Faculty Fellow Patrizio Piraino (global affairs) and his research team published a paper titled, “The Value of Reference Letters: Experimental Evidence from South Africa” which was cited in the American Economics Association “Chart of the Week” series. The study found that when young, low-skilled South African job seekers submitted a reference letter, the probability of receiving a response increased by 60 percent. However, for applicants with perfect scores, submitting a letter backfired suggesting that some employers may have actually doubted the credibility of the letter.

To read the published paper, click here.

To read the article, click here.