Free LinkedIn Boolean search string builder.
Describe the candidate in plain English. Get a Boolean string optimized for LinkedIn Recruiter, Google X-ray, GitHub, or your ATS. Free, no sign-up.
Boolean search string builder
A LinkedIn Boolean search is a precise candidate query.
A Boolean search is a query that combines keywords with the operators AND, OR, NOT, and exact-phrase quotes to filter results precisely. LinkedIn Boolean search uses these operators inside LinkedIn Recruiter or the free LinkedIn search bar to find candidates matching specific criteria. Example: (Python OR Django) AND fintech NOT recruiter.
LinkedIn has over 1 million Recruiter seat licenses globally, and more than 95% of those recruiters rely on Boolean search as their primary sourcing method (per LinkedIn Talent Solutions data). Most recruiters write Boolean strings like Google queries: a few keywords with AND between them. That returns thousands of irrelevant results. Strong sourcers use synonyms, parentheses, exclusions, and exact-phrase quotes to filter signal from noise. Weekday's Boolean string builder takes your plain-English brief, expands synonyms automatically, structures the query for the target platform's syntax, and adds the exclusions you need. It is the same query-construction logic Weekday's sourcing engine uses across its 300M+ candidate database.
Three steps. No login.
Describe who you want in plain English
Don't worry about syntax. The tool extracts the right keywords from your brief.
Pick the platform
LinkedIn, Google X-ray (site:linkedin.com), GitHub, or generic ATS. Each has different syntax quirks. We handle them.
Get the string + the 'why'
Copy the Boolean. Below it, the tool explains what each clause does, so you can edit it confidently.
Tips & tricks for best results
(Python OR Django OR Flask) finds anyone using the Python ecosystem. Python AND Fintech only finds people who match both. Combine the two.
Python OR Django AND Fintech is parsed as Python OR (Django AND Fintech), which is not what you want. (Python OR Django) AND Fintech is.
On LinkedIn: NOT recruiter. On Google: -recruiter. Both eliminate noise. Exclude common false positives like recruiter, intern, sales, agency.
Senior Software Engineer in quotes matches the exact title. Without quotes, you also match anyone with senior and software and engineer anywhere in their profile.
Search site:linkedin.com/in/ "Senior Backend Engineer" Python Bangalore on Google. You get public profiles without a Recruiter subscription.
(Bangalore OR Bengaluru OR Bangalore Urban) triples your coverage in one Indian city. Same goes for NYC (New York OR NYC OR Manhattan).
Frequently asked questions
What is a Boolean search?
A Boolean search is a query that combines keywords using the operators AND, OR, NOT, and exact-phrase quotes to find precise results. AND requires both terms, OR allows either term, NOT excludes a term, and quotes match an exact phrase. Example: (Python OR Go) AND fintech NOT recruiter returns candidates with Python or Go experience in fintech, excluding anyone whose profile mentions recruiter.
What is a LinkedIn Boolean search?
A LinkedIn Boolean search is the use of Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT, exact-phrase quotes) inside LinkedIn Recruiter or the free LinkedIn search bar to filter candidate results. LinkedIn supports all four operators but does not support wildcards (*) or regex. The operators must be capitalised in LinkedIn (AND, OR, NOT).
How do I do a Boolean search on LinkedIn Recruiter?
Three steps. (1) In the keywords field, type your query with operators capitalised: (backend OR back-end) AND (Python OR Go) AND fintech. (2) Wrap synonyms in parentheses joined by OR. (3) Use NOT to exclude common false positives like recruiter, sales, intern. The tool above generates a clean, working string from a plain-English brief in 5 seconds.
What are some Boolean search examples for recruiters?
Examples by role. Backend engineer: (backend OR back-end) AND (Python OR Go OR Java) AND (startup OR fintech) NOT (recruiter OR intern). Product manager: ("product manager" OR "senior PM") AND (B2B OR SaaS) AND (growth OR analytics) NOT (junior OR associate). Senior designer: ("senior designer" OR "design lead") AND (Figma OR Sketch) AND (B2C OR consumer) NOT (intern OR junior).
What is Google X-ray search?
Google X-ray search is the technique of searching public LinkedIn profiles via Google instead of LinkedIn itself. The query starts with site:linkedin.com/in/ followed by your keywords. Example: site:linkedin.com/in/ "Senior Backend Engineer" Python Bangalore. It is free, does not require LinkedIn Recruiter, and often surfaces profiles LinkedIn's own search misses.
Why does my LinkedIn Boolean search return 0 results?
Three common causes. (1) Too many AND clauses, each one filters out candidates. (2) Missing synonyms, for example you searched Bangalore but candidates listed Bengaluru. (3) You used unsupported operators like wildcards (*) or regex. LinkedIn supports only AND, OR, NOT, and quotes. The tool guards against all three.
What platforms does the tool support?
LinkedIn Recruiter, free LinkedIn search, Google X-ray search (site:linkedin.com), GitHub, and generic ATS/database search. The syntax differs slightly for each and the tool handles those differences automatically.
Do recruiters still use Boolean in 2026 when AI sourcing exists?
Yes, for two reasons. First, Boolean is auditable and reproducible: you can show a hiring manager exactly what you searched. Second, AI sourcing tools often run Boolean under the hood, so understanding Boolean makes you a better operator of any sourcing tool, including Weekday's database search. Hiring in India? Try our Naukri Boolean builder for Resdex-specific syntax.
How is this different from just using ChatGPT?
ChatGPT will write a string but often adds unsupported operators (wildcards, regex) or generates strings that are too narrow. This tool is platform-aware and tested against actual LinkedIn and Google search behaviour.
Can I save and reuse Boolean strings?
The tool does not store strings (no sign-up required), but the output is text you can copy and save anywhere: a Notion doc, your ATS, or LinkedIn Recruiter's saved searches.
Is the tool free?
Yes, free with no sign-up. Use it for every sourcing search.
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