Employer Search: The Interviewing and Hiring of New Employees

The purpose of this paper is to present new evidence on employer search to fill a position. The study is based on data for recent hires collected in the 1980 Employer Opportunity Pilot Project (EOPP) survey of employers. The paper investigates the effect of factors such as training, employer size, and labor market conditions on employer search. Employer search is measured by the number of applicants interviewed prior to an employment offer and the average number of hours spent by an employer recruiting, screening, and interviewing per applicant interviewed. The paper also documents the relationship between employer search and wages.