Why AJC Is Not A Staffing Agency

When people first hear “American Job Center,” they sometimes think it is just another staffing agency. It is not. Staffing agencies are businesses that place people into jobs for their own clients. American Job Center is a public service that helps you build a career, not just fill a slot.

If you are looking for work, the difference matters. It changes who is on your side, what kind of help you get, and how far that help can take you.

Confusion About AJC And Staffing Agencies

It is easy to see why people mix them up. Both:

• Talk about jobs
• Work with local businesses
• Help match people with openings

From the outside, they can look similar. But on the inside, they are very different.

When you understand that American Job Center is not a staffing agency, you can use it in a much stronger way. You can lean on it as a partner, not just a place that hands you a single job lead and sends you on your way.

What A Staffing Agency Does

A staffing agency is a business. Its main customer is the business that is hiring, not the job seeker.

Many staffing agencies:

• Fill short term, seasonal, or temp to hire jobs
• Get paid by the business when they place someone
• Often keep you on the staffing agency’s payroll, not the company’s payroll, at least at first
• Focus on filling the current opening as quickly as possible

For some people, this can be helpful. A staffing agency may:

• Place you into a job quickly
• Give you a way to try out different workplaces

But there are limits:

• They may move you from one short job to another
• They are not focused on your long term career path
• They may not help you find training, scholarships, or a better fit over time

Their job is to solve the business’s problem: “We need people for this shift.”

What American Job Center Does Instead

American Job Center has a different mission. It is part of a public workforce system that exists to help people and communities. It is funded to serve job seekers and businesses, not just one side.

For job seekers, American Job Center:

• Provides free career counseling and guidance
• Helps you explore jobs and careers, not just “what is open today”
• Connects you to training and education options
• Helps you learn about programs that may help pay for training if you qualify
• Supports you as you move from job search to job success

American Job Center does not:

• Take a cut of your pay
• Put you on its own payroll as a temp worker
• Treat you as a “seat to fill” for today only

Instead, it looks at your whole situation. Your skills. Your interests. Your family needs. Your long term goals.

How The Experience Feels Different

Here is one simple way to see the difference.

With many staffing agencies, the main question is:

“Can we plug you into this opening right now?”

With American Job Center, the main questions are:

“Where do you want your work life to go?”
“What support do you need to get there?”

At AJC, you can:

• Sit down with a career counselor and talk about your goals
• Get help with your resume and interviews
• Learn basic computer skills if you need them
• Explore new fields using tools like CareerOneStop:
  https://www.careeronestop.org
• Learn about local training and job resources through Illinois workNet:
  https://www.illinoisworknet.com

It is not just about this week’s job. It is about your next chapter.

Benefits AJC Brings To Your Job Search

American Job Center can support you in ways that go far beyond a simple job match.

1. A Partner For Your Whole Journey

You are not just filling out forms. You are building a relationship. AJC staff can:

• Help you figure out what kind of work fits you
• Talk with you when job search feels hard
• Adjust your plan when life changes
• Stay with you as you move from “just a job” to a real career path

This ongoing partnership is something staffing agencies are not designed to provide.

2. Help With Skills And Training

If the jobs you want need new skills, American Job Center can help you:

• Find training and certificate programs that fit your goals
• Understand what each program teaches and how long it takes
• Learn about WIOA scholarship funding for people who qualify, so cost is less of a barrier

A staffing agency usually does not pay to train you. It looks for a place where your current skills fit. AJC helps you grow your skills so you can reach better jobs over time.

3. Support For People Changing Careers

Many people are not just looking for “any job.” They are trying to change direction. They may be:

• Moving out of a physically demanding job
• Coming back to work after a break
• Changing fields after their old industry slowed down

American Job Center can help you:

• Look at your past work and name the skills you already have
• Match those skills to new fields
• Use local job information to see which careers are growing

You are not starting from zero. AJC helps you carry your experience into something new.

4. Help With The Whole Job Search Process

Finding a job is more than sending in one application. AJC can guide you through each part.

You can get help with:

• Writing and improving your resume
• Filling out online applications
• Practicing interviews
• Understanding job offers
• Planning for your first day and beyond

A staffing agency may call you when they have an opening. American Job Center prepares you so you can succeed when that chance arrives, no matter where it comes from.

5. Connections To Local Businesses

AJC also talks with local businesses in your area. Staff listen to what these businesses need and share that information with job seekers.

In some cases, AJC may know about jobs before they appear on big job boards. Staff may be able to refer you directly to hiring managers when they see a strong match between your skills and a business’s needs.

If a staffing agency is like a fast bridge into a single job, AJC is like a map of the whole area, with guides who help you choose your route.

Next Steps

Understanding that American Job Center is not a staffing agency can change how you use it. Instead of waiting for someone to “place” you, you can step into a real partnership for your career.

Here are simple steps you can take now:

1. Visit or call your local American Job Center and tell staff where you are in your job search. You do not need a perfect plan. You just need to start the conversation.
2. Ask to meet with a career counselor. Share your work history, your interests, and what you want your work life to look like in the next year or two.
3. Explore training, job search help, and possible scholarship support together, so you can build a plan that fits your life instead of settling for “whatever comes next.”

You deserve more than a quick placement. You deserve a path, support, and a partner that cares about where you end up, not just where you start.

Make American Job Center part of your job search team, and let it help you move from “looking for a job” to building a better future.