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Searching with Friends

Author

Listed:
  • Stefano Caria
  • Simon Franklin
  • Marc Witte

Abstract

We study how active labor market policies affect the exchange of information and support among job seekers. Leveraging a unique social network survey in Ethiopia, we find that a randomized job search assistance intervention reduces information sharing and support between treated job seekers and their active job search partners. Because of lower job search support, untreated individuals search less and, suggestively, have worse employment outcomes. These results are consistent with a model of networks where unemployed individuals form job search partnerships to exploit the complementarities of job search.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano Caria & Simon Franklin & Marc Witte, 2023. "Searching with Friends," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(4), pages 887-922.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/721655
    DOI: 10.1086/721655
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anandi Mani & Emma Riley, 2019. "Social networks, role models, peer effects, and aspirations," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-120, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Barsbai, Toman & Licuanan, Victoria & Steinmayr, Andreas & Tiongson, Erwin & Yang, Dean, 2024. "Information and immigrant settlement," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    3. Caria, A. Stefano & Labonne, Julien, 2024. "Village social structure and labor market performance: Evidence from the Philippines," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 371-380.
    4. Tsegay Tekleselassie & Marc Witte & Jonas Radbruch & Lukas Hensel & Ingo E. Isphording, 2025. "Feedback, Confidence and Job Search Behavior," CESifo Working Paper Series 11746, CESifo.
    5. Fernando, A. Nilesh, 2021. "Seeking the treated: The impact of mobile extension on farmer information exchange in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Laurel Wheeler & Robert Garlick & Eric Johnson & Patrick Shaw & Marissa Gargano, 2022. "LinkedIn(to) Job Opportunities: Experimental Evidence from Job Readiness Training," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(2), pages 101-125, April.
    7. Toman Barsbai & Victoria Licuanan & Andreas Steinmayr & Erwin Tiongson & Dean Yang, 2020. "Information and the Acquisition of Social Network Connections," NBER Working Papers 27346, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Witte, Marc J., 2025. "Why Do Workers Make Job Referrals? Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia," IZA Discussion Papers 18258, IZA Network @ LISER.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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