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Explaining Differences in Job Search Outcomes Between Employed and Unemployed Job Seekers

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  • Longhi, Simonetta

    (University of Reading)

  • Taylor, Mark P.

Abstract

We use individual data for Great Britain over the period 1992-2009 to compare the probability that employed and unemployed job seekers find a job and the quality of the job they find. The job finding rate of unemployed job seekers is 50 percent higher than that of employed job seekers, and this difference remains even when controlling for differences in observable worker characteristics and job search behaviour. We present evidence suggesting that these differences in the job finding probability is caused by behavioural differences between employed and unemployed job seekers rather than differences in characteristics. Consistent with search theory, we find that employed job seekers are more selective in evaluating job offers and are therefore less likely to find a job offer acceptable; for example, they are less likely to accept low-wage and temporary jobs, or jobs that do not meet their working hour requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • Longhi, Simonetta & Taylor, Mark P., 2011. "Explaining Differences in Job Search Outcomes Between Employed and Unemployed Job Seekers," IZA Discussion Papers 5860, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5860
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Do unemployed and employed compete for the same jobs?
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2011-07-28 19:01:00

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    Cited by:

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    2. Anne Gielen, 2013. "Repeated job quits: stepping stones or learning about quality?," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Andrea Morescalchi, 2021. "A new career in a new town. Job search methods and regional mobility of unemployed workers," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 20(2), pages 223-272, May.
    4. Simonetta Longhi & Mark Taylor, 2013. "Occupational Change and Mobility Among Employed and Unemployed Job Seekers," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 60(1), pages 71-100, February.
    5. Lehmann, Etienne & Montero Ledezma, Paola L. & Van der Linden, Bruno, 2013. "Inefficient Equilibrium Unemployment in a Duocentric Economy with Matching Frictions," IZA Discussion Papers 7828, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Lehmann, Etienne & Montero Ledezma, Paola L. & Linden, Bruno Van der, 2016. "Workforce location and equilibrium unemployment in a duocentric economy with matching frictions," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 26-44.
    7. Morescalchi Andrea & Paruolo Paolo, 2020. "Too Much Stick for the Carrot? Job Search Requirements and Search Behaviour of Unemployment Benefit Claimants," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(1), pages 1-21, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    on-the-job search; unemployment; job-finding rate;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J29 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Other
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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