Passive Candidate Search
Beginning Boolean Techniques
Presented by:
Contents
❖ What is Boolean search?
❖ Describe practical applications of Boolean in
passive candidate sourcing.
❖ Using search engines - which ones are best, and
what’s the difference?
❖ Additional Search Tips
❖ Basic ‘plug and search’ templates
❖ Additional Resources
What is Boolean Search?
Invented by a 19th century English
Mathematician named George Boole, this
method of searching enables recruiters
and other researchers to combine words
and phrases (called Boolean operators)
to limit, broaden, or define any search.
Boolean Operators
The Boolean operators every recruiter
must use is:
❖ AND
❖ OR
❖ NOT
Let’s take a look at how these operators
impact our search results.
Boolean Operator: AND
When you choose to use AND in your
search, you are requesting results that
include both of your terms.
Search terms: application AND oracle
Results will include both application and oracle.
Boolean Operator: OR
When you choose to use OR in your
search, you are requesting results that
include one or the other of your terms.
Search terms: developer OR programmer
Results will include either developer or programmer.
Boolean Operator: NOT
When you choose to use NOT in your
search, you are requesting results that
exclude one of your terms.
Search terms: rn NOT lpn
Results will include RN, but disclude LPN.
Google uses a minus sign to denote NOT. For example, the search would be rn -lpn.
Using Search Engines….
When you’re utilizing Boolean Search
techniques, it’s best to use one of the
top four search engines:
❖ Google
❖ Bing
❖ Yahoo
❖ Exalead
Searching Social Media...
In addition to using search engines to uncover
passive candidates, social media sites like
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. can be
searched leveraging Boolean techniques.
What is the best search engine and/or social
media site to use for research?
Where is the best place to conduct searches?
All of them! While there will be some
overlap of information, you will receive
different results from each search tool.
Additional Search Tips
❖ If we are looking for all words in a phrase, such as Capital Market
Analyst, we will include this in our search string, enclosed in
quotations. For example: “capital market analyst”.
❖ Parentheses are used to group terms joined by OR, when there is
any other Boolean operator in the search. For example: “columbus
AND ohio” AND (“marketing director” OR “sales manager”).
❖ If we are searching for a term that is within the title of a web page,
we will enter intitle, as part of our string. For example: (intitle:
resume OR intitle:cv OR intitle:bio OR intitle:profile).
❖ If we want to locate a term that is within the URL of a page, we will
enter inurl, as part of the string. For example: (inurl:resume OR
inurl:cv OR inurl:bio OR inurl:profile).
Additional Search Tips...continued
❖ When we search for resumes, we often receive results that include
job postings. To prevent this, we will use the NOT function.
Include this at the end of your search string: -job -submit -wizard
-eoe -examples -sample -template -apply
❖ An X-ray search allows you to search within one website. As
recruiters, we most often use this method to uncover passive
candidates within LinkedIn; X-ray can certainly be utilized for
other sites, like Indeed, Twitter, etc. To perform an X-ray of
LinkedIn, use this simple string: site:linkedin.com ("mechanical
engineer" AND "San Francisco" AND California) -job -submit -wizard
-eoe -examples -sample -template -apply *You replace keywords
provided with your search terms.
❖ Blogs can be an excellent source of passive candidates! Don’t
forget to complete an X-ray search of them, too.
Basic ‘Plug and Search’ template
To find mechanical engineers in
Columbus, Ohio:
"mechanical engineer" AND columbus AND
ohio AND (intitle:resume OR intitle:cv OR
intitle:bio OR intitle:profile OR intitle:"
about me" )-job -submit -wizard -eoe examples -sample -template -apply
Plug & Search template
job title AND city AND state AND (intitle:
resume OR intitle:cv OR intitle:bio OR
intitle:profile OR intitle:"about me" )-job submit -wizard -eoe -examples -sample template -apply
To X-ray search LinkedIn for
Financial Advisors, nationwide:
site:linkedin.com ("financial advisor"
|fa) AND (florida|fl)-intitle:profiles inurl:dir
*Note - we can use the vertical bar
or | instead of OR.
Plug & Search Template
site:linkedin.com
(title/keyword|title/ keyword) AND
(location|location)-intitle:profiles inurl:dir
*Be sure to use quotes and parentheses as required when creating your own
search string.
Basic ‘Plug and Search’ template
To find chemical engineers in the
National Society of Professional
Engineers:
"chemical engineer" AND (“national
association of engineering
professionals” OR nspe) AND
(intitle:attendees OR inurl:
attendees OR intitle:chapter OR
inurl:chapter OR intitle:
participants OR inurl:participants
OR intitle:roster OR inurl:roster OR
intitle:registrants OR inurl
Let’s look for attendee lists for
nursing conferences:
(filetype:xls OR filetype:pdf OR
filetype:doc) AND (intitle:
attendees OR inurl:attendees OR
intitle:speakers OR inurl:speakers
OR intitle:participants OR inurl:
participants OR intitle:roster OR
inurl:roster) AND
(nurse|rn|cno|don|”nurse
manager”)
Boolean Search Resources
❖
❖
❖
❖
Boolean Black Belt
Boolean Bar Toolbar
Boolean Strings
Boolean Search Tips and Advanced Tips
Explained
❖ A Recruiter’s Guide to Boolean
❖ Intermediate and advanced training
coming soon!
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