Skill-Signaling and Labor Rights Information
RCTClinical Trial
Jobseekers in unfamiliar or informal labor markets often lack information on interview standards, workplace rights, and hiring norms, while employers struggle to evaluate applicant capabilities. This information asymmetry leads to reduced job search confidence and lower match efficiency.
Picture this
Imagine an applicant playing a board game in a foreign country without knowing the rules. Even if they have strong skills, they might make basic mistakes during turns or accept unfair penalties from other players. Giving the applicant a clear rulebook and strategy guide helps them present their moves effectively to judges and know their rights when negotiating terms.
What the evidence says
Two months after baseline, the information intervention increased Syrian job search applications by 35% (0.423 applications, p = 0.072), wage employment by 4.7 percentage points (p = 0.036), and earnings by 6.209 JOD (p = 0.092). By four months, employment impacts attenuated to 1.9 percentage points (p = 0.148) and earnings to 4.567 JOD (p = 0.105), showing no significant positive impacts on Jordanian jobseekers.
- Who was studied
- N = 3,770 jobseekers (1,663 Syrian refugees and 2,107 Jordanians) in urban Jordan (Amman, Irbid, Mafraq).
- How
- Randomized controlled trial evaluating an information intervention consisting of face-to-face employment officer training, instructional videos on interview norms and labor laws, and interactive scratch-card paper tools.
What to do
Provide jobseekers with visual and interactive tools explaining interview preparation techniques and local labor law protections to reduce informational asymmetries during job applications.
From the source
"Specifically, respondents in this treatment received in-depth information on (i) how to prepare for and interview for a formal job in Jordan... and (ii) the legal rights of employees in formal jobs."
An Adaptive Targeted Field Experiment: Job Search Assistance for Refugees in Jordan