Soziale Netzwerke und Arbeitsmarkt
Auf der Suche nach Personal und freien Stellen werden von Betrieben und Arbeitsuchenden unter anderem soziale Netzwerke genutzt. Darunter sind nicht nur persönliche Beziehungen über Verwandte, Bekannte oder den Freundeskreis zu verstehen, sondern auch über soziale Netzwerke, wie durch Facebook oder Xing vermittelte Kontakte. Soziale Netzwerke liefern für Arbeitsuchende oftmals Informationen über den Betrieb bzw. umgekehrt für die Unternehmen Informationen über Bewerber*innen, die über herkömmliche Rekrutierungs- und Suchkanäle (z.B. Stellenanzeige, Bewerbungsunterlagen) nicht oder nur schwer zugänglich sind.
In dem Themendossier ist wissenschaftliche Literatur zur Bedeutung und zum Nutzen sozialer Netzwerke bei der Personal- und Arbeitsplatzsuche zusammengestellt.
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Literaturhinweis
The Role of Referrals in Immobility, Inequality, and Inefficiency in Labor Markets (2026)
Zitatform
Bolte, Lukas, Matthew O. Jackson & Nicole Immorlica (2026): The Role of Referrals in Immobility, Inequality, and Inefficiency in Labor Markets. In: Journal of labor economics, Jg. 44, H. 2, S. 447-479. DOI:10.1086/733048
Abstract
"We study the consequences of job markets’ heavy reliance on referrals. Referrals lead to more opportunities for workers to be hired, which lead to better matches andincreased productivity, but also disadvantage job-seekers with few or no connections to employed workers, increasing inequality. Coupled with homophily, referrals also lead to immobility. We identify conditions under which distributing referrals more evenly reduces inequality and improves future productivity and mobility. We use the model to examine the short and long-run welfare impacts of policies such as affirmative actionand algorithmic fairness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Finding a job through social networks: monetary and nonmonetary returns for employed and unemployed job seekers (2026)
Zitatform
Drasch, Katrin & Gerhard Krug (2026): Finding a job through social networks: monetary and nonmonetary returns for employed and unemployed job seekers. In: European Societies, S. 1-34. DOI:10.1162/euso.a.106
Abstract
"This study examines the impact of job vacancy information obtained through personal contacts on monetary and nonmonetary job search outcomes. We hypothesise that the effects will be positive for both kinds of outcome, and that these effects may depend on employment status prior to finding a new job. Additionally, we hypothesise that information from professional personal contacts will lead to better job search outcomes than information from private personal contacts. We use panel data from the German Panel Study “Labour Market and Social Security” (PASS) and fixed effects regressions to test these hypotheses. Monetary outcomes are measured by wages and nonmonetary outcomes by job satisfaction. Overall, we find that the employed tend to benefit more than the unemployed. However, the specific pattern differs depending on whether vacancy information stems from personal or professional contacts and on the type of outcome (monetary or nonmonetary)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Local Networks and New Business Formation (2026)
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Füner, Lena, Marius Berger, Johannes Bersch & Hanna Hottenrott (2026): Local Networks and New Business Formation. In: Journal of economics & management strategy, Jg. 35, H. 2, S. 326-353., 2025-07-29. DOI:10.1111/jems.70003
Abstract
"New business formation is a key driver of regional transformation and development. While we know that a region's attractiveness for new businesses depends on its resources, infrastructure, and human capital, we know little about the role of local business networks in promoting or impeding the birth of new firms. We construct local business networks connecting more than 350 million nodes consisting of managers, owners, and firms using data on the universe of German businesses. Differentiating between firms founded by serial and de novo entrepreneurs and different network measures (average degree and transitivity of the largest component), we show that the connectedness between actors within a region matters for firm entry and individual firm performance. We show a positive relationship between a region's connectedness and firm entry by serial entrepreneurs. Networks are also linked to individual firm performance, especially in terms of larger entry size of de-novo firms and higher employment growth for both de-novo and serial entrepreneurship." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Wiley) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Do caseworker meetings prevent unemployment? Evidence from a field experiment (2026)
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Homrighausen, Pia & Michael Oberfichtner (2026): Do caseworker meetings prevent unemployment? Evidence from a field experiment. In: European Economic Review, Jg. 183, 2025-11-21. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2025.105215
Abstract
"Caseworker meetings have been shown to accelerate exit from unemployment. We investigate whether they are also effective before job loss. In a natural field experiment in Germany, where workers must register with the employment agency up to three months before becoming unemployed, we offer caseworker meetings to jobseekers while they are still employed. Our results indicate that offering preventive meetings does not improve jobseekers’ labour market outcomes, despite bringing forward the first meeting. The intervention increases the total number of meetings, thereby consuming scarce caseworker resources, but does not influence jobseekers’ search behaviour - likely explaining its lack of effectiveness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The role of network isolation on language proficiency of children of migrants (2026)
