Deconstructing Job Search Behavior

Abstract

We use an unusually rich data from a Chilean job board to document novel facts regarding job search for unemployed and employed seekers. We show how application behavior is influenced by (1) demographics such as gender, age, and marital status, (2) alignment between applicant wage expectations and wage offers, (3) applicant fit into ad requirements such as education, experience, job location and occupation (4) timing variables, including unemployment duration, job tenure (for on-the-job searchers) and business cycle conditions. This empirical evidence can discipline current and future search-theoretical frameworks