The use of job search strategies among university graduates

Labour-market entrants are able to choose within a wide range of job search methods. They may send direct applications to employers, search through the employment services, or utilise more informal search methods as relatives and friends. Using data from the Norwegian Graduate Surveys 1995-2000, this study investigates university graduates' entry into the labour market and the use of search methods. The use of informal search methods is affected by the distribution of social capital. The use of the public employment service (PES) is strongly affected by the graduates' characteristics. Graduates with the poorest job prospects are over-represented among the PES users.