Illinois Tollway Talent Acquisition team searches near and far for great job candidates
The Illinois Tollway’s search for the most skilled, talented and qualified job candidates takes its talent acquisition staff to job fairs throughout Northern Illinois, from local hiring events to jobs fairs in the Rockford area, the South Side of Chicago and beyond.
Illinois Tollway Pipeline Partner Liaison Jyoti Rao recently participated in a panel of H.R. recruiters at the workNet DuPage Career Conversation & Hiring Event in Lisle.
The panel, which also included representatives from private-sector firms in the area, offered the gathering of about 60 job seekers insights on the do’s and don’ts of job interviewing, as well as information about current job openings. Rao encouraged job seekers to tell their work experience story to show how they resolved job-related challenges in past positions and how they can use those same skills in their new jobs.
“Just winging it in a job interview isn’t the best idea,” said Rao. “Interviewing is a skill and preparation is required in order to succeed.”
The Tollway’s hiring goals are to identify the best candidates available, increase the pipeline of diverse talent and create greater opportunities for military veterans by targeting specific community organizations and educational institutions that have a broad and diverse reach.
The Tollway also targets hiring events that attract certain professions, whether it’s the skilled trades or professional positions in departments including Administration, Engineering, Finance and IT, to name a few.
“The Tollway recruits a diverse range of high-performing talent for positions at every level in the agency,” said Rao. “We know that a diverse workforce helps to create a positive and productive work environment and bring innovative new ideas to the table, which ultimately better serve Tollway customers.”
There are numerous job fairs available, but the Tollway Talent Acquisition team targets specific opportunities to participate in events that have a broad reach or connect with diverse candidates that reflect communities served by the Tollway system.
The workNet DuPage Career Center, for example, is located not too far from Tollway headquarters in Downers Grove, serves a large population in DuPage County and is linked with the American Job Center. Supported by the U.S. Labor Department, American Job Centers have extensive reach in all the communities they serve. It’s a free, one-stop shop for job seekers that always brings motivated and excited candidates to apply for Tollway positions, says Rao.
The Tollway often uses American Job Center facilities for its diversity outreach efforts. ConstructionWorks, a program launched in partnership with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to create a qualified pipeline of diverse workers ready to enter careers in the heavy highway and related construction industry, provides services at 10 American Job Center locations throughout the region.
Other job fairs the Tollway participates in are hosted by local elected officials or other state agencies. These events often have broad reach in local communities.
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