From Online Job Postings to Economic Insights: A Machine Learning Approach to Structuring Naturally Occurring Data

This paper develops a matched vacancy-company dataset by combining daily Canadian online job postings with smartphone-derived visits to points of interest. To address inconsistencies in company names, we enhance natural language processing algorithms for data structuring. The dataset offers granular, real-time labor market insights that complement official statistics. Analyzing technological change during the COVID-19 pandemic, we find that tech firms' expansion significantly drove digital job growth. This suggests the uptick in digital employment arose not only from increased digital adoption but also from new digital production.