Boolean Search Operators:
Operator | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Quotes | Placing quotation marks around a search term or phrase limits your search to that exact term or phrase. Without the quotes, your search engine may return all results that contain each separate word. | "project manager" |
AND | Placing AND between your keywords will return results that only include both or all your keywords. This will limit your search results. | engineer AND "project manager" |
OR | Placing OR between your search keywords or terms will broaden your search results by returning all possible combinations of your search terms. | engineer OR "project manager" |
NOT | Placing NOT between your search keywords excludes the term after NOT from your search. Any result that has the search option you excluded will not show up in your results. | engineer NOT "project manager" |
Parenthesis | Parenthesis can be used to combine other Operators for a more complex search. The keyword(s) within the parenthesis will be given priority. The example given returns results that contain both software engineer and software architect. | software AND (engineer OR architect) |
Asterisk | The asterisk can be used for a root word, stem, or truncation. The asterisk is a time-saver so you don't have to write out long, complicated search terms. Most job boards will recognize the asterisk, but not all search engines do. | admin* = administration, administrator, administer, administered, etc. |
How to Conduct a Boolean Search:
A step-by-step guide to using Boolean Search to find more candidates.
Pick your search terms.
List the names of the role you want to fill.
Write down the terms you want to use to search for candidates. If you are looking for a project manager, data analyst, and 3D artist, for example, write those terms down where you can refer to them easily.
Expand your list.
Review your list of terms and add alternative job titles candidates may use to describe their profession. For example, a credit officer might also list their job title as "loan officer."
Conduct your search.
Launch your browser.
Open the web browser and access the search engine you typically use.
Search engines such as Google and Bing will yield a wide range of results, including articles, webpages, and reports, that match your search terms.
To perform a targeted search for candidate resumes only, go to a resume search site.
Type in your search terms.
If your search term is a single word, simply type in the term and click on the search icon or use the enter key on your keyboard to perform the search. If you have a search term consisting of two or more words, place these in quotation marks to limit the search results to that exact term or phrase. For example, "3D artist."
Use AND or & between terms to limit your search results further. The search engine will return results including both terms.
For example, "3D artist" & illustrator.
Use OR to broaden your search. The search engine will return results containing all possible combinations of your search terms.
For example, "3D artist" OR illustrator.
Use NOT to exclude any term from your results.
For example, "3D artist" NOT illustrator.
