When it comes to tech recruiting, you always want to find the best talent. Perhaps this is on the mind of every recruiter out there. I am no different. When I came across the concept of Boolean search writing, I felt I have got the key to making meaningful candidate search results. If you wish to become a successful recruiter, you would need to develop the skill of making meaningful searches. It is here that Boolean search will come in handy, so you can organise your search to produce more relevant candidate search results on LinkedIn and beyond.
The key Boolean operators include
AND – When you search a keyword with AND, such as HR AND recruiting, you are telling the search engine to look for both skills in a candidate profile.
OR – When you search a keyword with OR, such as HR OR recruiting, you want to look for a candidate with either of the two skills.
NOT – By including NOT in your search query, such as HR NOT recruiting, you are looking for candidate profiles with HR skills, restricting the search engine from displaying those with recruiting skills.
() – Parenthesis () is used to write complex search strings, such as HR OR Recruiting AND Talent. By applying brackets around a keyword, such as (HR OR Recruiting) AND Talent, you want results displaying profiles with talent skills. Simultaneously you are also raising a query for either HR or recruiting skills.
“” – With Quotations, you are directing the search engine to come up with results matching the exact phrase, such as “Web Designer.” If you do not apply “”, search engines mistake it that you want to search for profiles with the keyword “web” and “designer” separately.
Now it is aptly clear why Boolean search is worth your time when it comes to recruiting technical talent. Here are a few of the reasons to use this type of specialized search for recruitment purpose:
- Save time: Apply these operators along with relevant keywords in your searches and you can create a meaningful list of search strings in no time. This will help you save time in expanding your research and filtering the results. What’s more, with less time spent on reviewing resumes, you can take action faster. The time spent on planning your search keywords for great tech talent will pay off well in the end when you’re able to find a developer that fits your exact needs.
- More control: When looking for a developer with specialized skills, Boolean search strings can come in handy and give you more control over the search results. Applying relevant Boolean operators can make your task easier and give you more accurate and focused results. I find this tech search tool as a search control wizard that has made life so much easier and given me greater control over a keyword search.
- Reduced volume of candidate profiles: With Boolean search, you have the right technique to source a developer with the desired skill set while limiting the search volume to relevant profiles. As a result, you will spend less time searching for the right talent, so you have ample time to engage with people that really matter.
- Unique subject for discussion: Unlike traditional tech recruiting ways, you can charge up the atmosphere by bringing in the topic of Boolean logic during your interaction with a candidate. This discussion may open them up, as research reveals that candidates are more receptive to recruiters or managers that show willingness to learn.
Now you found the candidates but he question is how to evaluate their CV?
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