ON-THE-JOB SEARCH - SOME EMPIRICAL-EVIDENCE FROM BRITAIN

This paper considers evidence from the Labour Force Survey concerning job search by employed workers. The unconditional probability of obser ving on-the-job search is decomposed into the product of two constitue nt probabilities upon which maximum likelihood estimation is performed . The analysis facilitates the identification of who searches and whet her search takes place in work or from unemployment. Temporary or part -time employment encourages continued search by men but not women. Ski lled workers search more than the unskilled and demonstrate a preferen ce for employed search. Inter-industry wage relativities encourage sea rch 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 i s undertaken. Employed job seekers adopt search strategies that are mo re readily integrated into a working environment.