IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/recsxx/v4y2001i2p255-278.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Who Gets the Job and Why? an Explorative Study of Employers'recruitment Behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Lars Behrenz

Abstract

In the literature of labor economics we find many examples of studies analyzing job seekers search behavior, but few examples of the corresponding analysis of the recruitment behavior of employers. This paper gives a picture of the recruitment behavior of Swedish employers. The analysis is based on about 800 telephone interviews with employers regarding the last person they had hired. This paper relates the lemon's problem in Akerlof with the Spence signaling model, and then it proceeds to relate indices and signals to the hiring behavior of employers. Employers mainly recruit personnel in order to expand a certain activity of their firm. On an average the total recruitment process takes about a month. In first round employers mainly look for job seekers with good education and experience. During the job interview the employer search for persons with professional knowledge, personal engagement and social competence.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars Behrenz, 2001. "Who Gets the Job and Why? an Explorative Study of Employers'recruitment Behavior," Journal of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 255-278, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:recsxx:v:4:y:2001:i:2:p:255-278
    DOI: 10.1080/15140326.2001.12040565
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/15140326.2001.12040565
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/15140326.2001.12040565?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barron, John M & Mellow, Wesley, 1982. "Labor Contract Formation, Search Requirements, and Use of a Public Employment Service," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 20(3), pages 381-387, July.
    2. Devine, T. J. & Kiefer, N. M., 1995. "The empirical status of job search theory," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 101-101, March.
    3. Holzer, Harry J, 1988. "Search Method Use by Unemployed Youth," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Stigler, George J., 2011. "Economics of Information," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 35-49.
    5. Barron, John M & Bishop, John, 1985. "Extensive Search, Intensive Search, and Hiring Costs: New Evidence on Employer Hiring Activity," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 23(3), pages 363-382, July.
    6. Albert Rees & Wayne Gray, 1982. "Family Effects in Youth Employment," NBER Chapters, in: The Youth Labor Market Problem: Its Nature, Causes, and Consequences, pages 453-474, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Mortensen, D. T. & Vishwanath, T., 1995. "Personal contacts and earnings: It is who you know!," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 103-104, March.
    8. J. J. McCall, 1970. "Economics of Information and Job Search," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(1), pages 113-126.
    9. van Ours, Jan & Ridder, Geert, 1991. "Job requirements and the recruitment of new employees," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 213-218, June.
    10. Barron, John M & Berger, Mark C & Black, Dan A, 1997. "Employer Search, Training, and Vacancy Duration," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 35(1), pages 167-192, January.
    11. Chan, William, 1996. "External Recruitment versus Internal Promotion," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(4), pages 555-570, October.
    12. Barron, John M & Bishop, John & Dunkelberg, William C, 1985. "Employer Search: The Interviewing and Hiring of New Employees," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 67(1), pages 43-52, February.
    13. van Ours, Jan & Ridder, Geert, 1992. "Vacancies and the Recruitment of New Employees," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(2), pages 138-155, April.
    14. Montgomery, James D, 1991. "Social Networks and Labor-Market Outcomes: Toward an Economic Analysis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(5), pages 1407-1418, December.
    15. Gorter, Cees & Nijkamp, Peter & Rietveld, Piet, 1993. "The Impact of Employers' Recruitment Behaviour on the Allocation of Vacant Jobs to Unemployed Job Seekers," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 251-269.
    16. Lindeboom, Maarten & van Ours, Jan C & Renes, Gusta, 1994. "Matching Employers and Workers: An Empirical Analysis on the Effectiveness of Search," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 45-67, January.
    17. Terry R. Johnson & Katherine P. Dickinson & Richard W. West, 1985. "An Evaluation of the Impact of ES Referrals on Applicant Earnings," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 20(1), pages 117-137.
    18. Edmund S. Phelps, 1968. "Money-Wage Dynamics and Labor-Market Equilibrium," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 76(4), pages 678-678.
    19. Mortensen, Dale T, 1970. "Job Search, the Duration of Unemployment, and the Phillips Curve," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(5), pages 847-862, December.
    20. Adnett, N J, 1987. "State Employment Agencies and Labour Market Efficiency," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 11(3), pages 183-196, September.
    21. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
    22. Michael Spence, 1973. "Job Market Signaling," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(3), pages 355-374.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kaniel, Ron & Orlov, Dmitry, 2020. "Intermediated Asymmetric Information, Compensation, and Career Prospects," CEPR Discussion Papers 14586, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Mohrenweiser, Jens & Wydra-Sommaggio, Gaby & Zwick, Thomas, 2014. "Adverse Selection and Information Advantages of Training Firms," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100525, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Michèle Forté & Sylvie Monchatre & Géraldine Rieucau & Marie Salognon & Ariel Sevilla & Carole Tuchszirer, 2012. "Pratiques de recrutement et sélectivité sur le marché du travail," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00971684, HAL.
    4. Falk, Armin & Lalive, Rafael & Zweimüller, Josef, 2005. "The success of job applications: a new approach to program evaluation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 739-748, December.
    5. Calmfors, Lars & Forslund, Anders & Hemström, Maria, 2002. "Does active labour market policy work? Lessons from the Swedish experiences," Working Paper Series 2002:4, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    6. Jorge M. Streb, 2006. "Job market signals and signs," CEMA Working Papers: Serie Documentos de Trabajo. 326, Universidad del CEMA.
    7. Michele Pellizzari, 2011. "Employers' Search and the Efficiency of Matching," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(1), pages 25-53, March.
    8. Robert Wagner & Thomas Zwick, 2012. "How Acid are Lemons? Adverse Selection and Signalling for Skilled Labour Market Entrants," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0071, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Feb 2012.
    9. 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.
    10. Arthur Schram & Jordi Brandts & Klarita Gërxhani, 2007. "Information Networks and Worker Recruitment," Working Papers 316, Barcelona School of Economics.
    11. Eriksson, Stefan, 2002. "Imperfect information, wage formation, and the employability of the unemployed," Working Paper Series 2002:17, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    12. Falk, Armin & Lalive, Rafael & Zweimüller, Josef, 2005. "The success of job applications: a new approach to program evaluation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 739-748, December.
    13. Sengul, Gonul, 2017. "Learning about match quality: Information flows and labor market outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 118-130.
    14. Lars Behrenz, 2002. "The Employment Service and Vacancy Durations," Evaluation Review, , vol. 26(6), pages 602-617, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jordi Brandts & Arthur Schram & Klarita Gërxhani, 2007. "Information Networks and Worker Recruitment," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 707.07, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    2. Schram, Arthur & Brandts, Jordi & Gërxhani, Klarita, 2010. "Information, bilateral negotiations, and worker recruitment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(8), pages 1035-1058, November.
    3. Oyer, Paul & Schaefer, Scott, 2011. "Personnel Economics: Hiring and Incentives," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 20, pages 1769-1823, Elsevier.
    4. Jos van Ommeren & Giovanni Russo, 2014. "Firm Recruitment Behaviour: Sequential or Non-sequential Search?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 76(3), pages 432-455, June.
    5. Markus Heckmann & Susanne Noll & Martina Rebien, 2013. "Stellenbesetzungen mit Hindernissen: Bestimmungsfaktoren für den Suchverlauf," AStA Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv, Springer;Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft - German Statistical Society, vol. 6(3), pages 105-131, March.
    6. Michele Pellizzari, 2010. "Do Friends and Relatives Really Help in Getting a Good Job?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 63(3), pages 494-510, April.
    7. Jos van Ommeren & Giovanni Russo, 2004. "Sequential or Non-sequential Recruitment?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 04-109/3, Tinbergen Institute, revised 15 Sep 2008.
    8. James W. Albrecht & Jan C. Van Ours, 2006. "Using Employer Hiring Behavior to Test the Educational Signaling Hypothesis," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 108(3), pages 361-372, October.
    9. Diana Marcela Jiménez Restrepo, 2012. "LA BÚSQUEDA DE INFORMACIÓN EN EL MERCADO LABORAL DESDE UN ENFOQUE ALTERNATIVO: Las redes sociales y el mercado laboral," Documentos de Trabajo 9615, Universidad del Valle, CIDSE.
    10. Bemjamin Villena-Roldan, 2009. "Aggregate Implications of Employer Search and Recruiting Selection," 2009 Meeting Papers 97, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    11. Sicilian, Paul, 1995. "Employer search and worker-firm match quality," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(35), pages 515-532.
    12. Henna Nivalainen, 2014. "Internet-Based Employer Search and Vacancy Duration: Evidence from Finland," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 28(1), pages 112-140, March.
    13. Kuhn, Peter J. & Shen, Kailing, 2010. "Gender Discrimination in Job Ads: Theory and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 5195, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Mano, Yukichi & Yamano, Takashi & Suzuki, Aya & Matsumoto, Tomoya, 2011. "Local and Personal Networks in Employment and the Development of Labor Markets: Evidence from the Cut Flower Industry in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 1760-1770.
    15. Lindeboom, Maarten & van Ours, Jan C & Renes, Gusta, 1994. "Matching Employers and Workers: An Empirical Analysis on the Effectiveness of Search," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 45-67, January.
    16. Kugler, Adriana D., 2003. "Employee referrals and efficiency wages," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(5), pages 531-556, October.
    17. Mano, Yukichi & 真野, 裕吉 & Suzuki, Aya & 鈴木, 綾, 2013. "Measuring Agglomeration Economies: The Case of the Ethiopian Cut Flower Industry," Discussion Papers 2013-04, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University.
    18. Russo, Giovanni & Gorter, Cees & Schettkat, Ronald, 1997. "Searching, ranking and hiring," Serie Research Memoranda 0017, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    19. Clément Mazet-Sonilhac, 2021. "In search of frictions [Les frictions informationnelles dans les marchés du crédit et des biens]," SciencePo Working papers tel-03439354, HAL.
    20. Falk, Armin & Lalive, Rafael & Zweimüller, Josef, 2005. "The success of job applications: a new approach to program evaluation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 739-748, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:recsxx:v:4:y:2001:i:2:p:255-278. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/recs .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.