August 2001

IZA DP No. 349: Job Search Methods and Outcomes

published in: Oxford Economic Papers, 2002, 54 (3), 505-533

Using Portuguese data, this paper investigates the effects of job search methods on escape rates from unemployment and of job-finding methods on earnings. The effectiveness of the job search process is also evaluated in terms of the periodicity of the resulting job match. mphasis is accorded the role of the public employment service. Despite its frequency as a search vehicle, the state employment agency is shown to have a low hit rate, and to lead to lower-paying, shorter-lasting jobs.