Advanced Resources

I worked with this job agency, specifically with Cassie Walker and I had a negative experience! When I received a call from Cassie who is a recruiter for this agency she sounded very eager and promising in helping me with my job search. I met with her after our phone conversation and it further confirmed that she would be able to schedule me few interviews with my my experience. Well I was wrong. After few days I called to follow up with her and she was very hard to get a hold of and only once did she return my call and I never even got scheduled for any of the companies that she first talked about. Don’t waste your time with these people. I was seriously disappointed. I think that most of these recruiters are either very lazy, they don’t provide great feedback and only seldom help with job searches! Good luck to anyone who is trying to work with them, but working with this «bubbly, positive» recruiter was a negative experience for me because she didn’t do her job!.

Maria was my contact and I can’t thank her enough for finding me a great opportunity. It was a temp assignment turned permanent! All I can say is that I’m happy I went with Advanced. They placed me at a reputable hospital; a hospital that I’ve always wanted to be in and Maria made it happen. Everything a new health grad could ever dream of. Communication wise, the quickest way to get a hold of them is by calling, email can be a hit or miss so just call.

Very disappointing. Received a call stating they had a few positions I qualified for and an request for an interview. I came in the next day i believe. The young lady told me she had about 4 positions I would be great for and that she would send them my way that same day and to respond to her if I want her to submit my resume for the positions. She never emailed the positions to me. In fact I followed up with her twice and still no response. Its very disappointing because during our initial conversation, i expressed my concern that many of these agencies are eager to get you in but then drop the ball and you never hear from them again, she assured me they weren’t like this. Well I see that was a lie. I think its better to just look online for jobs on your own and cut out the middle man.

I was referred by I think holly in the northern suburb office and she gave me shauna’s phone number. I am giving this place 5star because Shauna was the most sweetest understanding recruiter I have ever met, she made me feel like she was only working with me and I was her boss! I got the feeling that she actually loves her job and that working with people is her passion. Each time I emailed or called her, she got back to me within 24hours!
Now I actually didn’t get staffed with them because I found full time employment, she did call me 3 times prior about opportunities.
If I ever need to temp, I would definitely give her a call. Give her an achievement award

My experience with Advanced Resources has been beyond successful and I can thank a team of truly dedicated professionals for being the right jump-​start I needed to break into a competitive and rewarding business industry.
I am currently working for the downtown corporate office of a very reputable property management company in a temp-​to-​hire position and I would not have been able to do it without the help of my personal staffing consultant Maria Cannata and the rest of her team, Kasey, Cassie, and Lindsay for all personally taking the time to mentor, train, coach, and advocate for me every step of the way.
I would definitely recommend this company to anyone out there who is looking to break into a new business professional role, and to all my fellow actors out there looking for a staffing consulting company who knows how to place working actors in Chicago.

Absolutely terrible. I received a phone call from Advanced Resources from Kelly Silvers saying that they had the perfect job that fits my qualifications and she wanted to interview with me that day. I was very excited, and after meeting with her, she never once brought up the mysterious job she mentioned over the phone. She said she would do her best to find temporary jobs for me and to keep my phone by my side and constantly check my emails because it’s a quick process. Well, as soon as I left, NOBODY has ever contacted me again.

Colleen proved to be an invaluable resource in finding the right opportunity for me. She was extremely courteous, professional, personable, and diligent in identifying the positions that would not only pay more but would challenge me intellectually. Colleen didn’t waste my time with unnecessary testing or trips to the office for multiple interviews for positions that were already filled. We met a couple of times. Thereafter, she presented several real opportunities with excellent companies based on my qualifications in my requested job industry, salary range, and commuting area. Needless to say, I’m thankful for Advanced Resources. Colleen has changed my life for the better. She gave me access to an opportunity that I would have otherwise had no access to. I’m happy to report last month I accepted an offer for a permanent, full-​time Executive Assistant II/​Admin Manager position with excellent benefits and a more than ok salary. Thank you!!!
#UniversityOfChicago!
Hands down. ADVANCED RESOURCES is a great placement firm. If you are looking for a administratve role then ask for Colleen…

My experience here has been a disappointment, thus far.
I was originally contacted by Maria in February, who seemed eager to work with me. I unfortunately had to cancel last minute due to a personal tragedy and took some time off from my job hunt. I later reconnected with Maria a month ago when I resumed looking, in hopes I could use Advanced Resources as a tool in my job hunt.
My meeting with Maria was fine. She had admitted to me that there weren’t any openings available, which I understand having worked with various agencies before. She mentioned checking in with her on a weekly basis.
Since then, radio silence. I have been emailing her for a month now and have not heard anything, other than inquiring about a one-​day assignment (which I cannot do on short notice because of haphazard hours at my job). Again, I understand that job openings can be cyclical and on/​off– I have been working with another agency for a few months now who, in spite of not finding me anything yet, communicates with me in a timely manner and on a regular basis. I am a realist when it comes to job hunting and I recognize that opportunities do not grow on trees for staffing agencies, but I think some transparency and open communication isn’t too much to ask for either.
I see that AR can be a hit or miss for reviewers on Unilocal and I unfortunately have to put this agency in the ‘miss’ pile.

