Consequences of Women's Formal and Informal Job Search Methods for Employment in Female-Dominated Jobs

Using data from the General Social Survey and the National Organizations Survey, this study assesses the extent to which job search methods affect gender composition in a job. In contrast to past research and the popular notion that networking maximizes job search outcomes, it is found that women who use informal job search methods had jobs with more women in them compared to not using such methods. Women using formal job search methods had jobs with fewer women in them compared to not using these methods. For men, job search methods were not associated with the gender composition of the job.

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