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Formal and informal job search

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  • Merlino, Luca Paolo

Abstract

I develop a model where workers decide how hard to look for a job via formal and informal search channels. The intensity of formal search determines an individual’s arrival rate of offers. The strength of investment in informal search translates into a job contact network in which job offers are transmitted. There are two equilibria, one with high formal search and one with high informal search. The former Pareto dominates the latter.

Suggested Citation

  • Merlino, Luca Paolo, 2014. "Formal and informal job search," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 125(3), pages 350-352.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:125:y:2014:i:3:p:350-352
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2014.10.008
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    5. Andrea Galeotti & Sanjeev Goyal, 2010. "The Law of the Few," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1468-1492, September.
    6. Andrea Galeotti & Luca Paolo Merlino, 2014. "Endogenous Job Contact Networks," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55, pages 1201-1226, November.
    7. Antoni Calvó-Armengol & Matthew O. Jackson, 2004. "The Effects of Social Networks on Employment and Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 426-454, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Merlino, Luca Paolo, 2019. "Informal job search through social networks and vacancy creation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 82-85.
    2. Ugo Bolletta & Luca Paolo Merlino, 2022. "Marriage Through Friends," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 1046-1066, December.
    3. Horvath, Gergely & Zhang, Rui, 2018. "Social network formation and labor market inequality," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 45-49.
    4. Patrick Allmis & Luca Paolo Merlino, 2023. "Homophily and Specialization in Networks," Papers 2312.00457, arXiv.org.
    5. Moreno Galbis, Eva & Wolff, Francois-Charles & Herault, Arnaud, 2020. "How helpful are social networks in finding a job along the economic cycle? Evidence from immigrants in France," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 12-32.
    6. Stupnytska, Yuliia & Zaharieva, Anna, 2015. "Explaining U-shape of the referral hiring pattern in a search model with heterogeneous workers," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 211-233.
    7. Steven Kivinen, 2017. "Unemployment Volatility and Networks," Working Papers daleconwp2017-02, Dalhousie University, Department of Economics.
    8. Kinateder, Markus & Merlino, Luca Paolo, 2022. "Local public goods with weighted link formation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 316-327.
    9. Arbex, Marcelo & Caetano, Sidney & O’Dea, Dennis, 2016. "The implications of labor market network for business cycles," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 37-40.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment; Job search; Endogenous job contact networks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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