I know you're use "search" in the sense of search engine, but there's a branch of economics called search theory, and matching job hunters to employers is a can

I know you're use "search" in the sense of search engine, but there's a branch of economics called search theory, and matching job hunters to employers is a canonical example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_theory If you consider that both parties (job hunters and employers) must locate each other and agree on each other then you enter the realm of matching theory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matching_theory_(economics) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matching_theory_(economics) There's a great book on this called "Who Gets What—and Why". The book talks about lots of matching markets: job hunting, school selection, kidney exchange, etc. It talks about the reasons why these markets work and how we might improve them. http://www.hmhbooks.com/whogetswhat/ http://www.hmhbooks.com/whogetswhat/ Note that trust is an important component of a functioning market.