On-the-job Search in Italian Labor Markets: An Empirical Analysis

This paper analyzes the determinants of on-the-job search activities of Italian workers. Using several waves of the Bank of Italy Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW), a Probit model is used to estimate how individual socio-demographic characteristics and economic variables affect the probability of on-the-job search. We find that the probability of being engaged in job search activities is higher for low wage earners, for workers with low tenure and higher levels of education, for males, and for residents in large cities. Moreover, we find significant differences in the determinants of on-the-job search activities across sectors. Public sector employees show a considerably lower probability of on-the-job search compared to private sector workers. White collar workers and teachers search much less than blue collar workers. Results suggest that, even controlling for wage levels, the attractiveness of jobs varies considerably.