​What Is Boolean Search?

Its roots are in an algebraic method, credited to 19th-century math whiz George Boole, that incorporates symbolic logic. The search version combines words and phrases (also called Boolean operators), using “and,” “or,” and “not” (known as Boolean operators) to streamline a particular online search. It’s been used in research for decades since libraries and other parties began offering digital catalogs and databases.

Recruiters and sales professionals have used this method to pinpoint specific skills and talents for outreach and job interviews. For sales, it’s a tool to find keywords that are applicable for finding specific sales leads and clients, and for recruiters, it helps them narrow down the candidates to contact for a specific position.

Job seekers have been using it as well, but in reverse, researching through job boards, LinkedIn, and other platforms for specific positions at specific companies in specific cities with specific duties.

​Benefits Of The Boolean Search Method For Job Seekers

Well, first, it saves time since you’ll be narrowing your search from super-vague and general to focused and strategic. You can find fits that match, more or less, what you’re looking for in a job or company.

Second, when you think in terms of Boolean search, it can inform you on what keywords to use on your resume, LinkedIn profile, or professional website in order to attract the attention you actually want when searching for a job or at least so that you’ll be included among other candidates. This definitely beats being excluded simply because the words don’t exist or getting constant junk mail about invites to interview for jobs that are totally outside of what you really want.

​How To Use The Boolean Search For Job Seekers

There are several savvy ways people use Boolean search to find more targeted job leads and postings. TikTok user Stem_Babe, for example, has offered tips on how best to use the method, urging job seekers in the tech industry to type in job skills versus titles. Another TikTok user, 6FigureChickConsulting, specifies that jobseekers should leverage the Boolean job search approach on LinkedIn to find leads for specific jobs shared via posts from their networks.

When you search, add in the words “and,” or “or" between job titles, skills, cities, or credentials. You can also add quotation marks around specific phrases when you want to be even more specific with a term. For example, you might search “marketing director and tech startup” if you wanted that role in a specific area of the tech industry. You might type “research editor or copy editor” if you want job listings narrowed down to those specific roles. Add quotation marks around industry-specific jargon, programming knowledge, or specialized skills.

You can play around with it, trying different phrases and word groupings to see what keyword combinations work for what you’re looking for. You can also use SEO tools and resources to find out what phrases you might want to target for your industry and the type of job you’re interested in. You’ll know you’re on to something when the number of search results gets smaller and smaller, and you’re finding more of the types of jobs you want to apply for than those you do not.

Give the Boolean search method a try the next time you’re looking for job opportunities, and add it to your strategy if it’s ideal and proves to save you time and stress.

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