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Understanding Boolean Logic

Boolean logic is a search method that uses "operators" to help you refine and narrow your search results. Operators are simple words and symbols that change how the keywords are being searched, similar to how mathematical symbols change how you would calculate an equation.

In Bullhorn, you can use Boolean logic in your searching to get more precise results, enabling you to spend less time sifting through "false positives" or candidates that do not met the job requirements.

Operator

Explanation
AND
  • Example: Developer AND Python AND Java
  • When you should use it: When you want to require multiple keywords.
  • What it does: The AND operator narrows your search results. When you use AND, the candidate must have the keyword(s) listed before and after each AND. In the example above, the candidate must have all three keywords in the parts of their record that you've searched: Developer, Python, and Java.
OR
  • Example: DBA OR "Database Administrator"
  • When you should use it: When you want to require at least one keyword.
  • What it does: The OR operator broadens your search and can account for variations of a term; the more ORs you use, the broader the search returns will be. In the example above, the candidate must have either DBA or Database Administrator in the parts of their record that you've searched.
AND NOT
  • Example: "Project Manager" AND NOT construction
  • When you should use it: When you want to exclude keywords. Note that this operator is generally used after you have performed a search, looked at the results, and determined that you do not want to see results containing some word or phrase. It should be used with caution, because it eliminates candidates that have that keyword in any of the areas you are searching in. You might miss out on a great candidate by mistake.
  • What it does:  The AND NOT operator narrows your search by letting you omit words from your results. In the example above, the candidate must have Project Manager but cannot have Construction in the parts of their record that you've searched.
" "
  • Example: "Business Analyst"
  • When you should use it: When you want to require multiple words to be searched as a phrase, in the order you've typed them.
  • What they do: Quotation marks return exact phrase matches. In the example above, candidates returned will have Business Analyst as a phrase, as opposed to the two words appearing, but not necessarily next to each other in that order (i.e., Business AND Analyst).
*
  • Example: Manag*
  • When you should use it: When you want to account for different spellings and/or root variations of a word.
  • What it does: Asterisks, or "wildcards," return words with letters that can replace the asterisk in your search term. In the example above, the candidate could return with any of the following in the parts of their record that you've searched: Manages, Manage, Manager, Managing, Managed, Management, etc.
( )
  • Example: SQL AND (replication OR backup)
  • When you should use it: When you want to combine several search strings into one.
  • What they do: Parentheses group terms (usually joined by the OR operator. The terms within these parentheses are processed together before the other parts of the search string. In the example above, candidates return must have SQL with either replication or backup. If you move the parentheses to a different part of the search string, i.e., (SQL AND replication) OR backup, the search reads differently; meaning that the candidate must have either both SQL and replication together, or neither of those and just backup in the parts of their record that you've searched.

 

Tips

  1. List any required terms using AND to separate them.
    • Example: "Accounting Assistant" AND "accounts payable"
    • Example: Developer AND Java
  2. Use OR to separate keywords with potential variations, when listing similar skills, and for keywords that are not mandatory.
    • Example: Taleo OR iManage
    • Example: J2ee OR "Java 2 Enterprise Edition"
  3. Do you need to use both AND and OR in you search string? If yes, use parentheses to group all the OR keywords together.
    • Example: Developer AND (java OR spring OR html)
    • Example: "Accounting Assistant" AND ("accounts payable" OR AP)
  4. List phrases within quotation marks.
    • Example: "Java 2 Enterprise Edition"
    • Example: "Executive Assistant"
  5. Are there any keywords that could have various endings? If so, use the * at the end of the keyword root.
    • Example: Manag*
    • Example: Admin*
  6. After searching with your string and reviewing the results, are there any “false positives?” If so, edit your search using the NOT operator to omit those candidates from your results.
    • Example: Epic AND Analyst NOT trainer
    • Example: Support NOT Engineer