Recruitera's search bar supports Boolean operators — AND, OR, NOT, exact phrase matching with quotes, and grouping with parentheses. Boolean search lets you build precise, multi-condition queries to find exactly the candidates you need without manually scanning through results. It works across all searchable fields: names, emails, CV content, tags, job names, and stage names.
Before you start
Available to: Admins, Recruiters, and Hiring Managers
Where to find it: Open any job → Pipeline tab → Table view → search bar
Boolean operators explained
AND — all terms must be present
Use AND when you want candidates that match multiple conditions at the same time.
Example:
Python AND Django→ returns candidates whose profile or CV contains both "Python" and "Django"Example:
Ahmed AND Cairo→ returns candidates named Ahmed who are also in Cairo
OR — any term can be present
Use OR when you want candidates that match at least one of several conditions.
Example:
React OR Vue OR Angular→ returns candidates with any of these frameworks in their CVExample:
Cairo OR Giza OR Alexandria→ returns candidates from any of these cities
NOT — exclude specific terms
Use NOT when you want to exclude candidates who match a specific term.
Example:
Developer NOT Junior→ returns developers but excludes anyone with "Junior" in their profileExample:
Marketing NOT Freelance→ returns marketing candidates excluding freelancers
" " — exact phrase matching
Use double quotes to search for an exact phrase rather than individual keywords.
Example:
"project manager"→ returns only candidates with this exact phrase, not just "project" or "manager" separatelyExample:
"machine learning"→ returns candidates with this exact two-word phrase in their CV or profile
( ) — grouping for complex queries
Use parentheses to group conditions and control the order of logic — just like in a mathematical expression.
Example:
(Python OR Java) AND (Cairo OR Remote)→ returns candidates who know Python or Java and are based in Cairo or are remoteExample:
("data analyst" OR "business analyst") NOT Junior→ returns data or business analysts who are not junior level
💡 You can hover over the info icon next to the search bar to see a quick reference guide of supported operators and usage examples directly inside Recruitera.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use Boolean search in Recruitera?
To use Boolean search in Recruitera, go to a job's Pipeline tab, switch to Table view, and type your Boolean query into the search bar. Use AND to require multiple terms, OR to allow alternatives, NOT to exclude terms, quotes for exact phrases, and parentheses to group conditions. Results update as you type or on pressing Enter. Boolean search works across candidate names, emails, CV content, tags, job names, and stage names.
What is the difference between AND and OR in Recruitera search?
In Recruitera's Boolean search, AND requires both terms to be present — so "Python AND Django" only returns candidates with both. OR requires at least one term to be present — so "React OR Vue" returns candidates with either React or Vue in their profile. Use AND to narrow results and OR to broaden them. You can combine both in the same query using parentheses to control the logic.
Can I combine Boolean search with filters in Recruitera?
Recruitera allows you to use Boolean search and the filter sidebar at the same time. The results will show only candidates who match both the Boolean search query and all active filters simultaneously. For example, using NOT Junior in the search bar while filtering by Stage = Interview will show non-junior candidates currently in the Interview stage. This combination gives you the most precise shortlisting capability available in the pipeline.