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Occupational choice of skilled workers in the presence of a large development sector: Evidence from Sierra Leone

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  • Jamelia Harris

Abstract

Using data from Sierra Leone, I explore the role of cognitive ability in sorting across sectors and the importance of perceptions in the employment decision-making process. Crucial to the analysis is the introduction of the aid-industry/development sector as a 'third sector', which is shown to be attractive to skilled jobseekers. One of the key findings is that the largest share of skilled jobseekers opt for early-career employment working for a donor organisation, INGO, or NGO in the development sector.

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  • Jamelia Harris, 2019. "Occupational choice of skilled workers in the presence of a large development sector: Evidence from Sierra Leone," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-101, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2019-101
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