Publication Date

6-19-2020

Series

Upjohn Institute working paper ; 20-328

DOI

10.17848/wp20-328

Abstract

We present field experimental evidence that limited information about workseekers’ skills distorts both firm and workseeker behavior. Assessing workseekers’ skills, giving workseekers their assessment results, and helping them to credibly share the results with firms increases workseekers’ employment and earnings. It also aligns their beliefs and search strategies more closely with their skills. Giving assessment results only to workseekers has similar effects on beliefs and search, but smaller effects on employment and earnings. Giving assessment results only to firms increases callbacks. These patterns are consistent with two-sided information frictions, a new finding that can inform design of information-provision mechanisms.

Issue Date

June 2020

Sponsorship

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research Early Career Research Award 18-156-04, National Science Foundation (# 1824413), Private Enterprise Development in Low Income Countries (# 3024 and # 4728), and the Global Challenges Research Fund Accelerating Adolescent Achievement Hub

Subject Areas

LABOR MARKET ISSUES; Employment relationships

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Citation

Carranza, Eliana, Robert Garlick, Kate Orkin, and Neil Rankin. 2020. "Job Search and Hiring with Two-Sided Limited Information about Workseekers’ Skills." Upjohn Institute Working Paper 20-328. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. https://doi.org/10.17848/wp20-328