Boolean search is the secret weapon of top sourcers — and most recruiters barely scratch the surface. Master 5 core operators (AND, OR, NOT, quotes, parentheses), learn platform-specific syntax (LinkedIn limits you to 1 search per session without Recruiter), and steal our copy-paste templates for developers, sales, and executives. This cheat sheet includes 20+ ready-to-use strings that work in 2026.
- The 5 boolean operators every recruiter must know (with examples)
- LinkedIn boolean search syntax and limitations (free vs Recruiter)
- Google X-ray search to find candidates outside LinkedIn
- Platform-specific syntax for GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Indeed
- 20+ copy-paste boolean strings for common roles
- How to use ChatGPT to generate complex boolean strings instantly
Quick Answers
What is boolean search in recruiting?
Boolean search uses operators (AND, OR, NOT, quotes, parentheses) to combine or exclude keywords in database searches. Recruiters use it to find specific candidates on LinkedIn, job boards, and via Google X-ray searches.
Does LinkedIn support boolean search?
Yes. LinkedIn supports AND, OR, NOT, quotes (""), and parentheses (). It does NOT support wildcards (*), brackets [], or braces {}. Operators must be in UPPERCASE to work correctly.
What is X-ray search in recruiting?
X-ray search uses Google's site: operator to search within a specific website (like LinkedIn) using Google's more powerful search capabilities. Example: site:linkedin.com/in "software engineer" Python San Francisco
Can ChatGPT write boolean strings for me?
Yes — and it's extremely effective. Give ChatGPT your role requirements, required skills, and location, and it will generate optimized boolean strings for LinkedIn, Google X-ray, and other platforms.
Boolean search isn't new — it's been around since the 1960s. But in 2026, it's still the most underutilized skill in recruiting. The difference between a sourcer who finds 50 candidates and one who finds 500 often comes down to boolean mastery.
The problem? Most recruiters learn the basics (AND, OR, NOT) and stop there. They miss the parentheses that control logic order, the quotes that find exact phrases, and the platform-specific quirks that break their searches.
This cheat sheet gives you everything you need: operator reference, platform syntax, copy-paste strings, and ChatGPT prompts to generate complex searches in seconds.
Careery is an AI-driven career acceleration service that helps professionals land high-paying jobs and get promoted faster through job search automation, personal branding, and real-world hiring psychology.
Learn how Careery can help youWhat Is Boolean Search?
- Boolean Search
A search method that uses operators (AND, OR, NOT) and symbols (quotes, parentheses) to combine, exclude, or group keywords. Named after mathematician George Boole, boolean logic allows precise database queries that return exactly what you're looking for — not pages of irrelevant results.
Boolean search works on any searchable database: LinkedIn, job boards, ATS systems, Google, GitHub, and more. The syntax varies slightly by platform, but the logic is universal.
Why Boolean Search Still Matters in 2026
With AI-powered sourcing tools everywhere, you might wonder if boolean is obsolete. It's not — for three reasons:
- AI tools still use boolean under the hood — understanding the logic helps you use tools better
- Free LinkedIn search is boolean-only — no AI assist without Recruiter license
- X-ray search bypasses platform limits — Google boolean finds candidates LinkedIn hides
Master 5 operators and you'll outperform 80% of recruiters. The operators: AND, OR, NOT, quotes (""), and parentheses (). Everything else is platform-specific syntax you can look up.
The 5 Core Boolean Operators
AND — Narrow Your Results
AND requires both terms to appear. Use it to add requirements.
software AND engineer AND Python
This returns results containing ALL three terms: software, engineer, AND Python.
LinkedIn treats spaces as implicit AND. Searching "software engineer Python" is the same as "software AND engineer AND Python" — but using explicit AND makes your logic clearer.
OR — Expand Your Results
OR returns results containing either term. Use it for synonyms, alternate titles, or skill variations.
(developer OR engineer OR programmer) AND Python
This finds anyone called developer, engineer, OR programmer who also knows Python.
NOT — Exclude Unwanted Results
NOT removes results containing a term. Use it to filter out irrelevant matches.
recruiter NOT (agency OR staffing OR contract)
This finds recruiters but excludes agency/staffing/contract recruiters.
Always put NOT after your main search terms. Some platforms process left-to-right, so NOT agency AND recruiter might not work as expected.
Quotes ("") — Exact Phrase Match
Quotes find exact phrases. Without quotes, search engines treat each word independently.
"product manager" → finds exact phrase
product manager → finds pages with both words (anywhere)
Use quotes for:
- Multi-word job titles:
"software engineer","product manager" - Company names:
"Goldman Sachs","JP Morgan" - Certifications:
"PMP certified","AWS Solutions Architect"
Parentheses () — Control Logic Order
Parentheses group terms and control evaluation order. Without them, operators apply left-to-right, which may not be what you want.