Met with Lisa – who was very polite and professional. Unfortunately, the client who she sent my resume to was also a former employee of my current employer who did not know that I was job hunting. The client decided to contact a few of my co-​workers before I had a face to face interview to do some «recon» on me. My coworkers emailed me and told me they knew I was interviewing. So embarrassing. So much for confidentiality 101.

Definitely the best temp agency I’ve worked with out of several. Pam specializes in staffing well-​organized, legitimate academic/​medical environments which, for me, was a huge step up from some of the shady places other temp agencies would send me to. Never had a bad gig and eventually got a permanent job that I love through Advanced.
My only criticism is that they aren’t always timely when it comes to responding to communications.

Advanced Resources is a top-​notch search firm and Search Consultant Colleen Huck is the best recruiter I have ever had the pleasure of working with. After my former company closed our regional office in May I contacted Advanced Resources for help with the search for my next position and I was put in touch with Colleen. Searching for a new position is never an easy process but from the moment I met with Colleen I felt confident that I had someone on my side who was genuinely interested in helping me find the right fit with the right company, I found this to be unique and refreshing.
At the start of my search Colleen asked me several pertinent questions to get to the core of what was important to me in a new position and she used that information to search out the best companies at which to try to place me. During the four months that I worked with Colleen she followed up with me on a regular basis, she coached me before each interview and she followed up with me after each interview to get my feedback. Colleen consistently displayed dedication, tenacity and also kindness. After one particularly trying week Colleen said to me «Don’t stress out. I will do my absolute best to find you a great position.» I was confident that she was going to do just that and she did!
I am excited to start with my new company and I know that it wouldn’t have been possible without Colleen’s help. This is an exciting new chapter in my life and I feel fortunate that I had Colleen Huck and Advanced Resources representing me.
In sum, Colleen is terrific and my job search was a great experience. Colleen is the consummate professional and I will highly recommend her to my network of friends and business associates in their search for new opportunities.

I was made me feel uncomfortable during the whole process when I told the recruiter and her colleague what my salary requirements were, they both scoffed and asked me where I got that number from. Guess what, I was offered 3 different positions after my experience with them– ALL were higher than my lowest salary expectation. She asked me to keep in touch via email, I emailed twice with no response. I would avoid wasting time with this company.

This isn’t as much a review as it is the story of my experience with Advanced Resources to date. The only «review» element about this review is the single star I am giving to the agency. If ANYONE who reads this can give me a compelling reason to change that rating, I will consider doing so. My original point of contact was through the Northbrook office, but the person I spoke with also is connected with the Chicago office, so I have left this on both locations. I have not included my contact’s name in this story as I am simply trying to be as unbiased in my assessment as possible.
I was looking for temporary or contract work, so on 9÷12÷12, I contacted Advanced Resources based on Unilocal reviews. Even though their reviews included both glowing and not so glowing comments, there were a few remarks that I saw that encouraged me to give them a shot. While my profession is not really within their placement parameters, I do have a background in mortgage servicing as well as an MBA in Finance, so when I called them, I indicated that my strengths were within that area. The person who I spoke with forwarded my call to specialist in that field, and I left a voicemail.
I was pleasantly surprised when I received a follow-​up call within 30 minutes of my leaving the message. I had what I felt to be a positive conversation with the specialist and shortly afterward forwarded a cover letter and my resume to him. He followed up and said that while he couldn’t guarantee anything immediately, he would look into options and get back to me.
Well, when two weeks passed without ANY word from the specialist, I decided to follow up via email on 9÷28÷2012 to remind him that I was still eager to get the ball rolling. That email also yielded NO RESPONSE from the specialist via reply to it or a phone call. HOWEVER, I did finally receive an email from the specialist yesterday (10/​23/​2012), the content of which is below:
***********
Subject: Referral Bonus!!!
Do you have any friends that are looking for a new job opportunity? Could you use some extra cash?!?
Right now, we are offering you $ 100 if you refer someone to Advanced Resources who works for 40 hours or more. It’s that simple!
ALSO, if you have enjoyed working with Advanced Resources, please write us a review on Unilocal
!
***********
Not so «simple» to me! Need I say more?

