Soft Skills and Hiring

Kate Orkin | University of Oxford

Kate Orkin is an Associate Professor in Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford and an affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)(Development and Labour programmes), Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL), the Institute of Labour Economics (IZA), and the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE).

Abstract

We provide the first experimental evidence on how using more information about job applicants’ soft skills in firms’ hiring decisions affects both firm and workseeker outcomes. Partnering with the largest recruitment agency in South Africa, we randomize the criteria used to shortlist job applicants for job listings at partner firms. We test whether including measures of soft skills in candidate ranking leads to better firm-worker matches, more inclusive hiring, and improved labor market trajectories for workseekers.