Recruitment Terms & Definitions
What is Boolean Search in recruitment?
A Boolean search is a type of search that allows users to combine keywords with operators such as “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT” to produce more accurate and targeted search results. Named after the mathematician George Boole, who developed Boolean algebra, this method enables users to refine and narrow down their search queries by specifying the relationships between keywords.
Here’s a brief overview of the main Boolean operators:
AND: When used between two keywords, the “AND” operator narrows down search results by finding pages that contain both terms. For example, searching for “marketing AND manager” will return results that include both “marketing” and “manager” in the content.
OR: The “OR” operator broadens search results by finding pages that contain either one keyword or the other, or both. For instance, searching for “marketing OR advertising” will return results that include either “marketing,” “advertising,” or both terms.
NOT: The “NOT” operator excludes specific keywords from search results. It helps refine searches by excluding irrelevant terms. For example, searching for “marketing NOT manager” will return results that include “marketing” but exclude any mention of “manager.”
By using Boolean operators, users can construct more precise and targeted search queries, leading to more relevant search results and improved search efficiency.
How to do a Boolean Google search?
To perform a Boolean Google search, follow these steps:
- Understand Boolean operators: Familiarize yourself with the three main Boolean operators: “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT.” Understand how they work to refine your search results.
- Use operators in your search query: When entering your search query into the Google search bar, include the Boolean operators to specify the relationships between keywords. Here’s how to use them:
- Use “AND” to find pages that contain both terms. For example, “marketing AND manager” will return results that include both “marketing” and “manager.”
- Use “OR” to find pages that contain either term. For instance, “marketing OR advertising” will return results that include either “marketing,” “advertising,” or both terms.
- Use “NOT” to exclude specific terms from your search results. For example, “marketing NOT manager” will return results that include “marketing” but exclude any mention of “manager.”
- Enclose phrases in quotation marks: To search for an exact phrase, enclose it in quotation marks. This tells Google to search for the exact phrase rather than individual words. For example, searching for “digital marketing” will return results that include the phrase “digital marketing.”
- Use parentheses for grouping: You can use parentheses to group terms together and specify the order of operations. This helps clarify complex search queries. For example, “(marketing OR advertising) AND manager” will return results that include either “marketing” or “advertising,” but must also include “manager.”
- Experiment and refine your query: After performing your search, review the results and refine your query as needed. Experiment with different combinations of Boolean operators and keywords to achieve the desired search results.
By following these steps and using Boolean operators effectively, you can perform more precise and targeted searches on Google to find the information you need.
What is a Boolean example?
Boolean refers to a type of logic named after the mathematician George Boole, which involves operations on true or false values. In computing and search engines, Boolean logic is used to combine keywords and phrases to produce more accurate and targeted search results.
An example of Boolean logic is using the “AND” operator to combine two keywords in a search query. For instance, if you’re looking for articles about artificial intelligence and robotics, you could use the Boolean query “artificial intelligence AND robotics.” This tells the search engine to find pages that contain both the term “artificial intelligence” and the term “robotics,” narrowing down the search results to only those pages that discuss both topics simultaneously.