Hiring Procedures in the Firm: Their Economic Determinants and Outcomes / Harry J. Holzer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holzer, Harry J.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w2185.

NBER working paper series no. w2185

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Hiring Procedures in the Firm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 1987.

Summary:

This paper presents an economic analysis of recruitment and screening procedures chosen by firms as they hire new workers. After reviewing the relevant literature within the labor economics and human resources fields, I outline an employer search model in which firms choose hiring procedures as well as reservation productivity levels. The outcomes determined by these choices (e-g., expected vacancy durations, expected worker productivity and characteristics, and total resources devoted to hiring) are considered as well. I then present some empirical evidence on the determinants and outcomes of hiring procedures from a survey of firms. Among other things, the results show some evidence of higher productivity and lower turnover among those hired through referrals from current employees. Total time spent on hiring when using these referrals is also shown to be lower than when other methods are used. However, those hired through these referrals are less likely to be young or female than are those hired through other methods. The implications of these findings for "efficiency" and "equity" considerations are then discussed.

Notes:

Print version record

March 1987.