Dead-end jobs or steppingstones? Precarious work in Albania

Purpose This study asks whether lower quality forms of employment lead to career transitions into higher acting as steppingstones, or bridges or, instead they dead-ends, traps, in which workers move between unstable jobs with low prospects for upward mobility and unemployment. Design/methodology/approach uses a unique longitudinal dataset recording monthly states over 3 years 373 individuals the Albanian city Shkoder. The analysis sequence regression investigate people employed quality, more precarious remain these kinds are able transition permanent full-time employment. Findings In line previous evidence region, confirms precarization many working lives particularly women, young those educational attainment. is supportive dead-end hypothesis than idea that job can be steppingstone better job. Originality/value contributes limited knowledge labour market functioning developing post-socialist Western Balkans countries. Recent flexicurity policies have generated an increased prevalence arrangements Albania. investigation addresses research limitations regarding point-in-time unobserved heterogeneity using retrospective data controlling personality traits.