Abstract
We study the dynamics of job search along the duration of an unemployment spell. We use an innovative administrative panel database on the job search process of unemployed workers in Switzerland, which report information on the number of job application, callbacks, job offers and exits to a new job. Exploiting the panel structure of the database, we are able to isolate the structural components of duration dependence in both the job search effort provided by the job seekers and the responses to the job applications by the recruiters. We find negative duration dependence in job applications and in callback, but no duration dependence in job offers (conditional on callback). Overall, we find that structural duration dependence is an important factor behind the falling job exit rate during unemployment.
Josef Zweimülleris Professor of Economics at University of Zurich. He is interested in the dynamics of labor markets and the effects of welfare state programs on labor market behavior. He has also worked on the role of unemployment, particular how unemployment insurance affects unemployment durations and other labor market outcomes. He has also studied how reforms of other welfare state programs – such as disability insurance and (early) retirement schemes – affect individual’s labor market behavior. In further research he has looked at gender inequality and how family policies affect the parents labor market outcomes. He is also interested in the role of inequality in macroeconomics.