Social Networks and Access to a Job for the Unemployed

This survey is part of the LIVES-programme and analyzes how networks help the unemployed to find a job. It is based on a large inflow-sample of unemployed workers in Switzerland who had newly registered with the public employment services between February and April 2012 in the canton of Vaud. The unemployed workers filled in two questionnaires on their social contacts and their job search strategy at the very beginning and the end of their unemployment spell during an observation window of 17 months. The first survey, a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, was administered during the compulsory information session organized by the public employment service. The second survey was sent by e-mail and postal mail to those jobseekers who had left the employment service. An additional survey was sent to the long-term unemployed, 12 to 15 months after entry into unemployment. For over 75% of the original sample, survey data could be matched with data from the unemployment register, providing some information on earlier unemployment spells, pre-unemployment wages and occupations. This dataset thus contains detailed information on jobseekers’ education, class, nationality, social network, job search method, unemployment duration, and characteristics of the old and new job.