You have been assigned by a child support order to participate in the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services's Job Search. Your full participation in Job Search is essential to comply with your order. The department will monitor your participation.

Reports describing your cooperation with Job Search will be used by the Attorney General or a State's Attorney's Office and the department to determine further action with your child support case.

You are to use this Job Search Diary to record your job search activities. The required information will help you to develop meaningful job search skills and serve as a record of your activities.

By keeping an accurate record, the information will be used to show the court and the department what your recent job search efforts have been. All information provided is reviewed to determine if further action is needed to address your current child support order.

Case Information Section

The Job Search staff will enter a start date and a return date in the Case Information Chart. The start date represents your date of referral to Job Search and should correspond to the date that your Job Search Diary is issued. The return date is the date that the Job Search Diary and Case Information Chart are due back to the Non-Custodial Parent Services, Job Search Unit.

Job Search Diary

The Job Search Diary form is available for download in Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to view or print these files in the PDF format, you will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader®. You will need to download and install the Acrobat Reader, which is available from Adobe's web site, on your computer. Click on the Adobe® Icon for the free Download.

Job Search Entries

1. The date of contact is the actual date that you speak with, or fill out an application with, a potential employer.
2. Enter the type of employer contact by using a two-letter contact code. These codes are printed at the bottom of each page.
3. Print the:
   • company/employer's full name;
   • address (include the suite or room number);
   • city, state, zip code;
   • telephone number;
   • name and title of the person you contacted;
   • position applied for;
4. In the comments section, describe any immediate or pending results.
5. Provide a follow-up date for any further action.

Completed Diaries

You are required to return the Job Search Diary in person or by mail, every thirty (30) days or as required by the provision of your court or administrative order. Return the completed booklet to:

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
Division of Child Support Enforcement
Non-Custodial Parent Services, Job Search Unit
32 West Randolph Street, 11th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 793-7987

If you complete your Job Search Diary before the return date, you can use additional paper to record your job search activities up to the return date, or you can send the booklet to the address listed above and receive a new one. For diaries received by mail, a new diary will be mailed to you within five (5) days of the department's receipt of the completed one.

Diaries not received before or after the deadline will be considered in default and may lead to a report of non-cooperation being forwarded to the court. Non-cooperation can and will be utilized by the court to determine further actions needed in your case.

Our Responsibilities

The Job Search staff will verify with potential employers the information that you provide in your entries. The Job Search staff will provide a report to the court regarding your participation. False information will be investigated and utilized to determine further action needed to address your child support order.

Job Search Tips

Tip 1: Establish a Routine, Then Stick to It

You must establish a schedule that allows you to spend time looking for the job you want. A good rule: If you are looking for a full-time job, you must spend full-time looking.

Tip 2: Develop a Resume or Personal Data Sheet

Regardless of your experience, a good resume can help you get a job interview. Use a resume or a personal data sheet to summarize your work history. Explain your education and work experience in terms of an employer's needs. Your resume becomes your business card. It tells a potential employer that you are seeking employment and what type of work you can do.

Tip 3: Communicate (Network) with Friends, Family and Others

The best sources for jobs are people who have them. Ask your friends, neighbors and others about their employers. You can learn when a company will be hiring and where and how to fill out applications or get an interview. You should also ask your friends, neighbors and others for permission to use them as references. References increase an employer's confidence in your ability. References should be given only with the permission of the individuals named. The name, address and telephone numbers of your references may be listed on your resume or data sheet.

Tip 4: Contact Companies or Employers Where You'd Like to Work

Prepare a prospect list of companies that are expanding. Eliminate from your list companies that are laying off workers.

Tip 5: Answer Classified Advertisements in Newspapers, Professional Journals and Trade Papers; Attend Job Fairs

Many large firms send job interviewers to colleges or other locations. Your manners, presentation and appearance are as important at these interviews as they are at an employer's personnel office.

Tip 6: Use Employment Agencies

Ask the Illinois Department of Employment Security, any community-based job placement agency or any other agency that does job placement to help you find a job.

Tip 7: Follow-up With a Potential Employer

When you receive a response to your application, acknowledge the response immediately. When you're invited for an interview, accept the invitation and confirm the meeting details. After the interview, send a goodwill message thanking the interviewer and restating your interest in employment.