Here are two truths: 

1. Sourcing the most well-matched candidates for a role is one of the most important things a recruiter can do to set themselves apart from the pack. 
2. Traditional search methods often slow recruiters down and can lead to missed opportunities.

So what’s a recruiter to do? 

Boolean search has long been the (begrudging) staple in a recruiter’s searching toolkit. But anyone who is familiar with Boolean operators knows that sourcing like [this] OR “like this” can take a lot of time and skill to master — and even experienced recruiters spend valuable time fine-tuning queries. 

On the other hand, filters present their own problems, as they can often be too rigid and may exclude great candidates whose profiles don't perfectly match the set criteria.

These issues create inconsistent results across teams and hinder a recruiter's ability to find top talent efficiently. 

So…what is Natural Language Search? 

Loxo’s Natural Language Search (NLS) is a forward-thinking solution designed to remove the barriers that have long held recruiters back from sourcing the way they want to. It makes searches faster and more consistent across the team, while ensuring you capture the widest pool of qualified candidates that truly match your intent. 

NLS comes down to a combination of both methodology and technology. 

The way you source is different — using actual words in plain language, instead of Boolean search strings and operators or a series of filters. 

And the way our AI works on the backend is different, too, interpreting your intent and turning it into highly targeted search behind the scenes. 

The system then scans Loxo Source’s talent database of 1.2 billion candidates — plus your own internal database — to find the widest and most relevant set of candidates, allowing you to focus on reviewing results instead of building complex search strings. Loxo's Natural Language Search AI was built to understand the nuance and context of your request, ensuring it casts the widest possible net, while still matching the specificity of your needs. 

It’s wild — and one of those things you kind of have to see to believe.

Click through this interactive demo to see it in action! 

How does Loxo’s Natural Language Search actually work? 

Great question. We’d call it magic, but that would actually be less interesting than the truth. 

When you enter a search in plain English, Loxo’s AI interprets the intent and context behind your words. Behind the scenes, it translates your input into a structured query. That query is then run across both your internal database and Loxo Source’s 1.2 billion profiles.

The AI doesn’t just look for exact keyword matches, it uses inference and reasoning to identify candidates who align with your intent, even if their profiles don’t contain the exact terms you typed. This expands your reach, reduces the risk of missing qualified talent, and ensures you’re reviewing the strongest possible results.

How is NLS different from manual sourcing methods?

Boolean and filters require recruiters to know the exact keywords, syntax, and combinations to run a search. NLS removes that barrier. You just type in plain language (e.g., “software engineer with Python and AWS experience in Austin”), and the system interprets the intent, nuance, and related context for you. It expands your query automatically while still allowing you to layer Boolean and filters on top if you want.

Just tell Loxo exactly who you’re looking for — using, y’know, actual words — like you’d tell a friend. Attach the job description, criteria from the hiring manager, and any other specific information you’d like to include. 

‍Even better? If you're not sure where to start (or what kind of candidate you should be searching for), Loxo's AI can help with that, too. Simply press "Have AI write it for me" and a description will appear, which you can then customize to your liking.

The added benefit here is that you’ll never have to wonder if you’ve accidentally boxed yourself in with your search, missing out on candidates who may be just outside the parameters of your criteria. 

Speaking of benefits… 

Benefits of NLS in Loxo Source

Hopefully you’re already starting to see how much of a game-changer NLS can be for your sourcing efforts, but let’s really spell it out: 

• Uncover candidates you would otherwise miss with boolean & filters.
• Fill roles faster by eliminating the Boolean learning curve.
• Standardize sourcing quality across junior and senior recruiters.
• Capture the widest pool of qualified candidates that match your intent.
• Source like the ultimate pro from day one.
• Adapt searches quickly without complex rewrites.
• Trust that your candidate list matches your true intent.

All of that being said, one of the biggest benefits to Loxo Source as a whole is that you can now source on your terms — whether that’s using Boolean, filters, Natural Language Search, or some combination of the three. All while getting access to our proprietary database of hard-to-find talent. 

We recommend putting the initial lift on NLS, but you don’t have to use it on its own — in fact, our best practices involve refining your initial NLS search results with Boolean strings and filters.

Best practice: Start with NLS first, and then refine if needed. It’s better to cast a wider net first (before limiting yourself too much with filters), and then see how much deeper you want to go. From there, you have two options:

1. Adjust the NLS: Refine your original plain-language search and run it again.
2. Layer on filters or Boolean: Review the NLS results, then add filters or Boolean keywords to narrow your search even further.

This way, NLS does the heavy lifting upfront, and you can fine-tune for precision as you go.

Why recruiters should care

We believe you shouldn’t have to learn a new language just to source candidates. 

With Natural Language Search, you don’t have to. Recruiters can now skip the complexity and trust the system to surface strong matches. This empowers you to be the hero who fills roles faster than anyone else — and gives you confidence that your candidate list matches your true intent, ultimately reducing the time it takes to fill a role. 

The ripple effect here is powerful: junior recruiters can perform at the same level as veterans from the start, and veterans can move even faster. 

Wrapping up

The world of talent sourcing is changing — and the status quo of complex, time-consuming methods is changing with it. Traditional sourcing techniques, while effective in their time, can no longer keep up with the speed and demands of modern hiring. As AI-powered solutions become more commonplace, recruiters who embrace these new methods will be able to work smarter, not harder. We think they’ll also be a lot happier. Less hair-pulling, more role-filling; it’s a win-win in every sense. 

By adapting your methods now, you’ll not only gain a competitive edge in finding top talent but also future-proof your skills in an industry that is rapidly evolving.

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