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How Filters and Search Work Together in Recruitera

Understand the difference between the search bar and filter sidebar in Recruitera — learn when to use each one and how they work together to narrow your pipeline.

Recruitera gives you two tools for finding candidates in the pipeline — the search bar and the filter sidebar. They work differently and serve different purposes. Understanding when to use each one helps you find the right candidates faster and get the most out of the pipeline's Table view.

The search bar — find by identity and content

The search bar at the top of the Table view searches across candidate data to find specific people or content. Use it when you know what you are looking for — a name, an email address, a keyword in a CV, or a specific tag.

Recruitera's search covers:

  • Candidate names

  • Email addresses and email content

  • Phone numbers

  • CV file content — full text

  • Tag names and source tag names

  • Job names and talent pool names

  • Stage names

The search bar also supports Boolean operators — AND, OR, NOT, phrase matching with quotes, and grouping with parentheses — for advanced queries across all of these fields.

The filter sidebar — narrow by criteria

The filter sidebar narrows your candidate list by structured criteria — stage, status, source, location, team member, questionnaire status, and more. Use it when you want to see all candidates matching a specific condition rather than searching for a specific person.

How they work together

Recruitera allows you to use search and filters simultaneously. The search bar and filter sidebar are additive — applying both narrows results further. For example:

  • Filter by Stage = Interview + search for "Python" → shows only candidates in the Interview stage whose CV or profile contains "Python"

  • Filter by Source = LinkedIn + search for Ahmed → shows only LinkedIn-sourced candidates named Ahmed

💡 Think of it this way: search finds specific candidates by what they contain. Filters segment your list by how they are categorized. Together they give you surgical precision over your pipeline.

When to use search vs. filters

Use search when...

Use filters when...

You know a candidate's name or email

You want all candidates at a specific stage

You want candidates whose CV mentions a skill

You want all candidates from a specific source

You want to find candidates using Boolean logic

You want candidates who answered a screening question a certain way

You want to search email content

You want candidates who have not received a questionnaire yet

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the search bar and filters in Recruitera?

In Recruitera, the search bar finds candidates by what they contain — names, email addresses, CV text, tags, and more — using keyword or Boolean search. The filter sidebar narrows candidates by structured criteria — stage, status, source, team member, screening answers, and location. Both are available in Table view and can be used together. Search finds specific candidates; filters segment your list by category.

Does the search bar in Recruitera search CV content?

Recruitera's search bar supports full-text search inside CV files. If a candidate's uploaded CV contains the keyword you search for — a skill, a company name, a job title — their profile will appear in the results. This makes it possible to find candidates based on what is in their resume without manually opening each profile. Use quotes around a phrase to search for an exact match.

Can I use filters and search at the same time in Recruitera?

Recruitera allows you to use the search bar and filter sidebar simultaneously. Both apply together — the results show only candidates who match both the search term and all active filters. This combination gives you highly precise results. For example, filtering by Source = Referral and searching for "Senior" would show only referred candidates with "Senior" anywhere in their profile or CV.

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