Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice

ISSN: 2630-5984

The Impact of Education Level and Gender on Job Search Duration in Turkey

Elcin Aykac Alp
Department of Economics, Istanbul Commerce University, Istanbul, Turkey
Sinem Sefil
Department of Economics, Istanbul Commerce University, Istanbul, Turkey
Ali Kursat Sak
Department of Economics, Istanbul Commerce University, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract

This study examines the effects of changes in unemployment rates on job search duration based on education level and gender in Turkey. Using monthly data obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute for the period January 2005 through February 2013, we investigated the relationship between job search behavior and unemployment among participants with different education levels and genders. Results show that, in general, unemployment rate negatively affected the university graduates’ probability of finding a job, though male university graduates’ probability of finding a job was affected positively from their unemployment rate. High school graduates were affected positively from an increase in the overall unemployment rate, and when females and males were examined separately, the unemployment rate of the each group showed positive effects. Considering that vocational high school graduates obtain the same degree as traditional high school graduates but are taught required skills for specific jobs, our findings differed for this group compared with traditional high school graduates showing similarities with the results for university graduates. For the illiterate group, unemployment rate was positively related to job-seeking behavior; therefore, unskilled workers found jobs easily during high unemployment periods.

Keywords
Job search, Job search duration, Unemployment, Education, Vector Error Correction Model.