Bénévolat et accès à l'emploi. Les enseignements d'une expérience contrôlée

This study assesses the effect of volunteering during university studies on job access in the Paris region for young qualified job applicants. The study was performed on experimental data using correspondence testing : between April and July 2010, we sent 7,553 applications in response to 581 job offers. Four occupations were examined in banking and it sectors. For each of these occupations, we built 13 fictitious cv of job applicants similar in all characteristics, except for a significant activity during their studies, volunteering or having a paid-job. Within each profession, the fictitious applicants have essentially the same chances of getting a job interview. When a difference occurs, it is unfavorable to the volunteer. Neither an investment in human capital nor a signaling effect seem to be taken into account by employers when accessing labor market. Classification JEL : C93, L3, J24