Zitatform
Klingeren, Fijnanda van, Jan van der Laan & Marjolijn Das (2026): The role of network isolation on language proficiency of children of migrants. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 103. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2026.101138
Abstract
"Although the school performance of children of migrants in the Netherlands continues to improve, it still lags behind compared to that of children of Dutch origin, which contributes to inequality in socio-economic outcomes. To reduce this performance gap it is of great societal importance to gain insight into the factors influencing language proficiency of children of migrants. This paper investigates to what extent the share of people from children’s own origin group in the network – network isolation – influences their Dutch language proficiency and subsequent sorting in educational secondary school tracks. To measure network isolation of children we used a whole-population network from Statistics Netherlands containing family members, household members, neighbours, classmates and colleagues. The score on the language component of the final-year primary school exam is used as an indicator of Dutch language proficiency. Results show that higher levels of network isolation, i.e., a higher share of the own origin group in the network, are associated with lower Dutch language proficiency. Furthermore, higher levels of network isolation are related to lower teacher track recommendations for secondary school, and this relationship is fully mediated by language proficiency. These findings highlight the importance of considering the broader social context —beyond language exposure in the household — when promoting social mobility of children of migrants." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Party On: The Labor Market Returns to Social Networks in Adolescence (2026)
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Lleras-Muney, Adriana, Matthew Miller, Shuyang Sheng & Veronica Sovero (2026): Party On: The Labor Market Returns to Social Networks in Adolescence. In: Journal of labor economics, Jg. 44, H. 1, S. 25-52. DOI:10.1086/731308
Abstract
"We investigate the returns to adolescent friendships on earnings in adulthood using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Because both education and friendships are jointly determined in adolescence, OLS estimates of their returns are likely biased. We implement a novel procedure to obtain bounds on the causal returns to friendships: we assume that the returns to schooling range from 5 to 15% (based on prior literature), and instrument for friendships using similarity in age among peers. Having one more friend in adolescence increases earnings between 7and 14%, substantially more than OLS estimates would suggest." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
‘You Need a Network’: How Highly Skilled Refugees Build Social Networks to Convert Cultural Capital and Reclaim Professional Identities (2026)
Zitatform
Ryan, Louise, María López, Alessia Dalceggio & Farzana Adell (2026): ‘You Need a Network’: How Highly Skilled Refugees Build Social Networks to Convert Cultural Capital and Reclaim Professional Identities. In: Sociology, Jg. 60, H. 2, S. 388-406. DOI:10.1177/00380385251363897
Abstract
"Drawing upon social network analysis and longitudinal research with recently resettled Afghans in London, this article advances understanding of social capital in navigating upward mobility and rebuilding professional identities. Forced migration may result in the sudden rupturing of social ties (‘torn nets’) and loss of status which may undermine one’s sense of self. Even the most experienced and highly qualified professionals may face deskilling – ‘starting from zero’. While acknowledging structural barriers, and racialised discrimination, it is important to understand refugees’ strategies to rebuild careers. Building upon the ‘presentation of the networked self’, we explore the role of relationality in how professional identity is reclaimed. Social networks can be useful routes to jobs. However, we argue that the extent to which social connections may help with reclaiming one’s former career depends, partly, on forging ‘vertical ties’ with those who are willing and able to recognize and legitimate that professional status." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Spatial mobility and occupational status attainment in the transition from school to work in Germany (2026)
Zitatform
Wicht, Alexandra, Paula Protsch, Laura Menze & Katarina Weßling (2026): Spatial mobility and occupational status attainment in the transition from school to work in Germany. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 67. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2026.100728
Abstract
