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The Gender Application Gap: Do Men and Women Apply for the Same Jobs?

Author

Listed:
  • Fluchtmann, Jonas

    (OECD)

  • Glenny, Anita Marie

    (Aarhus University)

  • Harmon, Nikolaj

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Maibom, Jonas

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

Men and women tend to hold different jobs. Are these differences present already in the types of jobs men and women apply for? Using administrative data on job applications made by the universe of Danish UI recipients, we provide evidence on gender differences in applied-for jobs for the broader labor market. Across a range of job characteristics, we find large gender gaps in the share of applications going to different types of jobs even among observationally similar men and women. In a standard decomposition, gender differences in applications can explain more than 70 percent of the residual gender wage gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Fluchtmann, Jonas & Glenny, Anita Marie & Harmon, Nikolaj & Maibom, Jonas, 2021. "The Gender Application Gap: Do Men and Women Apply for the Same Jobs?," IZA Discussion Papers 14906, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14906
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    Cited by:

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    2. Francesca Barigozzi & Natalia Montinari & Elisa Orlandi, 2025. "Gendered decision making in explore-exploit tasks," Working Papers wp1211, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    3. Patricia Palffy & Patrick Lehnert & Uschi Backes‐Gellner, 2023. "Social norms and gendered occupational choices of men and women: Time to turn the tide?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(4), pages 380-410, October.
    4. Benjamin Lochner & Christian Merkl, 2026. "Gender-Specific Application Behaviour, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 136(673), pages 97-124.
    5. Olympia Bover & Laura Hospido & Ana Lamo, 2025. "Gender and career progression: evidence from the Banco de España," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 569-603, December.
    6. Paula Scholz, 2025. "It's Not About the Money – Or Is It? Stereotypes and the Gender Application Gap," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 359, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    7. Richard Audoly & Manudeep Bhuller & Tore Adam Reiremo, 2024. "The Pay and Non-Pay Content of Job Ads," Papers 2407.13204, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2024.
    8. Bamieh, Omar & Ziegler, Lennart, 2023. "Gender-age differences in hiring rates and prospective wages—Evidence from job referrals to unemployed workers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    9. Faberman, Jason & Mueller, Andreas & Sahin, Aysegül, 2026. "Job Search, Job Amenities, and the Gender Pay Gap," IZA Discussion Papers 18418, IZA Network @ LISER.
    10. Chaturvedi, Sugat & Mahajan, Kanika & Siddique, Zahra, 2025. "Gendered language in job ads and applicant behavior: Evidence from India," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    11. Sarthak Joshi, 2025. "Spatial Shocks and Gender Employment Gaps," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 323, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    12. Escudero, Verónica & Liepmann, Hannah & Vergara, Damian, 2024. "Directed Search, Wages, and Non-wage Amenities: Evidence from an Online Job Board," IZA Discussion Papers 17211, IZA Network @ LISER.
    13. Bazen, Stephen & Charni, Kadija, 2023. "Gender Differences in the Early Career Earnings of Economics Graduates," IZA Discussion Papers 15954, IZA Network @ LISER.
    14. Teutloff, Ole & Stenzhorn, Eliza & Kässi, Otto, 2025. "Skills, job application strategies, and the gender wage gap: Evidence from online freelancing," ZEW Discussion Papers 25-016, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    15. Scoppa, Vincenzo & Spanò, Idola Francesca, 2025. "Do Women Ask for Less? Evidence from Reservation Wages in Italy," IZA Discussion Papers 18230, IZA Network @ LISER.

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    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J29 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Other
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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