This guide covers Boolean search functionality, filtering options, known limitations, and common questions to ensure you get the most out of these features.
The Search and filtering feature is available to users across all plans - Free, Pro, Business, and Enterprise.
🔄 Switching Between Classic and Compact views of Search
Recruit CRM allows you to switch between the Classic and Compact search interfaces based on your preference and the type of search you want to perform. Both views offer different ways to search and filter records, and you can switch between them at any time depending on your workflow.
The Compact View offers a more modern and flexible search experience. It supports a wider range of features, including group filters, cross-entity filters, and activity-based filtering, allowing you to build more refined searches. You can search across activity fields such as notes, call logs, meetings, and tasks, while also combining multiple filter conditions to narrow down results more effectively.
Here is how you can switch from the Classic View to the Compact View-
The Classic View allows you to add multiple filters at once within a single interface, making it useful for building and applying filters quickly while managing your search criteria in one place.
Here is how you can switch from the Compact View to the Classic View-
Please note: To ensure optimal performance and provide a smoother user experience, Revamped List Pages (Candidates/Contacts/Companies/Jobs) support a maximum of 100 filter selections across all entities. This limit applies to both Classic and Compact filter views.
Existing Saved Searches with more than 100 filters will continue to work and will not be affected by this change.
✨ Key Features
🔍 Boolean Search
Boolean Search helps you create more powerful and precise search queries by using logical operators. It allows you to refine your searches and find the most relevant records by combining operators such as AND, OR, NOT, along with wildcards (*) and parentheses to structure more complex search conditions.
Boolean Search works across multiple areas in Recruit CRM, enabling you to search through various types of information stored in the system, including:
Record profiles
Resume text in the default Resume field
Candidate attachments (PDF, DOC, and DOCX files)
Notes
Call logs
Meetings
Tasks
This makes it easier to locate specific records based on keywords, skills, job titles, or any other relevant information present across these sources.
Please note:
Newly added or updated data may take 5 to 10 minutes to become searchable through Boolean Search.
When the Files option is selected, Boolean Search only searches the 10 most recent PDF, DOC, and DOCX attachments for each candidate. The default resume is searched separately through the Candidates option.
Search scope
Boolean Search lets you choose which sources to search using the available checkboxes.
The available search scopes include:
Candidates – Searches candidate fields (default and custom) and the resume stored in the default Resume field.
Files – Searches the candidate's attached PDF, DOC, and DOCX files, excluding the default resume. The search covers up to the 10 most recent supported attachments for each candidate.
Notes
Call Logs
Tasks
Meetings
The Candidates and Files options work independently, allowing you to search candidate profiles, attachments, or both together depending on your requirements.
Below are some examples to help you run Boolean searches effectively.
Exact Match Behavior
Exact Match Behavior
By default, Boolean searches in Recruit CRM work on exact matches for phrases. This means when you search for a phrase like product manager, the system will return only those profiles where the exact phrase “product manager” appears, not profiles where “product” and “manager” are listed separately. The words must appear together, in the exact order, for the profile to be included in the search results.
Please note that stopwords (commonly used words like “the,” “is,” “and,” etc.) are excluded from search queries by default, meaning that these words will be ignored in the search. For more details on stopwords and their behavior, you can refer to the official stopwords documentation.
Example 1:
Search Query: product manager
Expected Result: Retrieves profiles where the exact phrase “product manager” appears in the resume or profile.
Example Output: Profiles with titles or experiences like “Product Manager at XYZ Corp.”
Not Included: Profiles where “product” and “manager” are mentioned separately, such as a candidate being a “Product Specialist” and also having experience as a “Team Manager.”
'AND' Operator Examples
'AND' Operator Examples
The AND operator helps you find profiles that contain all the specified keywords. It will only return profiles that include both terms.
Example 1:
Search Query:
developer AND managerExpected Result: Retrieves profiles containing both the terms "developer" and "manager."
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Software Developer Manager" or candidates with "developer" in one section and "manager" in another.
Example 2:
Search Query:
python AND javascriptExpected Result: Returns profiles where both "Python" and "JavaScript" are listed as skills.
Example Output: Profiles for candidates proficient in both Python and JavaScript programming languages.
Example 3:
Search Query:
marketing AND strategyExpected Result: Retrieves profiles that include both marketing and strategy-related terms.
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Marketing Strategy Consultant" or "Marketing and Strategic Planning."
