Job Search Assistance Programs – A Review of the Literature

“This report presents the information gathered through a nine-month knowledge development effort as part of an effort funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families to address the lack of recent and relevant research related to the relative effectiveness of various job search methods and the components of JSA programs. Specifically, the report provides an overview of current job search assistance (JSA) programs and the existing literature related to JSA. While the effort considered in JSA in general, the focus was on the JSA for disadvantaged workers and heads of households. A second report explores design options for an evaluation of JSA" (p.1).

"This report reviews the nature of the job market in which individual job search occurs, existing JSA programs, and theoretical perspectives on job search and JSA programs. It also reviews methodological considerations in reviewing the empirical evidence and the empirical evidence itself on both the effectiveness of individual job search strategies and JSA programs. Finally, this report identifies the key issues to consider when selecting which JSA program components to evaluate.

In particular, the report argues that JSA programs can be viewed as working through two different mechanisms: ’assistance’ and ’enforcement.’ The assistance mechanism helps motivated job seekers to find jobs—both directly and by teaching the skills required for job search. The enforcement attempts to force the jobless to search more intensively and more sincerely, and then to require them to accept less attractive job offers—or be sanctioned. The report views a third ’training’‖ mechanism involving increasing individuals‘ skills on the job as an activity other than JSA. While there is literature to support both the assistance and training mechanisms and also the enforcement mechanism, their relative importance—for the current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) population, relative to their levels in current JSA programs—remains an open question” (p.1).

(Abstractor: Author)

“The review of the literature provides some—far from definitive—insights on the effectiveness of efforts towards the three mechanisms. The importance of assistance and training relative to enforcement remains an open issue. Early evidence from Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) (the predecessor program to TANF) was interpreted as operating through the assistance and training mechanisms. For some studies, our review suggests that is the likely explanation. However, for other studies—particularly for Unemployment Insurance (UI) in the U.S. and in Europe—our review suggests clear evidence for the importance of the enforcement mechanism, with only a minimal role for either the assistance or training mechanisms. Viewed in light of these UI studies in the U.S. and Europe, the evidence for the role of the assistance mechanism in the TANF studies is weaker—though not zero” (p.111). (Abstractor: Author)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2012
• Author(s): Klerman, Jacob; Koralek, Robin; Miller, Ashley; and Wen, Katherine.
• Organizational Author(s): ABT Associates
• Funding Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by: Long Dang
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies