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The effect of post-baccalaureate business certificates on job search: Results from a correspondence study

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  • Gaulke, Amanda
  • Cassidy, Hugh
  • Namingit, Sheryll

Abstract

This paper tests whether post-baccalaureate business certificates improve the job callback rates of applicants using a correspondence study. We randomly assign a post-baccalaureate certificate to fictitious résumés and apply to real vacancy postings for managerial, administrative and accounting assistant positions in several large cities on multiple large online job boards. We find no statistical relationship between having a certificate and the probability of receiving a callback, with the 95 % confidence interval being (−1.44, 0.50) percentage points with a baseline callback rate of 11.6%. Our results suggest that post-baccalaureate certificates may provide little value to job seekers, though it remains an unexplored question as to whether such certificates improve wage growth or promotions on the job.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaulke, Amanda & Cassidy, Hugh & Namingit, Sheryll, 2019. "The effect of post-baccalaureate business certificates on job search: Results from a correspondence study," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:61:y:2019:i:c:s0927537119300855
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2019.101759
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    Cited by:

    1. Cahuc, Pierre & Hervelin, Jérémy, 2024. "The effect of workplace vs school-based vocational education on youth unemployment: Evidence from France," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    2. Gaulke, Amanda P., 2021. "Post-Schooling off-The-Job training and its benefits," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Schaerer, Michael & du Plessis, Christilene & Nguyen, My Hoang Bao & van Aert, Robbie C.M. & Tiokhin, Leo & Lakens, Daniël & Giulia Clemente, Elena & Pfeiffer, Thomas & Dreber, Anna & Johannesson, Mag, 2023. "On the trajectory of discrimination: A meta-analysis and forecasting survey capturing 44 years of field experiments on gender and hiring decisions," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand

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