The Accuracy of Job Seekers' Wage Expectations

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Caliendo, Marco, Mahlstedt, Robert, Schmeißer, Aiko, Wagner, Sophie
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Caliendo, Marco
Mahlstedt, Robert
Schmeißer, Aiko
Wagner, Sophie
author_facet Caliendo, Marco
Mahlstedt, Robert
Schmeißer, Aiko
Wagner, Sophie
contents We study the accuracy of job seekers' wage expectations by comparing subjective beliefs to objective benchmarks using linked administrative and survey data. Our findings show that especially job seekers with low objective earnings potential and those predicted to face a penalty compared to their pre-unemployment wage display overly optimistic wage expectations. Moreover, wage optimism is amplified by increased job search incentives and job seekers with overoptimistic wage expectations tend to overestimate their reemployment chances. We discuss the labor market implications of wage optimism, as well as the role of information frictions and motivated beliefs as sources of overoptimism.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2309_14044
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Accuracy of Job Seekers' Wage Expectations
Caliendo, Marco
Mahlstedt, Robert
Schmeißer, Aiko
Wagner, Sophie
General Economics
Economics
We study the accuracy of job seekers' wage expectations by comparing subjective beliefs to objective benchmarks using linked administrative and survey data. Our findings show that especially job seekers with low objective earnings potential and those predicted to face a penalty compared to their pre-unemployment wage display overly optimistic wage expectations. Moreover, wage optimism is amplified by increased job search incentives and job seekers with overoptimistic wage expectations tend to overestimate their reemployment chances. We discuss the labor market implications of wage optimism, as well as the role of information frictions and motivated beliefs as sources of overoptimism.
title The Accuracy of Job Seekers' Wage Expectations
topic General Economics
Economics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.14044