Boolean search
Glossary
Boolean search combines keywords with operators — AND, OR, NOT, quotes, and parentheses — to narrow results, e.g. ("product designer" OR "UX designer") AND "B2B" NOT junior. It's powerful but brittle: it only finds the exact words present, so it misses synonyms and strong candidates who phrase things differently.
This is the gap semantic matching closes by ranking on meaning. See how recruiters search candidates using plain English.
Related: Semantic matching, Candidate sourcing, Applicant tracking system (ATS)