Without parentheses (ambiguous):
developer OR engineer AND Python
Does this mean (developer OR engineer) AND Python or developer OR (engineer AND Python)?
With parentheses (clear):
(developer OR engineer) AND Python
Now it's unambiguous: find developers OR engineers who know Python.
On LinkedIn, the precedence is: Quotes → Parentheses → NOT → AND → OR. When in doubt, use parentheses to make your intent explicit.
LinkedIn Boolean Search
LinkedIn supports boolean search in the main search bar, but with important limitations.
What LinkedIn Supports
What LinkedIn Does NOT Support
LinkedIn Boolean Limitations
- Wildcards (*) — "recruit*" won't match recruiter/recruiting/recruitment
- Brackets [ ] and Braces { } — treated as regular characters
- Angle brackets < > — not recognized
- Plus sign (+) — not officially supported, use AND instead
- Minus sign (-) — not officially supported, use NOT instead
LinkedIn Free vs Recruiter
Sample LinkedIn Boolean Strings
Find software engineers in San Francisco:
"software engineer" AND (Python OR Java) AND "San Francisco"
Find senior product managers (exclude interns/junior):
"product manager" AND (senior OR lead OR principal) NOT (intern OR junior OR associate)
Find recruiters at FAANG companies:
recruiter AND (Google OR Meta OR Amazon OR Apple OR Netflix OR Microsoft)
Combine LinkedIn's built-in filters (location, current company, industry) with boolean in the keyword field. Filters reduce noise; boolean refines results.
Google X-Ray Search
X-ray search uses Google to search within a specific website. It's more powerful than LinkedIn's native search because:
- No result limits — Google shows all indexed pages
- Finds hidden profiles — Some profiles not visible in LinkedIn search appear in Google
- Better phrase matching — Google's algorithm is more sophisticated
- X-Ray Search
A sourcing technique that uses Google's
site:operator to search within a specific website (like linkedin.com). The term "X-ray" comes from the ability to see content that's not visible through the site's own search.
Basic X-Ray Syntax
site:linkedin.com/in "job title" "skill" "location"
The /in path targets LinkedIn member profiles specifically (vs company pages, job posts, etc.).
X-Ray Search Operators
Sample X-Ray Strings for LinkedIn
Software engineers in Austin:
site:linkedin.com/in "software engineer" Python Austin
Product managers at startups (exclude big tech):
site:linkedin.com/in "product manager" startup -Google -Amazon -Meta -Microsoft
Data scientists with specific skills:
site:linkedin.com/in "data scientist" (TensorFlow OR PyTorch) "machine learning"
VPs of Engineering (executive search):
site:linkedin.com/in "VP of Engineering" OR "Vice President of Engineering" (Series B OR Series C OR Series D)
Google only indexes public profiles. If someone has privacy settings that hide their profile from search engines, X-ray won't find them. LinkedIn Recruiter sees profiles that X-ray misses.
Boolean Search on Other Platforms
GitHub — Find Developers by Code
GitHub's search is powerful for technical recruiting. Find developers by their actual code contributions.
location:Austin language:Python followers:>100
Useful GitHub Qualifiers:
X-Ray GitHub profiles via Google:
site:github.com "machine learning" Python "San Francisco" -repositories -issues
Stack Overflow — Find Active Developers
Stack Overflow reputation indicates technical engagement. X-ray to find active contributors:
site:stackoverflow.com/users "python" "machine learning" "san francisco"
Indeed Resume Search
Indeed supports basic boolean in resume search:
"software engineer" AND (Python OR Java) AND NOT entry-level
Ready-to-Use Boolean Strings
Copy-paste these templates and customize for your searches.
("software engineer" OR "software developer" OR "backend engineer" OR "full-stack engineer") AND (Python OR Java OR JavaScript OR Go OR Rust) AND ("[LOCATION]") NOT (intern OR junior OR entry-level OR student)("product manager" OR "product lead" OR "PM") AND (B2B OR SaaS OR "product-led") AND ("[LOCATION]") NOT (intern OR associate OR coordinator OR "project manager")("data scientist" OR "machine learning engineer" OR "ML engineer" OR "AI engineer") AND (Python) AND (TensorFlow OR PyTorch OR "deep learning" OR NLP) AND ("[LOCATION]") NOT (intern OR junior)("account executive" OR "sales executive" OR "enterprise sales" OR "sales director") AND (SaaS OR B2B OR "enterprise software") AND ("[LOCATION]") NOT (SDR OR BDR OR coordinator OR intern)("VP of Engineering" OR "Vice President of Engineering" OR "Director of Engineering" OR "Head of Engineering") AND (startup OR "Series A" OR "Series B" OR "Series C" OR scale-up) AND ("[LOCATION]")site:linkedin.com/in "[JOB TITLE]" ("[SKILL 1]" OR "[SKILL 2]") "[LOCATION]" -recruiter -staffingsite:github.com "[LANGUAGE]" "[FRAMEWORK]" "[LOCATION]" -repositories -issues -pulls
Using ChatGPT for Boolean Strings
ChatGPT can generate complex boolean strings in seconds. Here's how to prompt it effectively.