'OR' Operator Examples
'OR' Operator Examples
The OR operator allows you to search for profiles that contain any one of the specified terms. It is useful when you want to search for multiple variations of a role or skill.
Example 1:
Search Query:
developer OR engineerExpected Result: Retrieves profiles containing either "developer" or "engineer" or both.
Example Output: Profiles for "Software Developer" or "Systems Engineer."
Example 2:
Search Query:
recruiter OR talent acquisitionExpected Result: Profiles mentioning either "recruiter" or "talent acquisition."
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Senior Recruiter" or "Talent Acquisition Manager."
Example 3:
Search Query:
data analyst OR data scientistExpected Result: Finds profiles that match either "data analyst" or "data scientist."
Example Output: Candidates with roles involving "Data Analysis" or "Data Science."
NOT Operator Examples
NOT Operator Examples
The NOT operator excludes profiles that contain a specific term, returning profiles that include one term but not another.
Example 1:
Search Query:
developer AND NOT juniorExpected Result: Retrieves profiles mentioning "developer" but excludes any profile that includes "junior."
Example Output: Candidates with titles like "Senior Developer" while excluding "Junior Developer."
Example 2:
Search Query:
project manager AND NOT constructionExpected Result: Returns profiles mentioning "project manager" but excluding those in the construction industry.
Example Output: Profiles like "IT Project Manager" excluding "Construction Project Manager."
Example 3:
Search Query:
sales AND NOT assistantExpected Result: Retrieves profiles that contain "sales" but exclude any mention of "assistant."
Example Output: Profiles for "Sales Manager" or "Sales Executive" excluding "Sales Assistant."
Wildcard (*) Operator Examples
Wildcard (*) Operator Examples
Wildcards allow you to search for different variations of a word by including the root word followed by an asterisk (*).
Example 1:
Search Query:
develop*Expected Result: Finds profiles containing any word that starts with "develop", such as "developer," "development," "developing."
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Software Developer" or "Business Development Manager."
Example 2:
Search Query:
manag*Expected Result: Retrieves profiles containing words like "manager," "management," or "managing."
Example Output: Profiles with titles such as "Team Manager," "Management Consultant," or descriptions like "managing teams."
Example 3:
Search Query:
design*Expected Result: Profiles containing words starting with "design," such as "designer," "designing," or "designs."
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Graphic Designer" or "UX Designing."
Parentheses for Grouping Examples
Parentheses for Grouping Examples
Using parentheses allows you to group multiple conditions together, controlling how the Boolean search is executed. This is particularly useful when you want to combine AND, OR, and NOT operators.
Example 1:
Search Query:
(developer AND senior) OR (engineer AND manager)Expected Result: Returns profiles that either include both "developer" and "senior" or both "engineer" and "manager."
Example Output: Profiles mentioning "Senior Developer" or "Engineering Manager."
Example 2:
Search Query:
(marketing OR sales) AND (manager OR director)Expected Result: Retrieves profiles mentioning either "marketing" or "sales" and either "manager" or "director."
Example Output: Profiles like "Marketing Manager," "Sales Director," or "Sales Manager."
Example 3:
Search Query:
((product OR project) AND (manager OR leader)) AND NOT assistantExpected Result: Retrieves profiles mentioning either "product" or "project" along with either "manager" or "leader," while excluding "assistant."
Example Output: Profiles like "Product Manager," "Project Leader" excluding "Assistant Manager."
Combined Examples of AND, OR, NOT, Wildcard, and Parentheses
Combined Examples of AND, OR, NOT, Wildcard, and Parentheses
Search Query: (developer OR engineer) AND (python OR java) AND NOT junior AND design*
Expected Result: Retrieves profiles that contain either "developer" or "engineer," and either "python" or "java," excluding profiles that mention "junior," and including any word starting with "design" (such as "designer").
Example Output: Profiles for "Software Engineer with experience in Python and Java with UX Designing skills," excluding junior-level candidates.
🤖 AI-Powered Natural Language Search
Boolean Search includes AI-powered Natural Language Search, making it faster and easier to find records without manually building complex Boolean queries.
You can simply type what you’re looking for in plain language, just like having a conversation (for example, “senior sales manager in New York with SaaS experience”).
The system automatically understands your intent, converts it into the correct Boolean logic, and delivers accurate results with the same reliability as traditional Boolean search.
The AI also:
Understands complex logic such as AND / OR / NOT, exclusions, and grouped conditions.
