List title variants

Use whenYour searches keep returning the same few profiles because everyone uses a different title.

I am sourcing for a [job title] who does [two or three core duties]. List 15 job titles people in this role actually use on LinkedIn and resumes, including older and newer names and common abbreviations. Then list titles that look similar but are a different job, so I can exclude them. If you are not sure something is accurate or current, mark it (check) rather than stating it as fact.

Build a Boolean string

Use whenYou know the titles and skills and need a search you can paste in and run.

Build a Boolean search string for LinkedIn. Titles: [list]. Must have skills: [list]. Exclude these titles: [list]. Use only AND, OR, NOT, quotes and parentheses. Keep it under 900 characters. Then give me a narrower version with the two most important skills only, and a broader version with titles only. If you are not sure something is accurate or current, mark it (check) rather than stating it as fact.

Watch outRun each version and look at the first 20 results before you trust it. One stray bracket changes everything.

Google X-ray search

Use whenYou want profiles your LinkedIn seat will not show you.

Write three Google search strings that find public LinkedIn profiles (site:linkedin.com/in) for [job title] in [city or region] with [skill]. Use a minus sign to exclude [titles to exclude]. Explain in one line what each string is designed to catch. If you are not sure something is accurate or current, mark it (check) rather than stating it as fact.

Find where the talent is

Use whenThe obvious job boards and LinkedIn are tapped out for this role.

Where do experienced [job title] professionals in [location or remote] spend time online and in person? List communities, forums, open source projects, conferences, meetups and newsletters. For each one, say how a recruiter can take part without spamming. Mark anything you are unsure still exists so I can check it.

Watch outCommunities close and events move. Open every link before you add it to your plan.

Suggest target companies

Use whenYou are starting a search and need a list of places to hunt, not a list of names.

I need candidates for [job title] with [key experience]. Suggest 20 types of companies, and examples where you are confident, where people build this experience. Group them by industry. Leave out these companies, which are off limits: [list]. I will verify every company before I source from it.

Watch outCompany news goes stale fast. Check for layoffs, mergers and hiring freezes yourself.

Rewrite a search brief for an AI sourcing tool

Use whenYour AI sourcing tool gives better matches from a description than from a keyword list.

Rewrite this search brief as a plain English request for an AI sourcing tool: [paste brief]. Describe the ideal person in three to five sentences covering what they have done, not just keywords. Add a separate line of dealbreakers. Do not mention age, gender, nationality or anything that could stand in for them. Use only the details I give you here. If something you need is missing, write [missing] and tell me what to add, rather than making it up.