"This study investigates opportunities for occupational status attainment through spatial mobility in early stratification processes. We focus in particular on how this relationship is conditioned by young people’s occupational status aspirations as well as by institutional and local structural opportunities, thereby scrutinizing how spatial mobility may contribute to unequal career opportunities. Empirically, we analyze occupational status attainment in the transition from school to Vocational Education and Journal Pre-proof 2 Training (VET) in Germany. Using longitudinal data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) combined with fine-grained regional information, we show that young people who commute or relocate for a VET position are more likely to secure higher-status VET positions. Yet spatial mobility is only associated with higher occupational status attainment among young people with higher levels of occupational status aspirations, among those originating from structurally weak regions and those with at least an intermediate secondary school-leaving certificate. We conclude that spatial mobility can enable young people to overcome regional disadvantages, functioning as an agentic strategy for pursuing occupational goals more effectively. At the same time, it tends to widen status differentials between socially stratified educational groups and remains shaped by local structural opportunities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 Elsevier) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Differential returns from networking behaviours for men and women: A longitudinal study (2026)
Zitatform
Wolff, Hans-Georg & Klaus Moser (2026): Differential returns from networking behaviours for men and women: A longitudinal study. In: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Jg. 99, H. 1. DOI:10.1111/joop.70090
Abstract
"Networking is an important career self-management strategy that affects objective and subjective career outcomes. Concerning gender differences, the prevailing assumption is that women benefit less from networking than men. Yet, some findings on the effects of specific subdimensions of networking suggest that although men benefit from most dimensions, women may benefit as much or even more from at least some dimensions. Based on theories of stereotypes and homophily, as well as findings from social network studies, we explore whether internal and external networking have different effects on career outcomes for men and women. Using data from an 8-year longitudinal study (N = 229), we employ hierarchical linear modelling to examine how internal and external networking behaviours affect changes in salary and career satisfaction. We find that men's salary growth benefits from internal networking, whereas women's salary growth benefits from external networking. Contrary to our expectations, we find only cross-sectional, but no longitudinal, effects of networking on career satisfaction. Our findings suggest that men and women might emphasize different forms of networking to maximize objective returns." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Women use Social Networks for Job Search more often than Men, but Men use them more intensely (2026)
Zitatform
Zimmermann, Florian & Matthias Collischon (2026): Women use Social Networks for Job Search more often than Men, but Men use them more intensely. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 259, 2025-12-18. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112795
Abstract
"Research has long highlighted the role of social capital for labor market outcomes, but gendered processes received surprisingly little attention. Employing representative German survey data, we analyze differences in job search via social networks. Contrary to expectations, we find that women report using social networks more often at the extensive margin compared to men, but men are more likely utilize networks in ways requiring more effort, such as being introduced to employers. Thus, we highlight the importance of investigating social networks in detail to understand the role of social networks for generating or sustaining gender inequalities in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A Little Help from My Friends? Navigating the Tension Between Social Capital and Meritocracy in the Job Search (2025)
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Adler, Laura & Elena Ayala-Hurtado (2025): A Little Help from My Friends? Navigating the Tension Between Social Capital and Meritocracy in the Job Search. In: Administrative Science Quarterly, Jg. 70, H. 2, S. 496-537. DOI:10.1177/00018392251318974
Abstract
"Job seekers often rely on help from social ties in the search for employment. Yet the job search is characterized by meritocratic ideals according to which candidates should be selected based on their qualifications, not their connections. How do people justify the use of connections gWe conduct an inductive analysis of 56 interviews with young Spaniards experiencing a difficult labor market and identify a novel process of justification, situational alignment, that reconciles these conflicting logics. Respondents justified situations in which connections provided assistance as legitimate when they perceived alignment among the job seeker, job, and type of help that connections provided. Respondents deemed illegitimate the situations in which these were not aligned. These justifications allowed respondents to embrace the social capital logic’s prescription to use connections, while upholding the meritocratic principle that jobs be awarded based on qualifications. We further find that situations involving close ties were more readily justified than those involving distant others. We test this inductively derived process using a survey experiment with 1,536 young Spaniards. This study demonstrates that perceptions of merit are situated, and advances the understanding of social capital by identifying a novel process of justification that contributes
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Literaturhinweis
How did you find your job? Effects of the job search channels on labour market outcomes in Germany (2025)
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Afonina, Mariya & Anna Zaharieva (2025): How did you find your job? Effects of the job search channels on labour market outcomes in Germany. In: Verein für Socialpolitik (Hrsg.) (2025): Revival of Industrial Policy. Beiträge zur Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2025.
