Search Duration and Intermediate, Transitional Work

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of transitional work on the duration of an individual's search spell. A transitional job is one that begins and ends during a reported search spell. While transitional employment may lengthen a person's search through a reduction in time and energy available for finding a permanent job, taking a transitional job may provide the searcher with increased employer contacts and allow the search to distance him- or herself from the stigma of unemployment.