Investigating the learning process in job search: A longitudinal study

Abstract

We investigated the learning process in search by conducting a log-based study involving registered job seekers of a commercial job search engine. The analysis shows that job search is a complex task: seekers usually submit multiple queries over sessions that can last days or even weeks. We find that querying, clicking, and job application rates change over time: job seekers tend to use more filters and a less diverse set of query terms. In terms of click and application behavior, we observed a significant decrease in click rate and query term diversity, as well as an increase in application rates. These trends are found to largely match information seeking models of learning in a complex search task. However, common behaviors are observed in the logs that suggest the existing models may not be sufficient to describe all of the users' learning and seeking processes.