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College major, internship experience, and employment opportunities: Estimates from a résumé audit

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  • Nunley, John M.
  • Pugh, Adam
  • Romero, Nicholas
  • Seals, R. Alan

Abstract

We use experimental data from a résumé audit to estimate the impact of particular college majors and internship experience on employment prospects. Despite applying exclusively to business-related job openings, we find no evidence that business degrees improve employment prospects. By contrast, internship experience increases the interview rate by 14%. The returns to internship experience are larger for (a) nonbusiness majors and (b) applicants with high academic ability. Our data support signaling as the most likely explanation regarding the effect of internships on employment opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Nunley, John M. & Pugh, Adam & Romero, Nicholas & Seals, R. Alan, 2016. "College major, internship experience, and employment opportunities: Estimates from a résumé audit," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 37-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:38:y:2016:i:c:p:37-46
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2015.11.002
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    College major; Internship; Employment; Field experiments; Correspondence studies; Résumé audit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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