Boolean search operators are powerful tools for refining your online sourcing, and the tilde (~) is one of the most underused. It expands your search by including synonyms of your keyword. For instance, searching “~jobs” will also return results for “roles,” “job vacancies,” and “openings.” Similarly, “~CV” broadens your search to include “Curriculum Vitae,” “Resume,” and “Portfolio.”
Use it to simplify processes and fine-tune results. For example:
~CV “Software Developer” -Jobs -Template
This finds documents containing synonyms of “CV” and the exact phrase “Software Developer,” while excluding irrelevant content.
1. Tilde (~)
Boolean search operators are powerful tools for refining your online sourcing, and the tilde (~) is one of the most underused. It expands your search by including synonyms of your keyword. For instance, searching “~jobs” will also return results for “roles,” “job vacancies,” and “openings.” Similarly, “~CV” broadens your search to include “Curriculum Vitae,” “Resume,” and “Portfolio.”
Use it to simplify processes and fine-tune results. For example:
~CV “Software Developer” -Jobs -Template
This finds documents containing synonyms of “CV” and the exact phrase “Software Developer,” while excluding irrelevant content.
2. NEAR
Proximity searches help identify contextually relevant results. The NEAR operator allows you to specify that two keywords should appear close together, which is ideal for managers searching for niche combinations of experience.
Example:
~CV Finance NEAR Admin* -Jobs -template
This query is especially helpful for agencies looking to match candidates to specific job descriptions in sectors like finance and administration, speeding up the entire recruitment process.
3. Filetype:
Want to save time when searching for CVs? Use: filetype:pdf or filetype:doc
This operator lets you manage your sourcing efforts by targeting documents directly, such as resumes in PDF or Word formats. You’ll avoid irrelevant results and quickly access CVs, particularly when using an automated system within your recruitment system.
Common formats include:
- doc
- rtf
- xls
- txt
Tailoring your search by filetype improves data integrity and streamlines tracking efforts across your recruitment software.
4 & 5. Site: and Inurl:
These Boolean operators are essential for “x-ray searching” across niche platforms like GitHub or Stack Overflow – ideal when sourcing highly skilled candidates such as developers or data scientists.
Try:
site: github.com developer AND London
This method is perfect for recruitment agencies or internal managers looking to locate the best candidates in competitive markets. By combining Boolean logic with recruitment software or an applicant tracking system, your recruitment efforts become more strategic and aligned with your business needs.
Why Boolean Still Matters
Whether you’re part of an in-house recruitment team, an external recruitment agency, or using Eclipse Recruitment to scale your workforce, Boolean search is a vital tool. When combined with the right technology and a well-designed recruitment system, it helps:
Maintain data precision
Attract the ideal candidate
Align recruitment goals with company culture
Stay compliant in your sourcing efforts
Mastering Boolean logic gives managers and recruitment software the edge in identifying and engaging the right applicants.
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How Boolean Search Integrates with Modern Recruitment Software
As more businesses shift toward digital recruitment solutions, integrating Boolean search into your applicant tracking system or recruitment software is more important than ever. Most modern platforms, including Eclipse Recruitment, now support advanced search features that let you input Boolean strings directly. This allows recruiters to filter applicants by location, skill set, experience and availability, all within a central hub. With Boolean operators embedded into your recruitment system, your team can reduce time-to-hire, improve candidate experience and ensure that only the best candidates progress through the interview process.
By combining Boolean search logic with automation and smart filtering tools, recruiters can simplify processes and reduce manual admin tasks. For example, instead of sifting through hundreds of CVs, you can build automated workflows that flag strong matches based on predefined Boolean criteria. This not only improves productivity, but also helps ensure that your team can focus on strategic decisions, like aligning candidates with your company culture, ensuring you meet compliance standards and building strong relationships with future employees.
