www.randstadsourceright.com
elevating the art of sourcing
new search methodologies are drawing attention, but
Boolean is still what you should further invest in
By Vince Szymczak
Sourcing Subject Matter of Expertise
EMEA Center of Expertise, Randstad Sourceright
W
ith the rapid advance of new channels
and tools, recruitment professionals
are always on the lookout for new sourcing
techniques. Nevertheless, most hands-on
sourcers still very much rely on good old
Boolean searches to find suitable candidates.
But they might not always be making the most of their
Boolean skills. Doing so requires investments in the sourcers,
methodologies, and market insight, and often talent acquisition
leaders simply lack the resources to equip their recruiters with the
latest knowledge. However, those that do will find that the results
are well worth the effort.
Boolean alive and kicking
Over the past year, I've heard many opinions that Boolean is dead
for sourcing. I beg to differ! Boolean is alive and kicking, and it's
the sourcers who need to up their game. In the end, what we aim
to achieve is maximum productivity and efficiency. When we're
looking for people with specific skills, we need to make sure our
searches are specific enough to deliver all the best results.
Remember that Boolean is a necessity because most of the
databases we access as an industry work with Boolean. New
technologies such as semantic search or matching algorithms have
not matured enough to change these databases. So as of today,
most engines are Boolean, which means organizations must still
invest in optimizing Boolean searches.
When I observe sourcers working with Boolean, I see both good
and disappointing results. How you approach Boolean strings
can make a huge difference. Poor sourcers tend to set up the
initial string, check the first couple of hundred results, and leave
it at that. It's quite unlikely that this will give them all the right
candidates.
