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Networks and youth labor market entry

Author

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  • Hensvik, Lena

    (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy)

  • Nordström Skans, Oskar

    (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy)

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of existing knowledge regarding the role played by social networks in the process where young workers are matched to employing firms. We discuss standard theories of why social networks may be an important element in the job-matching process and survey the empirical literature on labor market networks with an emphasis on studies pertaining to the role of social contacts during the school-to-work transition phase. In addition, we present some novel evidence on how contacts established while working during the final year in high school affect youth labor market entry. Finally, we discuss how insights from this literature can be used to improve the quality of social programs targeted towards young workers in the Nordic countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Hensvik, Lena & Nordström Skans, Oskar, 2013. "Networks and youth labor market entry," Working Paper Series 2013:23, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:ifauwp:2013_023
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Erik Plug & Bas van der Klaauw & Lennart Ziegler, 2018. "Do Parental Networks Pay Off? Linking Children's Labor‐Market Outcomes to Their Parents' Friends," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 120(1), pages 268-295, January.
    2. Ilyés, Virág & Sebők, Anna, 2020. "Egyetemről a munkaerőpiacra. Felsőoktatási ismeretségek hatása a munkaerőpiaci kilátásokra [From university to working life - the effect peers in higher education have on labour-market outcomes]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(10), pages 993-1028.
    3. Moudud Alam & Kenneth Carling & Ola Nääs, 2015. "The Program and Treatment Effect of Summer Jobs on Girls’ Post-Schooling Incomes," Evaluation Review, , vol. 39(3), pages 339-359, June.
    4. Obbey Ahmed Elamin, 2018. "Impact of Informal Job-search on Wages for University Graduates in Egypt and Jordan," Working Papers 1272, Economic Research Forum, revised 19 Dec 2018.
    5. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Zoltán Elekes & Rikard Eriksson, 2021. "Escaping from Low-Wage Employment: The Role of Co-worker Networks," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2123, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Referrals; school-to-work transition; youth unemployment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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