What is Boolean Search?
Boolean search is a query technique combining keywords with the operators AND, OR and NOT, plus quotation marks for exact phrases and parentheses for grouping. Recruiters use it to search résumé databases and professional networks with far more precision than plain keyword search.
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed by the TalentHive product team
A typical query looks like: ("software engineer" OR "backend developer") AND (Python OR Go) NOT recruiter. The parentheses group alternatives, quotes force exact phrases, and NOT removes a common false-positive class.
Its inherent limit is that it matches strings, not capability. Boolean search finds people who used your vocabulary on their résumé, which systematically misses equally capable candidates who described the same work differently. Semantic and embedding-based matching addresses part of this; structured interviewing addresses the rest.
Related terms
Candidate Sourcing
Candidate sourcing is the proactive identification and engagement of potential candidates who have not applied to your role. It covers Boolean search on professional networks, talent-pool re-engagement, referrals and outbound outreach, and it feeds the top of the hiring funnel alongside inbound applications.
Résumé Parsing
Résumé parsing is the automated extraction of structured data from an unstructured résumé — contact details, work history, education, skills and dates. It converts a PDF or Word file into searchable database fields so candidates can be filtered, ranked and compared consistently.
Talent Pool
A talent pool is a maintained database of candidates who are potential future fits — silver-medallists from prior searches, sourced prospects, referrals and past applicants who consented to be retained. It shortens future searches by starting them with warm, pre-qualified candidates.
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