Chapter 05. Boolean, X-Ray, and Query Iteration
How to Use This Chapter
Read this chapter as an iteration guide, not as an attempt to build one perfect query. A good
Boolean query emerges after several small tests and a change log.
Remember in One Phrase
A query is not good because it looks clever — it is good when testing it reveals more relevant
profiles and less manageable noise.
| If Your Task Is | Go to Section | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Understand the basic mechanics | Basic Boolean logic | Simple AND/OR/NOT rules |
| Build the first query | Boolean query worksheet | A query structure from job titles, skills, and domain |
| Search via a search engine | X-Ray search principle | An alternative way to find profiles |
| Improve queries | Query testing log | Data for the next iteration |
Quick Chapter Map
1. First, build the layers: job titles, work, tools, domain, exclusions.
2. Then create a broad, balanced, and narrow query.
3. Test the first 20 results.
4. Record relevance, noise, and the next change.
Minimal Start
In 30 minutes, build three versions of the query and test 20 results each. Do not change
everything at once: after testing, change only one layer and log the conclusion from
Appendix D.8.
Principle
Boolean is a way to translate role traits into search patterns. A longer query is not necessarily
better. A good query is manageable: you can see what each layer does.
Example
Too broad:
"Product Manager" SaaS
Too narrow:
("Senior Product Manager") AND ("B2B SaaS") AND ("product-led growth") AND
onboarding AND activation AND retention AND analytics AND experimentation AND
"Series B"
Better:
("Product Manager" OR "Growth Product Manager" OR "Product Lead")
AND (onboarding OR activation OR "self serve" OR PLG OR lifecycle)
AND (SaaS OR subscription OR "B2B")
Basic Boolean Logic
AND narrows.
OR widens.
NOT removes noise but may kill the market.
Quotation marks search for an exact phrase.
Parentheses group variants.
Boolean Query Worksheet
Layer Your Inputs Example
Base job title "Data Engineer" OR "Analytics Engineer"
| Layer | Your Inputs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Work traits | pipeline OR orchestration OR "data quality" | |
| Tools | dbt OR Airflow OR Spark | |
| Domain or environment | SaaS OR marketplace OR fintech | |
| Widening variants | BI Engineer OR Data Platform | |
| Exclusions | NOT intern NOT student |
X-Ray Search Principle
X-Ray search uses a search engine to find public pages on a specific site. It is useful when the platform's built-in search produces too much noise or applies restrictive filters.
1. Write a broad query.
2. Review 20 results.
3. Record the reasons for irrelevance.
4. Change one layer.
5. Review another 20.
6. Compare the share of relevant results.
7. Save the best query and an explanation.
Self-Check
Can you explain why every keyword is in the query?
AI Tips for This Chapter
The full prompt for expanding Boolean queries is in Appendix G.4. Do not assume the longest
query is the best: first test broad, balanced, and narrow variants against the first 20 results.
Key Takeaways / Where to Go Next
Take away the iteration log: it matters more than a polished search string. If your queries are
starting to produce relevant profiles, move to Chapter 6 to integrate search, profile reading,
and outreach into your workflow.