Abstract
"We study the effect of finding a job through one’s social contact on starting wages. Using combined SOEP-INKAR data for Germany and propensity score analysis - both matching and weighting - we document that referral hiring is associated with a wage penalty of 10%. This penalty is stable over time. Separating by the type of the social contact, we find that referrals from former colleagues are associated with a 9% wage premium compared to a direct formal application. In contrast, referrals from friends are associated with a 7% wage penalty. Our results highlight persistent self-selection of workers on observable and unobservable characteristics. Using information from a short test of cognitive abilities (symbol digit test) we document that workers recommended by former colleagues perform best in the ability test, consistent with the predictions from a sorting model. The lowest performance is recorded for those relying on the help of their friends. The effects are primarily driven by the sub-sample of women. No significant differences across search channels are found for personality traits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Online Social Network Effects in Labor Markets: Evidence from Facebook’s Entry to College Campuses (2025)
Armona, Luis;Zitatform
Armona, Luis (2025): Online Social Network Effects in Labor Markets: Evidence from Facebook’s Entry to College Campuses. In: The Review of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 107, H. 4, S. 873-888. DOI:10.1162/rest_a_01354
Abstract
"Using quasi-random variation from Facebook’s entry to college campuses, I exploit a natural experiment to estimate the effect of online social network access on future earnings. I estimate that access to Facebook for an additional year in college causes a .62 percentile increase in a cohort’s average earnings, translating to an average wage increase of around $970 in 2014, and decreases income inequality within a cohort. I provide indirect evidence that wage increases come through the channel of increased social ties with college alumni, strengthened employment networks, and increased match value between students’ majors and later occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © MIT Press Journals) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Peer Effects in Old‑Age Employment Among Women (2025)
Badalyan, Sona;Zitatform
Badalyan, Sona (2025): Peer Effects in Old‑Age Employment Among Women. (IAB-Discussion Paper 13/2025), Nürnberg, 72 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.DP.2513
Abstract
"Dieses Papier nutzt eine einzigartige Situation des Normenwandels – eine deutsche Rentenreform, die das Renteneintrittsalter für Frauen und Männer angleichen sollte –, um zu untersuchen, wie Beschäftigung im höheren Alter über Arbeitsplatznetzwerke weitergegeben wird. Die Reform erhöhte das früheste Renteneintrittsalter von Frauen von 60 auf 63 Jahre für Kohorten, die ab 1952 geboren wurden. Unter Verwendung des Universums der Arbeitsgruppen aus den Sozialversicherungsdaten vergleiche ich Frauen, deren Kolleginnen knapp über oder unter der Reformgrenze lagen. Ich finde, dass Frauen eher im höheren Alter erwerbstätig bleiben, wenn ihre Kolleginnen dies tun, wobei die Effekte in den Regionen des ehemaligen Westdeutschlands mit traditionellen Geschlechternormen stärker ausfallen. Geschlechtsneutrale Rentenreformen verstärken somit ihren Effekt über den Einfluss von Kolleginnen und tragen zu einer regionalen Angleichung der Beschäftigungsmuster im späten Erwerbsleben bei." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Family and social resilience: A scoping review of the empirical literature (2025)
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Bawati, Abrar, Rense Nieuwenhuis, Merve Uzunalioǧlu & Max Thaning (2025): Family and social resilience: A scoping review of the empirical literature. In: Demographic Research, Jg. 52, S. 887-914. DOI:10.4054/demres.2025.52.27
Abstract
"Background: The concept of resilience in familial and social contexts has gained prominence in academic and policy discussions. However, the interplay between family life and social inequalities, and how these relate to each other in the resilience literature, has yet to be documented. Objective: This scoping review addresses this gap by analyzing 250 articles published between 1998 and 2023. We compare the concept of resilience as applied in family and social resilience studies through four constitutive elements: (1) the unit of analysis, (2) definitions, (3) types, and (4) the risks, outcomes, and explanatory factors that are examined empirically. Results: While both perspectives study individuals’ resilience, the emphasis in family resilience is on families, whereas social resilience studies focus more on communities and societies. Both perspectives emphasize the centrality of risks in defining resilience, yet family resilience scholarship seeks solutions within the family, while social resilience highlights community dynamics. Additionally, family resilience studies explore topics related to family-specific risks and resources, while social resilience studies examine external risks and resources. Conclusions: The family resilience scholarship follows the clinical tradition in the resilience literature, viewing families as a separate entity that is resourceful and agentic. Socioeconomic risks are recurrent themes in social resilience literature, but not in family resilience. Contribution: Understanding resilience through the lens of family inequalities in socioeconomic contexts can bridge these two perspectives. Incorporating factors such as labour market dynamics, family transitions, and educational attainment into definitions of risks, outcomes, and explanatory factors of resilience can enhance this integration." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Max-Planck-Institut für demographische Forschung) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Interdependent hazards, local interactions and the return decision of recent migrants (2025)
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Bijwaard, Govert E. & Christian Schluter (2025): Interdependent hazards, local interactions and the return decision of recent migrants. In: Spatial Economic Analysis, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1080/17421772.2025.2530498
Abstract
