills, Six Flags, the outlet mall, etc. The office itself is located on the campus of the College of Lake County - and the closest intersection is Washington and Lancer. Parking is free and plentiful in the outdoor lot. Customer Service: 5 out of 5 I understand that employees of the state of Illinois as well as counties within Illinois have it arguably harder than employees of surrounding states (or the Feds) and many kudos to each and every person I met that morning for being polite, friendly, and extremely helpful. I was greeted kindly by the reception desk lady who directed me to where I needed to go; the clerks were helpful and allowed me to use one of the computers to print off a W2 that I had forgotten to bring with me; the representative that was assigned to my case explained the process clearly to me, etc. However, you should leverage this with with the fact that I was over-prepared when I went: aside from not having one of my W2 forms, I had with me my SS card, various pay stubs, tax returns from the previous 3 years, and my "congrats, you can get unemployment" form from my employer. In other words - the more prepared you are, the easier the process will be. For reference, I was in and out in 25 minutes (there was no one in line ahead of me though), and most of that time was spent filling out the application. Decor/cleanliness/amenities: 4 out of 5 I know - it's really not fair to give a rating on decor, but I thought that for a publicly funded building serving the general public, the building was well-kept, clean, and laid out in a way that could make your time there more bearable. There are tables in the main foyer area for you to fill out paperwork or just relax; the bathrooms were clean and accessible; the actual job search center hand about a dozen computers for job seekers to use (and print out applications/resumes/etc), and the chairs in the waiting area were functional and at least minimally comfortable. As an added bonus - the building didn't have that sometimes pervasive must/mold smell that sometimes government buildings can have. Followup: 5 out of 5 I had forgotten a piece of information regarding one of my positions, and my representative called me back at around 4:40 on Friday afternoon. She committed to following up with me the next Tuesday (today) and sure enough, at around 9:30 this morning, she called back and we sorted everything out. This goes into the simple category of following through with what she committed to do, which is rare these days. Overall: 4 out of 5 A decidedly pleasant experience at a state government services building. The intent is that I won't have to use any of the funds that I'm entitled to so that if Federal government employees get backpay for the time we were furloughed, the process of returning the funds will be easy. However, knowing that there's a safety net in case of worst case scenario is comforting, and perhaps most importantly - humbling.

Great Company, very quick to land candidates at our business in a short time frame ! I had a bad…read moreexperience with prior staffing agencies in the past but I had a big project coming up and decided to try this agency due to their professionalism and kind attitude that the Business Relations Manager Dennis displayed. I recommend to all Employers and Employees ! I will be using again soon!

From the owner: Direct and contractual placement.read more

Truly disappointing and I see over the last several years nothing much has changed. Outdated system…read moreand recruiters who do not know employment law.

I agree with the previous review. Peeyou, save yourself time this agency will hold you up from…read morefinding a useful position. I think they only place an ad to save on advertising. Word of mouth works faster than these guys. Ask people on facebook if they know of openings, also check LinkedIn that is a professionals sight, there are career openings there.

Great place to find Temp to Hire work. I have been working for the same company they placed me in…read morefor over a year now. I continue to refer my friends and family to them, for employment.

They may help you get a job but it wont be with a company you want to stay with, or pay you're…read moresatisfied with, or even with the terms you sign on with. They aren't as honest or professional as they should be, outside of the 2-3 women who work at the front desk. I'd never recommend anyone to work for this company because they are very dishonest & unorganized. Oh and they do NOT offer direct deposit.

Express Employment Professionals Claimed I was an employee for 2023 and they offered me insurance…read moreevery month. I was laid off January 1st 2023 and never received a new offer. Despite following all unemployment protocols for an unemployment claim, which meant contacting Express Employment Professionals weekly during said claim. 2022 I owed on my tax return because Express Employment Professionals claimed they offered me insurance. They offered me catastrophic insurance which is not accepted by the Affordable Care Act for individuals over 30 years of age. I would encourage no one to accept offers from Express Employment Professionals until this is corrected. If your municipality contracts with them I would encourage your politicians to decline there offers until this is corrected.

Overall, this staffing agency has a professional reputation that 90% of the staff upholds. I spoke…read moreinitially with a customer service agent, Ruben, who was beyond helpful and expedited the application process for me. He, as well as most of the other employees, with whom I spoke are extremely respectful and diligent and it's apparent that they legitimately care about finding jobs for the unemployed or those looking for alternate employment. However, a word of caution to those who may come across one particular employee, named Yuri. She is an absolutely TOXIC employee to this agency and shows no respect or professionalism whatsoever. If you are dispatched to speak with her throughout the job process, I HIGHLY recommend that you request a different agent. When I spoke with her, she mentioned multiple times in the interview that she was more concerned with going on break to take her lunch. I was apparently not a priority compared to her "famished hunger" and she deliberately spoke in a belittling and disrespectful tone, most likely hoping that I would leave so she could take her precious lunch break. Yuri is the epitome of incompetence, unprofessionalism, and laziness. I would legitimately change my rating to 5 stars if she was let go from the agency.