Goal-Setting Job-Search Nudge
RCTClinical Trial
Jobseekers affected by displacement trauma, long-term unemployment, or self-control frictions often struggle to maintain structured job search schedules and meet baseline application goals [8, 9]. Without systematic goal-tracking mechanisms, psychological distress and procrastination suppress search effort over time [8, 9].
Picture this
Imagine trying to train for a marathon without a workout schedule; it is easy to skip daily runs when you feel discouraged. A goal-setting nudge provides a paper calendar and text message check-ins that act like a personal running coach. The coach asks you to write down how many miles you will run each week, sends reminders at the start of the week, and asks for a confirmation text at the end, turning vague intentions into actionable, tracked routines [9].
What the evidence says
At two months, the nudge increased Syrian job applications by 55% (0.648 additional applications, p = 0.016) and Jordanian job search participation by 6.5 percentage points (p = 0.030) [12]. However, impacts on actual wage employment faded by four months (+0.003 for Syrians, p = 0.449; -0.002 for Jordanians, p = 0.544) [13].
- Who was studied
- N = 3,770 jobseekers (1,663 Syrian refugees and 2,107 Jordanians) in urban Jordan [10, 11].
- How
- Randomized controlled trial evaluating a packaged intervention comprising a 4-week planning calendar, instructional video, face-to-face demonstration, and twice-weekly automated SMS goal reminders [9].
What to do
Deploy structured weekly planning calendars paired with automated goal-setting and goal-review text messages to jobseekers to mitigate self-control bottlenecks during active search phases [9].
From the source
"Through the calendar and the SMSs, participants track the number of jobs they intend to apply for and hours of job search they intend to spend, and can then check whether they met their goals for the week [9]."
An Adaptive Targeted Field Experiment: Job Search Assistance for Refugees in Jordan