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Anonymous Job Applications of Fresh Ph.D. Economists

Author

Listed:
  • Krause-Pilatus, Annabelle

    (IZA)

  • Rinne, Ulf

    (IZA)

  • Zimmermann, Klaus F.

    (University of Bonn)

Abstract
Discrimination in recruitment decisions is well documented. Anonymous job applications may reduce discriminatory behavior in hiring. This paper analyzes the potential of this approach in a randomized experiment with fresh Ph.D. economists on the academic job market using data from a European-based economic research institution. If included in the treatment group, characteristics such as name, gender, age, contact details and nationality were removed. Results show that anonymous job applications are in general not associated with a higher or lower probability to receive an invitation for a job interview. However, we find that while female applicants have a higher probability to receive an interview invitation than male applicants with standard applications, this difference disappears with anonymous job applications. We furthermore present evidence that certain professional signals are weighted differently with and without anonymization.

Suggested Citation

  • Krause-Pilatus, Annabelle & Rinne, Ulf & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2011. "Anonymous Job Applications of Fresh Ph.D. Economists," IZA Discussion Papers 6100, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6100
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Anonymous applications on the Economics PhD market. Really?
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2011-12-15 20:55:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Krause-Pilatus, Annabelle & Rinne, Ulf & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2014. "Abschlussbericht des Projektes ''Anonym Bewerben in Baden-Württemberg''," IZA Research Reports 63, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. David Neumark, 2018. "Experimental Research on Labor Market Discrimination," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(3), pages 799-866, September.
    3. Ohto Kanninen & Sanni Kiviholma & Tuomo Virkola, "undated". "Anatomy of An Anonymous Hiring Pilot," Working Papers 338, Työn ja talouden tutkimus LABORE, The Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE.
    4. Chen, Jihui Susan & Liu, Qihong & Billger, Sherrilyn M., 2012. "Where Do New Ph.D. Economists Go? Evidence from Recent Initial Job Placements," IZA Discussion Papers 6990, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. João R. Faria & Paulo R. A. Loureiro & Franklin G. Mixon & Adolfo Sachsida, 2016. "Minority Faculty Hiring Power in Academe: an Economic Model," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 43(3), pages 273-288, December.
    6. Ulf Rinne, 2018. "Anonymous job applications and hiring discrimination," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-11, October.
    7. Fang, Ximeng & Ho, Chui Yee, 2024. "The effect of transparency on subjective evaluations: Evidence from competitive figure skating," VfS Annual Conference 2024 (Berlin): Upcoming Labor Market Challenges 302427, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Marco Caliendo & Steffen Künn, 2015. "Getting back into the labor market: the effects of start-up subsidies for unemployed females," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 1005-1043, October.
    9. Chmura, Thorsten & Goerg, Sebastian J. & Weiss, Pia, 2016. "Natural groups and economic characteristics as driving forces of wage discrimination," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 178-200.
    10. Joanna N. Lahey & Douglas R. Oxley, 2021. "Discrimination at the Intersection of Age, Race, and Gender: Evidence from an Eye‐Tracking Experiment," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(4), pages 1083-1119, September.
    11. Luc Behaghel & Bruno Crépon & Thomas Le Barbanchon, 2015. "Unintended Effects of Anonymous Résumés," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 1-27, July.
    12. Lee, Logan M. & Waddell, Glen R., 2021. "Diversity and the timing of preference in hiring decisions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 432-459.
    13. Allgood, Sam, 2020. "Age discrimination and academic labor markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 70-78.
    14. Ulf Rinne, 2013. "The evaluation of immigration policies," Chapters, in: Amelie F. Constant & Klaus F. Zimmermann (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Migration, chapter 28, pages 530-552, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Annabelle Krause & Ulf Rinne & Klaus Zimmermann, 2012. "Anonymous job applications in Europe," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Krause, Annabelle & Rinne, Ulf & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2012. "Anonymous job applications of fresh Ph.D. economists," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 441-444.
    17. David Neumark, 2020. "Age Discrimination in Hiring: Evidence from Age-Blind vs. Non-Age-Blind Hiring Procedures," NBER Working Papers 26623, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ph.D. economists; discrimination; randomized experiment; anonymous job applications; annual job market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • J79 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Other
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General

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