Judd Kessler is the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School

Meet economist Judd Kessler

Judd Kessler is the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School

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Graphic: Lucky By Design book cover

In his first book, Judd illuminates the hidden markets that govern our everyday lives — how they work, how to get what you want from them, and how to make them better

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Highlights

Highlights
Pessimistic about dating? Harvard-trained economist says do 2 simple things to improve your luck
Pessimistic about dating? Harvard-trained economist says do 2 simple things to improve your luck

CNBC Make It • December 2025

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Want to Boost Your College Admission Odds? Apply Early — Here’s Why It Works
Want to Boost Your College Admission Odds? Apply Early — Here’s Why It Works

The 74 Million • October 2025

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The Hidden Cost of ‘Affordable Housing’
The Hidden Cost of ‘Affordable Housing’

The Atlantic • October 2025

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Want Your Husband to Do More Around the House? This Economist Has Some Tips
Want Your Husband to Do More Around the House? This Economist Has Some Tips

Katie Couric Media • October 2025

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Better Voting, Better Options: This Mayoral Election Could Use Ranked Choice
Better Voting, Better Options: This Mayoral Election Could Use Ranked Choice

New York Daily News • October 2025

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You Control Hidden Markets at Work—It’s Time to Start Acting Like It
You Control Hidden Markets at Work—It’s Time to Start Acting Like It

Fast Company • October 2025

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NYC Voters, Make Sure Your Ranked Choice Counts
NYC Voters, Make Sure Your Ranked Choice Counts

New York Daily News • June 2025

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How Companies Committed to Diverse Hiring Still Fail
How Companies Committed to Diverse Hiring Still Fail

Harvard Business Review • February 2021

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Mayor de Blasio, Bring Back Summer Jobs
Mayor de Blasio, Bring Back Summer Jobs

The New York Times • June 2020

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Highlights
‘Lucky by Design’ Review: The Game of Getting More
‘Lucky by Design’ Review: The Game of Getting More

The Wall Street Journal • January 2026

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The 10 Best Business Books Of 2025
The 10 Best Business Books Of 2025

Forbes • December 2025

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The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want
The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want

Thought Economics • October 2025

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Dr. Kessler Releases New Book “Lucky by Design”
Dr. Kessler Releases New Book “Lucky by Design”

CHIBE Blog • October 2025

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Improving Job Seekers’ Employment and Earnings Through Credible Skills Signals
Improving Job Seekers’ Employment and Earnings Through Credible Skills Signals

JPAL Policy Insight • November 2024

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White Men Are Still Kings of the Job Market. Here’s Proof.
White Men Are Still Kings of the Job Market. Here’s Proof.

Bloomberg • July 2024

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How to Revitalize Summers for Teens and Young Adults
How to Revitalize Summers for Teens and Young Adults

Washington Post • July 2023

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NYC Officials Promised a Summer Youth Jobs Program Would Make the City Safer. Does It Work?
NYC Officials Promised a Summer Youth Jobs Program Would Make the City Safer. Does It Work?

Gothamist, WNYC • August 2022

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Latest Podcasts

All Podcasts
Everything's on fire, might as well get my nails done?
Everything's on fire, might as well get my nails done?

THI$ IS UNCOMFORTABLE • May 2026

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Maximizing Luck
Maximizing Luck

Masters in Business • March 2026

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The Decline of the Cover Letter in the AI Era
The Decline of the Cover Letter in the AI Era

This Week in Business • March 2026

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How to beat hidden markets
How to beat hidden markets

I Wish They Knew • December 2025

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Lucky By Design: Strategies for Success in a Scarcity Economy
Lucky By Design: Strategies for Success in a Scarcity Economy

The Brainy Business • December 2025

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How You Can Access Hidden Markets & How to Be A Super Conversationalist
How You Can Access Hidden Markets & How to Be A Super Conversationalist

Something You Should Know • October 2025

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How to be “Lucky” by Hacking Hidden Markets to Get More What You Want
How to be “Lucky” by Hacking Hidden Markets to Get More What You Want

How to Be Awesome at Your Job • October 2025

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Judd Kessler on How to Become Lucky by Design
Judd Kessler on How to Become Lucky by Design

Passion Struck • October 2025

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How To Be Lucky (By Design)
How To Be Lucky (By Design)

Daily Creative • October 2025

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How “Hidden Markets” Help You Get What You Want
How “Hidden Markets” Help You Get What You Want

Lavin Voices • October 2025

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Back to School: Transitioning from Summer Jobs
Back to School: Transitioning from Summer Jobs

Ripple Effect • 2024

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Women & Work: Why Don't Women Promote Themselves?
Women & Work: Why Don't Women Promote Themselves?

Ripple Effect • 2023

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Latest Papers

Publications Home
The Gender Concealment Gap

with Christine Exley et al. 2025. (Working Paper)

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Extreme Justifications Fuel Polarization

with Christiane Buschinger et al. 2025. Conditionally Accepted, Economic Journal. (Working Paper)

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Increasing Organ Donor Registration as a Means to Increase Transplantation: An Experiment with Actual Organ Donor Registrations

with Alvin E. Roth. 2025. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 17 (2): 60-83.
Online Appendix

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Information Frictions and Skill Signaling in the Youth Labor Market

with Sara B. Heller. 2024. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 16 (4): 1-33.
Online Appendix

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Equity Concerns are Narrowly Framed

with Christine Exley. 2024. American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, 16 (2): 147-179.
Online Appendix

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Motivated Errors

with Christine Exley. 2024. American Economic Review, 114 (4): 961-987.
Online Appendix

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