When Lisa called me to ask me if I would be interested in temp work, I was really hesitant. Looking back, I can’t thank her enough for believing in me :) I wholeheartedly LOVE my job and seldom does a day go by when I don’t think of the ladies at Advanced — Lisa in Chicago and Liz & Betsy in Northbrook. I can’t even believe that I’ve already been here for two years!
In addition to being a candidate placed by Advanced, I now work with them regularly as a client. Our criteria is pretty tough for the challenging roles that we look to fill. The ladies at Advanced understand exactly what our needs are and don’t send us resumes unless they’ve found a perfect match! Their ability to vet high caliber individuals in rarely matched in the world of staffing.
Last but not least, I have sent friends and family to Advanced Resources in search of work. Those that I’ve referred have had nothing but nice things to say :)

Colleen Huck was such an amazing recruiter to work with. If you’re looking for someone to help you find a job, she’s the person you want on your team.
I have worked with other recruiters in the past and never had as wonderful of an experience as I have working with her. She was constantly keeping me in the know about what she was finding for me as well as quick to respond with any and all inquires I had. She helped me find a position that I ended up not liking as much as I initially thought and was quick to continue helping me with other leads she had. She knew what I was looking for and would not present me with opportunities unless she knew that I would like them. She really listened to what I was looking for in my next position and was extremely helpful.
Seriously, she is exceptional at what she does. If you are able to work with her know that she will work tirelessly for you and find you the perfect position.

So, I was realizing that doing freelance gigs in the city just wasn’t cutting it. I figured I would keep doing that, but supplement it with some other stuff. My girlfriend suggested that I should try temping, and I figured nothing would come of it. So I did the online application, and within a few days I received a call from Pam Schieber.
Now let me tell you, she went above and beyond, and exceeded any expectations I had for temp agencies. I came in for an interview and what was really nice is that we didn’t just talk about my skills, work experience, etc. She think we might have even talked more about other stuff. It felt a lot more like meeting a friend for a cup of coffee than an interview.
So, I did the online test and set up my online account, and within 2 days, she called me with a job opportunity. Now, I didn’t have any office experience at all, 0, and she called me with an office job for a company downtown. They didn’t end up offering me the position, but Pam seemed very excited about future opportunities and said she might have some people in mind.
The next week she called me again to let me know she submitted me to another company. The third week, she called me super excited with a temp job in a fantastic company that she has been working with for years! In the three days it took me to land the gig, I believe that she called me at least three times a day with updates, and setting up all the background checks and drug tests so I could get in their as soon as possible.
Well, I ended up getting the temp job, and I am loving it. She really put her neck out for me to get me this position considering I have no experience in the area, but everything seems to be going great. I just think its incredible that she has all these people she is trying to place, yet I felt like she was working for me ²⁴⁄₇. You’re not going to get that other places.

There’s all the other recruiting/​placement firms… and there’s ADVANCED RESOURCES.
I swear, with every other recruiting firm that I’ve dealt with in this city (I’ve dealt with a LOT) you just feel like a number. They see what’s on the resume and that’s it. If you don’t fit into their cookie-​cutter requirements for the job, than tough.
It’s the exact opposite at Advanced. I worked with Joe S. on a few different assignments, and with Talia in the Northbrook office. They identified positions & landed me interviews (which always led to further interviews) that were different from my prior experience, but were great opportunities that I could really see myself doing. HOW do they do this you ask? By actually LISTENING to and CARING about the people they are working with.
I can’t say enough about Advanced Resources. I’d give ‘em 6 stars if I could!

I recently got hired into a great job (after a few weeks of temping) through Advanced Resources and was lucky enough to have worked with Lisa DeSalvo, one of the amazing recruiters there.
I had been looking for a job for a year, after just moving to Chicago and had worked with a ridiculous amount of staffing agencies over that time.
I had basically given up on looking and found hope again in finding employment, even after just my initial phone call with Lisa. She rebuilt my confidence with interviewing.
Lisa is one of the most personable people you will ever meet. She has a great sense of humor and will instantly make you feel comfortable.
Lisa probably spent 45 minutes before each interview I had, making sure that I was completely prepared for my interview. She answered any concerns that I had and knew the right questions to ask to make sure the job was a great fit for me.
Unlike some of the experiences I have had with other staffing agencies, this company actually tries to find you a position based on what you WANT to do, versus what you HAVE DONE.
Also, I was actually contacted frequently about new jobs that may be a fit for me, and I liked the variety I was offered.
I also worked with Eileen and Pam and they were great as well!!!
Hopefully I won’t need a staffing agency again, but if I do, this is definitely the company to go to!!!

When I first graduated from college many moons ago, the economy was doing very poor and I had a tough time landing a job. I applied to a staffing firm in the suburbs and never received any follow up after completing their application. After much frustration, I finally got in touch with Advanced Finance. They were able to land me a temp to perm position which was great because I was able to determine whether or not I really liked the company I was working for prior to going perm.
Never really knew what a staffing firm was prior to working with Advanced, but now I feel its a great option if you are unemployed or just looking to change companies.

I’ve been working with Eileen from Advanced for about 3 months now.
Eileen is very professional, honest, and a great resource. She really got to know my situation and what I was looking for. She offered to help me with my resume and gave me some other temp agency’s to contact, which is awesome.
She always responds to my correspondence within an hour, generally within minutes.
I do feel like sometimes she really is selling me the job, though I have experienced this with all Agency’s I have worked with so you just need to make sure you really get a full description of the job !
My only word of advice is do the tutorials before taking the test on excel or word, the first time I took them I got less than 50% but after watching the tutorials I was about 97% for all.
Also make sure you work with more than one agency otherwise you will have a lot of down time.