How to find Developers with Boolean search strings
When sourcing developers on Google, use Boolean logic to find resumes and profiles. Our search strings examples provide a basis to build your own Boolean search commands. Modify them to recruit developers who can code in various coding languages and have been involved with projects similar to your company’s.
Generic search string to find developers
Create Boolean strings for developers around terms like:
- -job -jobs -sample -examples, to avoid irrelevant results
- (Developer OR engineer), to cover variations of the same job title
- (intitle:resume OR intitle:cv), to discover candidates’ online resumes or CVs
Here’s an example of a Boolean strings for developers to find resumes:
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) -job -jobs -sample -examples
When you use this search string, results will contain the words “resume” or “CV” in the page title. Adding variations of developer job titles provides more relevant results. And, excluding more terms reduces false positives.
Searching for developer profiles
Search for developers on specific sites, like Github and StackOverflow, through Google by including the site: operator and terms found exclusively on member profiles. For example:
- site:github.com “Python developer” “joined on”
- site:stackoverflow.com/users/ “badges” “Android”
Add more criteria in your Boolean strings for developers to find profiles that better match your requirements.
When sourcing EU candidates, please refer to guidance on using social media for recruiting and collecting candidate information as per the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR.
Sample string to search for resumes of developers in various formats
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (filetype:pdf OR filetype:doc OR filetype:txt) (developer OR engineer) -job -jobs -sample -templates
Examples of Boolean search strings to find Developers by speciality
Find developers who:
Have HTML5 and CSS3 experience
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) HTML5 CSS3 -job -jobs -sample -examples
Have experience with Java but not Javascript
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) Java -javascript -job -jobs -sample -examples
Code on Android, iOS or both
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (Android OR iOS) -job -jobs -sample -examples
Have worked on certain projects
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) Boston “open source project” -job -jobs -sample -examples
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) Boston (“mobile app” OR “mobile application”) -job -jobs -sample -examples
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (“quality assurance” OR qa) -job -jobs -sample -examples
Work (or have worked) at specific companies
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (Oracle OR IBM) -job -jobs -sample -examples
Are familiar with Agile framework
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (agile OR scrum) -job -jobs -sample -examples
Source and recruit Web Developers with more Workable’s Boolean search cheat sheets.
Examples of Boolean search strings to find developers by location
By state or city:
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (Massachusetts OR MA) -job -jobs -sample -examples
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) London (United Kingdom OR UK) -job -jobs -sample -examples
By area code:
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (Massachusetts OR MA) (857 OR 617) -job -jobs -sample -examples
Find area codes here.
Within range of zip codes:
(intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) (developer OR engineer) (Massachusetts OR MA) 02108..02495 -job -jobs -sample -examples