lynch527's journey

I recently became unemployed and applied for unemployment benefits about three weeks ago. I've been actively searching for jobs for the past month, primarily using Indeed, and I've sent out numerous applications. Most of these applications have received email confirmations, which I plan to keep as proof of my efforts. However, I have a RESEA appointment coming up and I'm unsure if I need to document my job search on the Illinois Job Link website using the 'External Job Search Activity' feature. It seems like a time-consuming process that I haven't seen many people discussing. I'm wondering if I can just bring screenshots of my Indeed applications and the confirmation emails instead of using that system. I hope to clarify this before my interview tomorrow.

I was let go from my job in Illinois today, and I'm considering whether I should wait until July 5th to file for unemployment. I've done the calculations, and if I wait, my weekly benefit would increase significantly. However, I'd miss out on the first two weeks of pay, which could take over 12 weeks to recover from. I worked at my last job for about 10 months, and it paid me much better than my previous position. I'm feeling anxious about finding a new job, especially since I've only had two interviews despite applying to many places this year. As a single parent with sole custody, the extra financial support would be really helpful if I struggle to secure a decent job soon.