How to Find Diverse Candidates Through Boolean Search

Finding diverse candidates can be a little bit challenging, especially in a highly competitive talent market. As a recruiter who wants to hire the best and most qualified candidates from different backgrounds, you need to start using smart and effective sourcing strategies to make this happen. Boolean search can be one of your solutions. It is a powerful tool that can help you narrow down your search results and find the best candidates for your roles. In this article, we will explain what Boolean search strings are, how recruiters can use them for diversity sourcing, and provide some examples of search strings for different categories of diversity.

What are Boolean Search Strings?

Boolean search strings are combinations of keywords and operators that allow recruiters to narrow down their search results and find exactly what they are looking for. Operators are words or symbols that tell the search engine how to connect the keywords. The most common operators are AND, OR, and NOT. For example, if you want to find candidates who have experience in Java or Python, you can use the OR operator: Java OR Python. If you want to find candidates who have experience in both Java and Python, you can use the AND operator: Java AND Python. On the other hand, if you want to exclude candidates who have experience in C#, you can use the NOT operator: Java AND Python NOT C#.

How Recruiters Can Use Them for Diversity Sourcing

Recruiters can use Boolean search strings to find diverse candidates by including keywords that indicate the candidate’s identity, background, affiliation, or interest. If you want to find female candidates who have experience in Java or Python, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (Java OR Python) AND (female OR woman OR women.) You can also use parentheses to group keywords together and make your search more precise.

However, using Boolean search strings for diversity sourcing has some limitations and challenges. First, not all candidates include information about their identity or background on their resumes or online profiles. Second, some keywords may be ambiguous or have multiple meanings. For example, the keyword Asian may refer to different regions or ethnicities. Third, some keywords may be sensitive or offensive to some candidates. Take the keyword disabled as another example; it may not be preferred by some candidates who identify as differently abled or have a disability.

Therefore, you need to be careful and respectful when using Boolean search strings for diversity sourcing. Also, you need to use other methods and sources to complement your search, such as referrals, networking events, diversity job boards, and social media platforms.

List of Search Strings for Diversity Sourcing

• Gender: This refers to the biological and social characteristics of being male, female, or non-binary. You can use keywords related to gender to find candidates who identify with a specific gender. For example, if you want to find female candidates who have experience in Java or Python, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (Java OR Python) AND (female OR woman OR women). For female software engineers: (women OR female OR she OR her) AND (“software engineer” OR “software developer” OR programmer).
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  Another strategy you can use is to add keywords related to gender equality, empowerment, or advocacy, such as: (Java OR Python) AND (“gender equality” OR “women in tech” OR “women who code.”)‍
• Race/ethnicity: This term has to do with the cultural and ancestral background of a person. You can use keywords related to race/ethnicity to find candidates who belong to a specific racial or ethnic group. For instance, if you want to find candidates who are Black or African American and have experience in Java or Python, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (Java OR Python) AND (Black OR “African American”).
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  Another example will be for Hispanic accountants: (Hispanic OR Latino OR Latina OR Latinx) AND (accountant OR accounting OR CPA). You can also use related keywords such as: (Java OR Python) AND (“racial diversity” OR “ethnic diversity” OR “social justice” OR “anti-racism”).
• ‍LGBTQ+: LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, plus other identities such as intersex, asexual, pansexual, etc. You can use keywords related to LGBTQ+ to find candidates who identify as LGBTQ+ or who are interested in LGBTQ+ issues. If you want to find candidates who are in the LGBTQ+ community and have experience in Java or Python, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (Java OR Python) AND (LGBTQ+ OR gay OR lesbian OR bisexual OR transgender OR queer).
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  In addition to that, keywords related to LGBTQ+ pride, rights, or community, such as: (Java OR Python) AND (“LGBTQ+ pride” OR “LGBTQ+ rights” OR “LGBTQ+ community” OR “Pride Month”) can also be used.‍
• Disability: This category refers to the physical or mental condition that limits a person’s ability to perform certain tasks or activities. You can use keywords related to disability to find candidates who have a disability. If you want to find candidates who have a disability and have experience in marketing, you can use (disability OR disabled OR accessibility OR “special needs”) AND (marketing OR marketer OR “digital marketing” OR “social media”).‍
• Veteran: Veteran refers to the former or current members of the armed forces. You can use keywords related to veteran status to find candidates who are veterans or who are interested in veteran issues. If you want to find candidates who are veterans and have experience in Java or Python, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (Java OR Python) AND (veteran OR military).
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  Another example will be Veterans in sales: (veteran OR military OR army OR navy OR air force OR marines) AND (sales OR “sales manager” OR “sales representative” OR “account executive”).‍
• Age: This category refers to the chronological age of a person. Use keywords related to age to find candidates who are within a specific age range. For example, if you want to find candidates who are over 50 years old and have experience in SEO or SEM, you can use the Boolean operator AND: (SEO OR SEM) AND (over 50 OR senior OR “older worker”).

How to Perform Boolean Searches Using an ATS

A cloud-based ATS like Manatal offers a smart and intuitive solution that can help you find and hire diverse candidates faster and easier. With Manatal, you can:

• Filter candidates based on diversity criteria or create custom fields to capture any other diversity information that is relevant to your organization.
• Track the progress of your candidates through the hiring pipeline and see how they perform at each stage. Manatal also allows you to monitor the diversity metrics of your talent pool and identify any gaps or biases in your recruitment process.
• Communicate and follow up with your candidates with mass email features. You can also schedule interviews, send feedback, and share notes with your team members.
• Build a strong employer brand and showcase your commitment to diversity and inclusion. You can create engaging career pages that highlight your culture, values, and benefits right from scratch.

Manatal also comes with the Boolean search feature, ensuring your search results are more relevant. To navigate through Manatal’s Boolean search, you can simply:

1. Click on the ‘Candidates’ menu.

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2. Click on the ‘Boolean Search’ subtab.

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3. Then type a term of your choice in the search bar and click ‘Search.’ Here’s a tip; try using the operators above for more specific search results.

Conclusion

Finding diverse candidates is not only a matter of social justice but also a matter of business success. Using Boolean search strings can help you source diverse candidates more effectively and efficiently.

If you want to learn more about Manatal and see how it can help you with your diversity sourcing and hiring goals, you can sign up and start a 14-day free trial today.