"We propose a new statistical model of spatially interdependent hazards in order to examine whether interactions at the level of the neighborhood are present. To address the endogeneity of location choices, we also implement a weighting scheme that combines insights from inverse propensity score weighting and Bartik-shift-share instrumentation. The good performance of our approach is demonstrated in a Monte Carlo study. In our empirical application a unique large administrative dataset of recent Turkish labor immigrants to The Netherlands is used. We find a positive spatial interaction parameter and show that the local spatial multipliers are substantial." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Linked Employer–Employee Data from XING and the Mannheim Enterprise Panel (2025)
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Breithaupt, Patrick, Hanna Hottenrott, Christian Rammer & Konstantin Römer (2025): Linked Employer–Employee Data from XING and the Mannheim Enterprise Panel. In: Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik, Jg. 245, H. 6, S. 689-703. DOI:10.1515/jbnst-2024-0070
Abstract
"The availability of social media data is growing and represents a new data source for economic research. This paper presents a detailed study on the use of data from a career-oriented social networking platform. The employment data are exported from user profiles and linked to the Mannheim Enterprise Panel (MUP). The linked employer–employee (LEE) data consist of 14 million employments for 1.5 million employers and describes around 9 million employee flows. Plausibility checks confirm that career-oriented social networking data contain valuable information about employments and employee flows. Using such platform data provides opportunities for research on employee mobility, networks, and local ecosystems’ role in economic performance at the employer and the regional level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
You’ll never walk alone: unemployment, social networks and leisure activities (2025)
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Filomena, Mattia & Matteo Picchio (2025): You’ll never walk alone: unemployment, social networks and leisure activities. In: Oxford economic papers, Jg. 77, H. 4, S. 1062-1079. DOI:10.1093/oep/gpaf015
Abstract
"We analyse how unemployment affects individuals’ social networks, leisure activities, and related satisfaction measures. We use the LISS panel, a representative longitudinal survey of the Dutch population. We estimate the effects by inverse propensity score weighting in a difference-in-differences design to deal with unobserved heterogeneity and unbalanced covariate distribution between treated and control units potentially associated with the dynamics of the outcome variables. We find that, after job loss, individuals increase their network size by strengthening their closest family contacts, spending more time with neighbors, and using social media more frequently. Additionally, our results show that job losers derive more enjoyment from their leisure time, with an increase in the time spent on private activities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The role of social capital in precarious youth employment transitions. Evidence from Spain (2025)
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González-Heras, Alejandro, Joan Rodríguez-Soler & Joan M. Verd (2025): The role of social capital in precarious youth employment transitions. Evidence from Spain. In: Journal of Youth Studies, S. 1-18. DOI:10.1080/13676261.2025.2518952
Abstract
"Young people in southern European countries experience particularly difficult transitions between training and employment. In these countries, leaving aside training and work experience, the support of personal networks – which can be conceptualized as social capital – is particularly important in young people’s access to employment. The article’s objective is to identify the extent to which bonding, bridging and linking social capital play a similar role in precarious employment transitions to that described in the literature for more general labour market transitions. To study this role, the article explores data on the labour market trajectory and the mobilization of social connections of young people in Spain, collected by means of a hybrid questionnaire. A set of multilevel logistic regressions is applied to these data, taking the type of contract as a dependent variable. The results show that bridging and linking social capital are useful for avoiding the most precarious employment situation in the careers analysed (informal employment), but they are not associated with stable employment. Furthermore, when the distinction between hierarchical and non-hierarchical bonding social capital is introduced, the results show that only hierarchical bonding (i.e. vertical ties) is negatively associated to the most precarious employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Magic Will Happen if You Gather Us in One Room: Gender Homophily and Women-Only Networking (2025)
Zitatform
Hein, Patricia, Marjo-Riitta Diehl & Karin Kreutzer (2025): Magic Will Happen if You Gather Us in One Room: Gender Homophily and Women-Only Networking. In: Journal of Management, S. 1-39. DOI:10.1177/01492063251390850
Abstract
"Although networking is critical for career advancement, prior research has primarily examined women’s networking in comparison to men’s, often concluding that it plays a less instrumental role due to gendered organizational structures. Women-only networking events are organized to enable women to leverage gender homophily for mutual support and career advancement. However, the mechanisms of gender homophily in women’s networking are not straightforward. Drawing on observations of women-only networking events, interviews, and secondary data, we identify three meanings women attach to homophilic networking (status-driven, instrumental, and expressive) and show how these meanings shape networking behaviors. In networking contexts characterized by “enforced homophily,” where support is offered under the guise of benevolence, women are more aware of these differences in meanings, which prevent them from leveraging the potential benefits of networking with other women. In contexts characterized by “agentic homophily,” the relevance of these differences is less salient, empowering women to challenge, rather than reproduce, gendered organizational structures. Our research extends the understanding of gender homophily as a multifaceted force that is dynamically shaped by the context and interactions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))