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Job Search Strategies of Recent University Graduates: Evidence from Russia
Abstract. This article analyses the prevalence and effectiveness of methods and strategies for job searches among recent graduates of Russian universities. The empirical analysis is carried out on unique data from the Russian Graduate Survey 2016, which was undertaken by Federal State Statistics Service. Our results show that the most common strategy is a combined search strategy that involves the use of formal and informal methods, as well as “pure” informal strategies — applying to relatives and friends or contacting employers. The most effective strategies include job searches with the help of relatives and friends, by contacting employers and with the assistance of educational organisations. The choice of job search strategy is determined by the expected return in terms of the likelihood of finding a job. Because of this, the most effective strategies in most cases are simultaneously the most used among those graduate groups for whom this strategy provides a high probability of finding a job. The exception is a job search with the assistance of educational organisations. This strategy is one of the most effective but the scale of its use is small. University administrators should develop strategies to encourage the widespread use of career guidance services among students and graduates, as well as encourage employers to use this search channel.