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A Signal of Diligence? Student Work Experience and Later Employment Chances

Author

Listed:
  • Baert, Stijn

    (Ghent University)

  • Rotsaert, Olivier

    (Ghent University)

  • Verhaest, Dieter

    (KU Leuven)

  • Omey, Eddy

    (Ghent University)

Abstract

We investigate the impact of student work experience on later hiring chances. To completely rule out potential endogeneity, we present a field experiment in which various forms of student work experience are randomly disclosed by more than 1000 fictitious graduates applying for jobs in Belgium. Theoretical mechanisms are investigated by estimating heterogeneous treatment effects by the relevance and timing of revealed student work experience. We find that neither form of student work experience enhances initial recruitment decisions. For a number of candidate subgroups (by education level and occupation type), even an adverse effect is found.

Suggested Citation

  • Baert, Stijn & Rotsaert, Olivier & Verhaest, Dieter & Omey, Eddy, 2015. "A Signal of Diligence? Student Work Experience and Later Employment Chances," IZA Discussion Papers 9170, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9170
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Holford, Angus, 2015. "Youth employment and academic performance: production functions and policy effects," ISER Working Paper Series 2015-06, Institute for Social and Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    student employment; randomised field experiments; transitions in youth; human capital; signaling;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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