Overskilling, Job Insecurity and Career Mobility: Evidence from Australia

Abstract

This paper uses longitudinal data from Australia to examine the extent to which overskilling is a transitory phenomenon that declines with increased labour market mobility. The results suggest that while overskilled workers are more likely to want to quit, they are relatively unconfident of finding an improved labour market match. Furthermore, some of the greater mobility observed among overskilled workers is due to involuntary job separations and even in instances where job separations are voluntary, the majority of moves do not result in improved skills matches.