The Impact of an Online Job Fair: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examines the impact of an online fair for information and communication technology jobs in Bangladesh. The study found that there was no effect on employment probability since more than 90% of job offers generated were rejected. Jobseekers learned about market conditions at the fair. This led jobseekers to lower their labor market expectations and reservation wages. As a result, jobseekers who had been employed kept their jobs longer even if jobs did not match their skills. Those initially unemployed ended up with lower employment probabilities and lower skill-match quality.