We develop an equilibrium directed search model of the labor market where workers can simultaneously apply for multiple jobs. The main result is that all equilibria exhibit wage dispersion despite the fact that workers and firms are homogeneous. Wage dispersion is driven by the simultaneity of...

A theoretical model of the labor market is developed to study the firm's decision to use referrals as a hiring method. The labor market is characterized by search frictions and uncertain quality of the match between a worker and a job. Using referrals increases the arrival rate of applicants and...

We study, theoretically and in a quantitative model, the determinants of lender profits in the cross-section of households. We argue that the empirical pattern of high profit margins for high risk contracts calls for a departure from constant markups or ex-post perfect competition models.We...

An equilibrium search model of the labor market is combined with a social network. The key features are that the workers' network transmits information about jobs and that wages and entry of firms are determined in equilibrium. When workers are homogeneous referrals mitigate search frictions....