For 50+ ready-to-use ChatGPT prompts for recruiters — including boolean string generators, outreach messages, and job descriptions — see our complete guide: ChatGPT Prompts for Recruiters.
You are an expert recruiter who specializes in boolean search strings. Create a comprehensive boolean search string for LinkedIn to find candidates matching: Role: [JOB TITLE] Required skills: [SKILL 1, SKILL 2, SKILL 3] Nice-to-have skills: [SKILL 4, SKILL 5] Experience level: [YEARS / LEVEL] Location: [CITY/REGION or "remote"] Exclude: [TITLES/TERMS TO EXCLUDE] Provide: 1. A LinkedIn boolean string (respecting LinkedIn's syntax limitations) 2. A Google X-ray string for LinkedIn profiles 3. Explanation of the logic Remember: - LinkedIn requires AND, OR, NOT in uppercase - LinkedIn doesn't support wildcards - Use parentheses to group OR statements - Use quotes for multi-word phrases
Example ChatGPT Output
Input: Senior backend engineer, Python/Go, remote-friendly, exclude contractors
ChatGPT output:
LinkedIn:
("senior backend engineer" OR "senior software engineer" OR "staff engineer") AND (Python OR Go OR Golang) AND (remote OR distributed OR "work from home") NOT (contractor OR contract OR freelance OR consulting)
Google X-Ray:
site:linkedin.com/in "senior" ("backend engineer" OR "software engineer") (Python OR Go) (remote OR distributed) -contractor -freelance -consulting
Common Boolean Search Mistakes
Boolean Mistakes That Kill Your Searches
- Using lowercase operators — 'and' doesn't work, must be 'AND'
- Forgetting parentheses — (developer OR engineer) AND Python ≠ developer OR engineer AND Python
- Wildcards on LinkedIn — 'recruit*' doesn't work, spell out: recruiter OR recruiting OR recruitment
- Too many NOT terms — excluding too much limits your pool
- No quotes on phrases — 'product manager' returns different results than product manager
- Mixing platform syntax — Google uses - (minus), LinkedIn uses NOT
- Searching in wrong field — Boolean in 'Name' field rarely helps
How to Debug Boolean Searches
Start Simple
Begin with 1-2 keywords. Confirm you get results before adding complexity.
Add One Operator at a Time
Add AND, then OR, then NOT — testing after each addition. This isolates which operator breaks your search.
Check Operator Case
Ensure AND/OR/NOT are uppercase. LinkedIn ignores lowercase operators.
Verify Parentheses Balance
Count opening and closing parentheses. Mismatched parentheses break searches silently.
Test on Google First
Google gives better error feedback than LinkedIn. If your X-ray string works on Google, adapt it for LinkedIn.
Boolean Search Key Takeaways
- 1Master 5 operators: AND (both), OR (either), NOT (exclude), quotes (exact phrase), parentheses (grouping)
- 2LinkedIn requires UPPERCASE operators and doesn't support wildcards (*)
- 3X-ray search (site:linkedin.com/in) bypasses LinkedIn limits and finds hidden profiles
- 4Use ChatGPT to generate complex boolean strings — describe the role, get the search
- 5Start simple, add complexity gradually, and always test your strings
Frequently Asked Questions
Does boolean search work on LinkedIn free?
Yes. LinkedIn's free tier supports full boolean search in the main search bar. The limitation is result visibility (you see fewer profiles) and lack of InMail, not boolean capability.
What's the difference between AND and a space?
On LinkedIn, a space between words acts as implicit AND. 'software engineer' = 'software AND engineer'. Using explicit AND makes complex searches clearer and easier to debug.
Can I use wildcards on LinkedIn?
No. LinkedIn doesn't support wildcards (*). If you want to match 'recruit', 'recruiter', and 'recruiting', you must use OR: (recruit OR recruiter OR recruiting).
Why does my X-ray search show old profiles?
Google's index isn't real-time. Profiles may have changed since Google last crawled them. For current data, verify candidates on LinkedIn directly after X-ray sourcing.
How many search operators can I use in one string?
LinkedIn doesn't publish a limit, but very long strings (500+ characters) may timeout or return errors. Keep strings under 200-300 characters for reliability.
Is boolean search being replaced by AI?
Not yet. AI sourcing tools are powerful but still use boolean logic internally. Understanding boolean helps you prompt AI tools better and troubleshoot when they fail.
Researching Job Market & Building AI Tools for careerists since December 2020
Sources & References
- Use Boolean search on LinkedIn — LinkedIn Help Center (2026)
- Refine Google searches — Google Search Help (2026)
- Do an Advanced Search on Google — Google Search Help (2026)
- Searching users — GitHub Docs (2026)