Josef Zweimüller, University of Zurich

How Job Applications and Interviews Shape Job Finding
(Rafael Lalive, Aderonke Osikominu, Jeremy Zuchuat and Josef Zweimüller)

Abstract: This paper studies how job seekers get a job interview based on search diaries that record interviews, applications, and means of contact, of about 17,500 job seekers over a period of one year. Following job seekers over time to address dynamic selection, we find that employers invite job seekers for a job interview about 0.5 times per month early in the spell, but this number drops to 0.25 after one year, and to 0.12 after two years. The number of job interviews declines because job seekers apply to fewer positions, and employers invite them to a job interview much less as the spell draws on. Job seekers contacting employers in person, rather than via phone or mail, stand a much higher chance to secure a job interview, but in-person applications decrease as spells last longer. Policies that target both, applications and callbacks, improve job finding by more than policies targeting applications, or callbacks in isolation.