Title

Factors Determining Callbacks to Job Applications by the Unemployed: An Audit Study

Author(s)

Henry S. Farber Henry Farber (Princeton University)

Dan Silverman Dan Silverman (Arizona State University)

Till von Wachter Till von Wachter (University of California Los Angeles)

Abstract

We use an audit study approach to investigate how unemployment duration, age, and holding a low-level "interim" job affect the likelihood that experienced college- educated females applying for an administrative support job receive a callback from a potential employer. First, the results show no relationship between callback rates and the duration of unemployment. Second, workers age 50 and older are significantly less likely to receive a callback. Third, taking an interim job significantly reduces the likelihood of receiving a callback. Finally, employers who have higher callback rates respond less to observable differences across workers in determining whom to call back. We interpret these results in the context of a model of employer learning about applicant quality.

Creation Date

2015-10

Section URL ID

Paper Number

592

URL

https://dataspace.princeton.edu/bitstream/88435/dsp019019s485g/4/592.pdf

File Function

Jel

J60, J62

Keyword(s)

Suppress

false

Series

1