Abstract

Using harmonized micro data, this paper investigates the job search behaviour of the unemployed in Europe. The analysis focuses on the importance of individual and household characteristics in this context, as well as on cross-country differences in Europe. Our findings suggest that both individual and household characteristics play an important role, with the latter being more decisive for women. However, even when controlling for these factors, remarkable differences remain between countries, which are associated with institutional characteristics at the country level.

Highlights

  • At the end of 2011, three years after the start of the global economic and financial crisis, about ten per cent of the labour force in the European Union were unemployed.1 While economic recovery will certainly lead to a reduction in the cyclical component of unemployment, high rates of structural unemployment remain a problem in many European countries, which may slow down the beneficial labour market effects of the recovery.In equilibrium, unemployment rates crucially depend on the efficiency of the process of how unemployed, job-seeking individuals are matched with open vacancies (e.g. Pissarides 2000; Petrongolo and Pissarides 2001)

  • The analysis focuses on the importance of individual and household characteristics in this context, as well as on cross-country differences in Europe

  • In the final step of the analysis, we examine whether the intensity of the job search of the unemployed as well as the use of specific search methods is related to the labour-market framework of the EU countries under investigation

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Summary

Introduction

At the end of 2011, three years after the start of the global economic and financial crisis, about ten per cent of the labour force in the European Union were unemployed. While economic recovery will certainly lead to a reduction in the cyclical component of unemployment, high rates of structural unemployment remain a problem in many European countries, which may slow down the beneficial labour market effects of the recovery.In equilibrium, unemployment rates crucially depend on the efficiency of the process of how unemployed, job-seeking individuals are matched with open vacancies (e.g. Pissarides 2000; Petrongolo and Pissarides 2001). At the end of 2011, three years after the start of the global economic and financial crisis, about ten per cent of the labour force in the European Union were unemployed.. Unemployment rates crucially depend on the efficiency of the process of how unemployed, job-seeking individuals are matched with open vacancies Pissarides 2000; Petrongolo and Pissarides 2001) This matching process is treated as a black box. Individuals can influence the efficiency of the process by deciding on how much effort to devote to job search and on which search methods to employ, taking into account associated costs and expected benefits Costs may be of pecuniary nature or relate to time and effort aspects

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