This article is part of the comprehensive guide on LinkedIn Sourcing. Read our related content on LinkedIn Recruit Filters and Diversity Sourcing.
Let us guess! You are a recruiter that scratched his head time and time again to look for new ways of discovering the right candidates for your open jobs. Sometimes it feels like you saw all the profiles, all the people available and can’t figure out how to search for new ones.
Look no further! In this article, we cover Boolean search. A type of search that you can use when you don’t know what else to do anymore.
What are Boolean Search Strings?
Definition of Boolean Strings
If you never heard of boolean strings, no worries! We’ve got you covered! Boolean search uses operators such as ‘’AND’’, ‘’OR’’, and ‘’NOT’’ to combine keyphrases that lead to better search results. Basically, it helps you refine your search and generate specific results based on the criteria you set.
Importance of using Boolean Search Strings on LinkedIn
You might be wondering why to use boolean search strings on LinkedIn when you have other filters available. It is important to use them because it offers you a competitive advantage. Most recruiters don’t use boolean strings as part of their recruitment strategy. You can take advantage of this and be one of the very few that do this.
Benefits of using Boolean Search Strings on LinkedIn
There are also a couple of benefits that you might want to consider:
- You get results that are more accurate for your specific needs
- You save time by getting right to the target
- You become more productive since you don’t waste time searching randomly
- You differentiate yourself
Examples of Boolean Search Strings
If you want to try boolean search strings, let’s see some examples of how you can use those search operators. We are going to cover some examples for each of the operators.
Using AND
One of the operators is AND. You can use it when you want to narrow down your search results to some specific keywords.
Let’s take an example. Let’s say that you are looking for a software engineer that knows Java and is from San Francisco. This is how the boolean search string will look like for this particular case:
“software engineer” AND “Java” AND “San Francisco”
Let’s look at another one. If you are hiring for an account manager that has sales experience, but you would also like to have previously worked with SaaS or Cloud, the boolean search string will look like this:
“sales” AND “account manager” AND (“SaaS” OR “cloud”)
Using OR
Another search operator is OR. You should use this one when you want to broaden your search and make it more inclusive. It is also great when you want to include multiple keywords.
For example, if you are looking for UI Designer or UX designer, the string will look like this:
“UI designer” OR “UX designer”
If you want product owners or product managers that have experience with Agile or SCRUM, you could write the string in the following way:
(“product manager” OR “product owner”) AND (“Agile” OR “Scrum”)
Using NOT
Not operator is often used to exclude certain criteria or keywords. When you use it, the results generated will exclude those keywords, and it helps you refine your searches.
If you are looking for a data analyst that isn’t entry-level, your search would look like: “data analyst” NOT “entry level”
And if you are searching for a marketing manager, but you are not interested in digital marketing, you can use it like: “marketing manager” NOT “digital marketing”
Using Parentheses
Parentheses are used when you want to group specific terms and keywords. They are also used to define the order of the operations. You can use parentheses when you have complex queries, and you need specific results.
Let’s say you are looking for marketing or SEO results, but you also want them to be related to B2B or enterprise sector. You can search it by using the following strings: (“content marketing” OR “SEO”) AND (“B2B” OR “enterprise”).
If you are looking for profiles of people that are developers or engineers, but it is also important for your role to have either full stack, front end, or back end experience, you will use:
(“full stack” OR “front end” OR “back end”) AND (“developer” OR “engineer”)
Using hashtags
Another thing you can use to narrow down your searches is hashtags. Yes, the ones that you use on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. It is the same idea.
You take one of the operators AND, OR and NOT and you add the hashtags when you are searching for specific profiles or posts with those #s.
For example, ‘’#marketing’’ AND ‘’#digitalmarketing’’
Using company names
Another great trick is to use in your boolean strings company names when you want to see profiles of people from specific companies.
Let’s imagine that you want to search for a Google or an ex-Google employee that is a software engineer and lives in California. The way you can search for this particular case is: “software engineer” AND “Google” AND “California”.
Similar if you want profiles of account managers from Microsoft: “sales” AND “account manager” AND “Microsoft”.
Using Wildcards
Another trick that you can use is wildcards. You can use them whenever you are not sure of how to spell a specific term. They are also great when you want to find variations of the same term.
For example, you can use “marketing*” AND “manager” AND “New York” when you are looking for people with experience in a wide range of the marketing field.
Common mistakes when using Boolean Strings
We understand that the numbers of operators and rules for boolean search might be overwhelming. There are 3 common mistakes that we recommend avoiding when using boolean strings.
- Not using the correct form. You should always write AND not ‘’and’’ for example.
- Not updating the search. If you find a formula that works, remind yourself to change it from time to time to generate better results.
- Using terms that are too specific. Although Boolean search is great for narrowing things down, you don’t want to be so specific that will give you 0 results. Use the wildcards or OR whenever you want something broader.
LinkedIn Boolean Search Strings FAQ
What is a LinkedIn Boolean search?
Boolean search is a type of search that uses operators to generate specific, narrow results. Some of the operators are AND, OR, and NOT.
How do I create a Boolean search string on LinkedIn?
You can create Boolean search strings by using keywords with AND, OR, and NOT operators.
What are the benefits of using the Boolean search on LinkedIn?
A few benefits of using boolean search include getting specific results, saving time, and becoming more productive.
Can Boolean searches help me find better job candidates?
Yes, boolean searches help you find job candidates that have specific characteristics on their profiles.