Automatically expands synonyms and role variations (for example, “VP of Sales” may also include “Vice President of Sales” or “Sales Director”).
Supports multi-language and voice-to-text searches with consistent behavior.
Displays the generated Boolean query so you can review or edit it before running the search. Every AI Search decides whether Boolean alone or Boolean plus filters is needed, and applies it with no extra step.
Handles incomplete inputs intelligently and prompts you if more details are needed.
A toggle in the search bar allows you to switch between:
AI Boolean Search (Default – ON)
When AI Mode is ON, natural language queries are converted into Boolean automatically. If you type a valid Boolean query, it runs exactly as written.
Manual Boolean Search (AI Toggle OFF)
When AI Mode is OFF, the system executes your query strictly as typed, with no AI interpretation. This applies only to that search.
Once you reset the search, AI Mode turns back ON automatically.
Viewing matched results in Boolean Search
You can view where your Boolean search keywords matched using the “Matched On” column in the results.
This column appears at the beginning of the results and displays icons to indicate where matches were found. It covers the following sections:
Resume
Other files
Default & custom fields
Work history
Education history
Activities (Notes, Tasks, Call Logs, Meetings)
Multiple icons may appear if matches are found in more than one section.
Matching keywords are also highlighted in yellow, making it easier to quickly identify relevant information. You can click on any icon to open the corresponding section in the candidate profile and view the highlighted keyword.
When you run a Boolean search and open a resume, the matched keywords will be automatically highlighted within the resume as well for quicker review and better visibility.
When you open a resume from the "Matched On"column in Boolean search results, you can use Next/Previous to move between candidates.
If a candidate's resume has no keyword match, you'll see a note saying 'No matches were found in the candidate's resume.'
If no resume exists at all, it'll show 'No Resume Found'.
The results displayed in the Matched On column reflect the search scope selected in Boolean Search, including Candidates, Files, Notes, Call Logs, Tasks, and Meetings.
Note: This feature is currently available for Boolean Search on Candidates only.
🧩 Filter Options
Filters help you narrow down results based on specific record fields and conditions. Recruit CRM’s Filters search allows you to filter results based on various fields.
You can filter records using:
• Custom fields
• Default fields
• Activity fields
Here are some examples of how you can use the filter search to narrow your search:
Text/Long Text Fields
Text/Long Text Fields
is: Searches for an exact match.
Example:Current Company is "Google"
Result: Retrieves profiles where the current company is exactly "Google."contains: Partial match search.
Example:Job Title contains "developer"
Result: Retrieves profiles where "developer" is part of the job title, such as "Full-stack Developer" or "Software Developer."does not contain: Excludes profiles containing specific text.
Example:Current Company does not contain "Amazon"
Result: Excludes profiles where "Amazon" is mentioned in the current company field.
Date Fields
Date Fields
is between: Retrieves profiles where the date falls between two specific dates.
Example:Last Contacted Date is between "01/01/2023" and "31/12/2023"
Result: Retrieves profiles where the last contacted date is within 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023.is before: Finds results before a specific date.
Example:Date Updated is before "01/01/2023"
Result: Retrieves profiles last updated before January 1, 2023.
Number Fields
Number Fields
greater than: Searches for profiles where the value is greater than a given number.
Example:Years of Experience greater than "5"
Result: Retrieves profiles of candidates with more than 5 years of experience.between: Retrieves results within a specific numerical range.
Example:Salary between "50000" and "100000"
Result: Retrieves profiles with salaries between 50,000 and 100,000.
Group Filters
Group Filters
1. Filter Candidates by Call Type and Date Added On
Objective: Identify candidates who have had a specific type of call within a defined time frame.
Action:
Select call type (e.g., "Phone Screening").
Add a group filter for
call log added onis "Last Month" using the 'AND' condition between them as shown in the image below:
Expected Outcome: Results displayed will include candidates who had a "Phone Screening" call, added in the last month.
2. Combine Call Type and Note Type Filters
Objective: Search for candidates that meet multiple criteria for call and note types.
Action:
Select call type (e.g., "Phone Screening").
Add a group filter for
call log added onis "Last Month" using the 'AND' condition between them.Add another group filter for note type (e.g., "Screening Notes") 'AND' for
note added onis "This Week" as shown in the image below:
Expected Outcome: Results displayed will include candidates who had a "Phone Screening" call, added in the last month, and "Screening Notes" added in the current week.
Activity Fields Filter
Activity Fields Filter
You can filter based on activities like notes, call logs, tasks, or meetings.
