We’re proud to welcome you to the newly expanded Ark in West Rogers Park and in Northbrook.

Employment Services

Partnering for Success

Contact us if you or someone you know requires The Ark services.

Job seekers: Be prepared, gain confidence, discover success

The Ark’s employment professionals in Chicago and Northbrook partner with clients to give them the tools and training to succeed when looking for a job or making a career change.

Our professionals also continuously build and nurture relationships with employers to assist them in recruiting and retaining a successful team. They remain available to both client and employer for assistance during the first year. Employment Services also offers on-site seminars, discussion groups, and ongoing career support to organizations, schools, and businesses, free of charge.

Our employment professionals partner with each client. We talk through employment history and life events that may have effected job choices and performance. We strongly believe in helping find the right job fit for our clients and are dedicated to helping identify realistic goals. We take pride in working with each client individually to develop a customized plan.

Clients are taken through rigorous job readiness training to determine strengths, weaknesses and direction. This process allows our clients to uncover skills they might not have realized and to experience a new-found pride in what’s possible.

Once our clients have a direction, and have become aware of what they bring to a job, the development of a resume begins. The Ark Employment Division recognizes that resume development requires a professional who knows how to extract the necessary information to craft this important marketing tool. Our professional resume writer creates an impressive and strong resume, allowing the client to see their potential.

Once tactical tools are in place, the focus turns to creating a networking strategy and intensive interviewing coaching. Learning how to present themselves professionally and develop relationships with other professionals, our clients learn the impact networking can have. Employment professionals teach each client how to approach, talk and follow-up on any potential leads and/or referrals. Our interviewing program prepares the client using role playing and filming of mock interviews.

Once the client is job ready, they develop a job search plan. Employment professionals cultivate relationships with a wide variety of employers and identify qualified candidates, fitting the needs of our partner businesses and organizations. This is highly beneficial for both the client and the business. The client/business relationship does not end after the placement process. Ark professionals are available to both the client and the employer to offer assistance, answer questions, and provide additional coaching to enhance opportunities for long-term success.

Employers: It begins with talent

Our employment professionals work closely with community partners throughout the hiring process including identifying the right talent. We can help employers:

  • Identify desired skill set of your next hire
  • Assist in writing an effective job description
  • Identify best platforms to post your job openings
  • Analyze candidate resumes
  • Train in religious sensitivity and PTO
  • Evaluate benefits
  • Enhance interview techniques, e.g. what to ask and how to listen
  • Develop creative incentives
  • Assist with salary negotiation
  • Discuss remote workforce opportunities

Let’s get started

Job seekers or employers can contact Andrea Storz, Director of Employment Services

Andrea is a professional resume writer and career coach. She uses her background in business, psychology and theatre to provide intensive Job Readiness training to a broad spectrum of clients from high level executives to recent graduates. Andrea’s unique approach and style as a job coach consultant and public speaker for both nonprofit and corporate worlds has been instrumental in helping clients find the right job and businesses improve overall operations.

Our Services