On-the-job search. Some empirical evidence from Britain

Abstract

This paper considers evidence from the Labour Force Survey concerning job search by employed workers. The unconditional probability of observing on-the-job search is decomposed into the product of two constituent probabilities upon which maximum likelihood estimation is performed. The analysis facilitates the identification of who searches and whether search takes place in work or from unemployment. Temporary or part-time employment encourages continued search by men but not women. Skilled workers search more than the unskilled and demonstrate a preference for employed search. Inter-industry wage relativities encourage search on-the-job. Job tenure is a significant determinant of the quality of a job match and the subsequent likelihood that on-the-job search is undertaken. Employed job seekers adopt search strategies that are more readily integrated into a working environment. © 1994.