Here are some examples of how to apply filters based on activity fields:
Example 1:
Filter:Task added by "John Doe"
Result: Retrieves all records for which tasks are created by John Doe. If you are on the candidate list page, it will return all candidates' records matching the search criteria, and it will be similar for other record types such as contacts, companies, etc.
Example 2:
Filter:Call Outcome is "Positive"
Result: Retrieves all records where a call resulted in a positive outcome.
Example 3:
Filter: Note Type is "Follow-up"Result: Retrieves all records where notes are categorized as “Follow-ups."
Example 4:
Filter: Meeting Type is "Sales Presentation"
Result: Retrieves all records where scheduled meetings are classified as sales presentations.
Cross-Entity Search
Cross-Entity Search
Cross Entity Search allows you to retrieve records using fields from associated entities while keeping the primary entity view focused.
Example:
You can search contacts based on their associated company fields.
Currently supported for:
• Contacts
• Companies
• Deals
• Candidates
You can perform the Search on the 'Kanban View' as well.
📌 Saving, Applying, and Resetting Searches
Recruit CRM allows you to save search queries for future use, making it easier to revisit commonly used searches without rebuilding the filters each time. Saved searches can also be shared with specific teammates, teams, or all users, helping maintain consistency when multiple users need access to the same search criteria. Once saved, these searches can be quickly accessed from the List Page Quick View, allowing you to run them instantly.
When working with filters or Boolean searches, it is important to apply your changes correctly so the updated results are displayed. After adding or modifying any filters, click the Apply button for the changes to take effect. Alternatively, you can press Enter to run the newly added filters without clicking Apply. However, if you remove an existing filter, pressing Enter will not apply the change; you must click Apply Filters to update the results.
For changes made inside the Boolean Search field, you can execute the search by clicking Search or pressing Enter.
To make the process faster, Recruit CRM also supports keyboard shortcuts:
• Mac: Command + Return
• Windows: Control + Enter
You can also duplicate existing filters to quickly recreate similar filter conditions without starting from scratch.
Resetting and Persisting Searches
If you want to clear all the applied filters and start over, you can use the Reset option. This will remove all currently applied filters and return the list to its default state.
Recruit CRM also supports persisting filters, which means your applied filters remain active even if you:
• Navigate to another tab
• Refresh the page
• Log out and log back into the system
This behavior ensures that your search context is preserved, allowing you to continue working with the same filtered results without needing to rebuild your search every time.
👀 FAQs
Can I use multiple filters on the same field?
Can I use multiple filters on the same field?
Yes, you can apply multiple filter conditions to the same field and use Boolean operators to create more refined searches.
What are stopwords, and how do they affect my search?
What are stopwords, and how do they affect my search?
Stopwords are common words (e.g., “the”, “and”, “is”) that are excluded from search queries. This means that these words will not affect your search results. For more details, refer to the official stopwords documentation.
Stopwords:
a, an, and, are, as, at, be, but, by, for, if, in, into, is, it, no, not, of, on, or, such, that, the, their, then, there, these, they, this, to, was, will, with
Why can’t I combine both AND and OR conditions in the same filter search?
Why can’t I combine both AND and OR conditions in the same filter search?
At the moment, filters support only one condition type within a filter group, either AND or OR. Mixing both in the same search can create ambiguity and lead to unpredictable results.
For example:
Title = Product AND Title = Manager OR Title = Lead
This query can be interpreted in two different ways:
• (Product AND Manager) OR Lead
• Product AND (Manager OR Lead)
Both produce very different results. In many cases, one query may return only “Lead” records, while the other may return no results at all.
Since the system cannot reliably determine the intended grouping automatically, Recruit CRM currently supports only one condition type per filter group to ensure consistent and predictable search results.
Can I search within candidate attachments other than the default resume?
Can I search within candidate attachments other than the default resume?
Yes. Select the Files option in Boolean Search to search the contents of a candidate's attached PDF, DOC, and DOCX files. The search includes up to the 10 most recent supported attachments for each candidate and excludes the default resume, which is searched under Candidates.
What's the difference between the Candidates and Files search options?
What's the difference between the Candidates and Files search options?
Candidates searches candidate fields (default and custom) and the resume stored in the default Resume field.
Files searches other supported candidate attachments (PDF, DOC, and DOCX).
You can select either option individually or use both together, depending on where you want Boolean Search to look.
Hope this helps! 😄