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Providing Advice to Jobseekers at Low Cost: An Experimental Study on Online Advice

Author

Listed:
  • Michèle Belot
  • Philipp Kircher
  • Paul Muller

Abstract

We develop and evaluate experimentally a novel tool that redesigns the job search process by providing tailored advice at low cost. We invited jobseekers to our computer facilities for twelve consecutive weekly sessions to search for real jobs on our web interface. For one-half, instead of relying on their own search criteria, we use readily available labour market data to display relevant alternative occupations and associated jobs. The data indicate that this broadens the set of jobs they consider and increases their job interviews especially for participants who otherwise search narrowly and have been unemployed for a few months.

Suggested Citation

  • Michèle Belot & Philipp Kircher & Paul Muller, 2019. "Providing Advice to Jobseekers at Low Cost: An Experimental Study on Online Advice," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 86(4), pages 1411-1447.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:86:y:2019:i:4:p:1411-1447.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/restud/rdy059
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Online job search; Occupational breadth; Search design;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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