In recent posts I’ve explained the Boolean Black Belt concept and exposed what I feel is the real “secret” behind learning how to master the art and science of leveraging information systems for talent identification and acquisition.
Now I would like to show you precisely WHY Boolean search is such a big deal in recruiting. There are 2 main factors: #1 candidate variable control and #2 speed of qualified candidate identification.
The goal of this article is to shed significant light on the science behind talent mining, how it can lead to higher productivity levels (more and better results with less effort), why I am so passionate about e-sourcing/e-recruiting, and why everyone in the HR, recruiting, and staffing industry should be as well.
Control is Power
Talent identification is arguably the most critical step in recruiting life cycle - you can’t acquire and hire someone you haven’t found and identified in the first place.
My experience has shown me that properly leveraging deep sources of talent/candidate data (ATS/CRM’s, resume databases, LinkedIn, etc.) can enable recruiters to more quickly identify a high volume of well matched and qualified candidates than ANY OTHER METHOD of candidate identification and acquisition (e.g., cold calling, referral recruiting, job posting).
The true power of Boolean search lies in the intrinsically high degree of control over critical candidate variables that using Boolean strings to search deep data sources such as resume databases, the Internet, and social media affords sourcers and recruiters. Applying that that high degree of control to large populations of candidates - tens of thousands (small internal ATS, niche resume database) to tens of millions (large ATS/CRM, Monster resume database, LinkedIn, etc.) enables adept e-sourcers/e-recruiters to perform feats of talent identification and acquisition most would think impossible.
Candidate Variables Defined
The match between a candidate and a specific job opening can be expressed as a combination of these 5 basic variables: Location, Skills (Experience/Education), Opportunity, Compensation, and Availability. There are certainly other factors at play when it comes to determining the right match between a candidate and a particular opportunity (e.g., cultural fit). However, these are the “big bucket” variables which render the rest pointless if they are not satisfied.
Control What You Can
Ultimately, the best match between an employer’s hiring need and a candidate is one where there is very close alignment between a candidate’s variables and those of the particular job opportunity.
Most job openings have a fixed set of variables - sourcers and recruiters don’t often have the opportunity to control or change the location of the position, the skills/experience/education required, the specific opportunity (the type of work involved in the position, the company/team culture, opportunities for growth/advancement, etc.), the compensation associated with the position, and when the position becomes available (open and ready to hire).
However, when it comes to searching deep sources of human capital data that support Boolean queries (such as your ATS/CRM, online resume databases, LinkedIn, etc.) to identify potential candidates for any particular job opening, sourcers and recruiters CAN exercise a significant degree of control over critical candidate matching variables.
Here’s a preview:

Controlling Candidate Variables Through Boolean Search
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June 8th, 2009 by Boolean Black Belt | 4 Comments »