Boolean search explained for recruiters

Boolean search is a very important tool in sourcing from job boards or search engine. Using Boolean search you can filter out irrelevant resume from the resume database and retrieve resumes with required skill sets. It eases our sourcing effort to a great extent.

Boolean search works based on logic.

Here I will try to explain how to use Boolean operators effectively to extract most suitable profiles from resume database.

Here are two cases out of which I will take one and make an effective search string using Boolean operators.You can take the other case or think of a case on your own and try to use Boolean operators for it. This will help you learn it better.

Case 1: We are searching for candidates with core java and multi threading skills and Unix or Linux or Solaris platform experience but he should not have worked in telecom or networking domain.

Case 2: We are looking for sales managers in insurance domain but he should have retail experience not institutional or corporate sales.

Main Boolean operators:

•    AND  is used when we want both skill sets such as X AND Y
•    OR is used when we want any of the available options i.e.: X OR Y OR Z
•     Bracket/parentheses () is used when AND and OR functions are used in same string. i.e.: X AND (Y OR Z). The above search means X is mandatory and either of Y or Z will do.
•    Quotation mark”—“is used when we are looking for exact phrases i.e. “technical architect”. This search will find resumes with exact phrase “technical architect” written in them.
•    NOT- NOT is used when we don’t want a specific word in a resume i.e.: (X AND Y) AND NOT Z.

 (Pic Courtsey: Naukri)

Here, I will take the 1st case:

1)    If we put a search - Corejava AND multithreading, we will find profiles where all these words are mentioned i.e.: all the candidates might have worked on corejava , multithreading .

2)    Now the problem is - there may be many profiles where people would have written corejava as core java and multithreading as multi threading or multi-threading. We don’t want to miss any of them. So how do we accommodate them? Here OR function comes handy. We can change our search string to - (Corejava OR “Core java”) AND (multithreading OR “multi threading” OR “multi-threading”).

3)    But we are looking for people who have worked either unix or linux or solaris platform. So now the string becomes (Corejava OR “core java”) and (multithreading OR “multi threading” OR “multi-threading”) and (unix OR linux OR solaris) .

4)    Now we are looking for people who have worked in core java, multithreading in unix/linux/solaris platform but he should not be from telecom or networking background.

So the search string we can use is (Corejava OR “core java”) AND (multithreading OR “multi threading” OR “multi-threading”) AND (unix OR linux OR solaris) AND NOT (telecom OR networking).

Now this is a strong Boolean search string which covers all the aspects of the case. Here the results will be lesser in number yet most relevant - exactly what we want.

As I told you earlier, only reading will not do. Take an example and try using the Boolean operators one by one. Look at the results and analyze them. You will find out the pattern very soon.

Some recommendations:
•    When ever searching for any skill try to put all the alternatives a candidate could have used to mention that skills set i.e. (multithreading OR “multi threading” OR “multi threading”). This will make your search more robust.

•    Use NOT operator carefully.  For example: You have mentioned NOT X where you don’t want people who have worked on X skill. Here the search will remove every resume where X is mentioned even once . As a result you may miss some people who have worked in your required skill sets and casually written X once or twice somewhere in there resumes. So before putting NOT operator, think of all the outcomes.



Boolean operators are not as complicated as they are thought to be. After all you have to learn only 5 operators. Remember how many formulas we used to practice in math class in school!

Portal or internal database have huge number of resume of all skill sets. So the key lies in finding the right resume quickly. Strong Boolean skill will help you achieve that.

I have tried to explain how to use Boolean logic in recruitment sourcing as simply as possible. Still if you have any doubt or you think I have missed something, please inform me in comment section or through mail.

Note: I have written Boolean operators in capital letter. But in most job boards you can use small letters also.

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