ABSTRACT
Mark Granovetter stressed in his study Getting a Job the importance of "weak social ties." He stated that people with whom one does not have particularly close ties, such as acquaintances or fellow members of clubs, can be especially important in finding a new job. This chapter deals with the aspect of job-searching behavior among Dutch long-term unemployed. It examines the search frequency and the search channels that were used. The chapter focuses on the role of the Employment Office and the various work and training programs. Informal social relations seemed to be particularly important for younger people. The chapter shows that the long-term unemployed are a heterogeneous group made up of two main subgroups, each of which each reacts quite differently to unemployment. It provides the willingness of unemployed people to make concessions in order to obtain a job.
