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I need to model the job application process by job seekers. Specifically a job seeker when looking for a job, comes across a job and then decides whether to apply for it or not. I want to model this application decision. Assuming that job seeker has already come across a job, I want to model what are the factors (of the job/employer) that will make this person apply or not apply to the job.

I will appreciate any references that have done similar modeling or any suggestions in this direction. I have been reading papers from job search theory but I can't figure how to use search theory to build my model. The search literature seem to argue that only factor that may affect person's decision to apply is the wage offer from current job versus an outside option. However, in the absence of wage offer; for example person looking at job description and thinking whether he should apply to this job or not, is the question that I'm really after. I guess this is still a search question, it's just that I want to model for other factors (expectation about wages, job condition, employer, my own taste towards the job/employer etc) in the application decision. Appreciate any help!

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  • $\begingroup$ Why do you say this is not a search question? My decision to apply or not probably depends on what my other prospects are, i.e. what I expect from continuing the search. Taking potentially longer unemployment into account you even have search costs. $\endgroup$
    – Giskard
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 18:40
  • $\begingroup$ The search literature seem to argue that only factor that may affect person's decision to apply is the wage offer from current job versus an outside option. However, in the absence of wage offer, for example person looking at job description and thinking whether he should apply to this job or not, is the question that I'm really after. I guess this is still a search question (you are right), it's just that I want to model for other factors (expectation about wages, job condition, employer, my own taste towards the job/employer etc) in the application decision. Edited the question. $\endgroup$
    – Sher Afghan
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 18:56
  • $\begingroup$ Sounds like any labor economics textbook would have a chapter or two that answers your question. Have you taken a look at those? $\endgroup$
    – Herr K.
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 19:28
  • $\begingroup$ Yea that should be there. But I can't find anything but the mainstream search theory in the context of wages only. $\endgroup$
    – Sher Afghan
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 20:00
  • $\begingroup$ Id vote as off topic as this seems like an industrial psychology question $\endgroup$
    – EconJohn ♦
    Commented Oct 31, 2017 at 20:44

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Chapters 6-8 (especially 8) in Modern Labor Economics: Theory and Public Policy, a textbook by Ehrenberg and Smith, cover the topics concerning labor supply. I guess the parts in Ch. 8 that discuss hedonic wage theory would be most relevant to your inquiry.

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