Using data from administrative records of public employment offices, we study the main factors determining occupational matching, measured by the relationship between the occupation demanded by jobseekers on their job applications and the corresponding final occupation in the job they find. The demanded occupation is a more comprehensive concept about individuals' human capital as it involves not only educational level, but also other relevant aspects such as their specific work experience, precise skills and tasks, and workers' preferences for working in a precise occupation. Using an econometric approach based on proportional hazard models that account for unobserved factors, our results suggest that occupation-specific work experience is the main determinant of occupational matching, especially among men, older workers, and individuals with vocational education.

Key words: occupational matching, labour transitions, occupational mobility, job-specific experience.
JEL classification: J20, J24, J62.