The Challenges for Boolean "Beginners"

[Irina Shamaeva]

If you consider yourself a "beginner" in Internet sourcing and want to get going, what do you see as the main difficulties/challenges?
Is it:
* Boolean logic of the strings?
* difficulty with using search engine advanced operators?
* not being able to get the right results with seemingly good strings?
* too much info/manuals/cheatsheets to go through before you can even begin?

(your answer?)

Thanks,
Irina

[Sarah Salukas]

Although I do not consider myself a total beginner, I am certainly not advanced and there is always more to learn. I think the most difficult challenge is "too much info/manuals/cheat sheets to go through before you can even begin." It's not just that there is too much information to go thought before you begin, it's also that there is too much information to go though while you are creating your string and constantly referring back to your references – because as a beginner, you can’t possibly remember all of the information you read before you started. With all of the information available on Boolean, it's hard to remember it all and you must constantly go back though your notes - even while you are in the middle of your string creation – which is very time consuming, but unfortunately necessary if you want to get successful results. Constantly having to tweak the strings for various search engines, since the search engines do not operate the same, and on top of that, constantly having to tweak your strings within a single search engine in order to get it to produce the results you need is always a challenge for beginners and, I’d imagine, slightly more advanced sourcers as well.

Come to think of it, all in all I guess these challenges are intertwined with each other. If you have trouble with the first - the logic of the strings- you will inevitably have trouble with the rest of the challenges listed. If you have trouble with the advanced operators, isn't that the same as trouble with the logic, except it would be a more advanced level of Boolean logic? If you're not getting the right results with your seemingly good strings, then do you truly understand the logic and the advanced operators? Even with the plethora of info/manuals/cheat sheets/etc. available, they are not going to help you until you do truly understand, at a minimum, the Boolean Basics- which brings us back to square one.

Basically, all of these are realistic challenges for successful sourcing with Boolean. I think that the only thing a beginner can do is to read and re-read their manuals - use the trial and error method, and keep track of which strings worked and what search engines they worked on. That way you can go back to your notes and begin to recognize the pattern of successful strings, vs. unsuccessful ones. It’s certainly helping me learn (for now at least), along with participating in great discussion forums like The Boolean Strings Network and LinkedIn Group, which are always an excellent resource.

[Fonda Kendley]

Consider myself a beginner and still working with the logic of Boolean, when to and not to space, the different operators and when to use them. The member's of the BSN have been wonderful to respond to questions posted, for that I'm very grateful.

Fonda

[Scott D. Shellhaas]

First off, I want to thank you Irina as you really assisted me a few months ago on LinkedIn. Made me realize how much I do not know.

With me being more of a begginer with Boolean, it is the specialty areas like Aerospace and Bioscience that can be tricky. When looking for good candidates in a more populated area I get much more accuarate results. One that works well for the more populated, that you posted was.... site:linkedin.com inurl:pub | inurl:in mensa javai.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

...thanks again!

Scott

[Norma Beasant, PHR]

I would have to say all of the above. I also use Google exclusively and would like to learn more. All that said, I have been paying close attention to what experts like Gary say and I have been literally copying some of the strings and making my changes and it seems to work. I have been paying attention so I can make some sense of the reasoning behind what some of the experts do.

I also need to understand the logic behind the ~ and the - and how you use them together, etc.and how to truly eliminate junk. That is still "Greek" to me.

orma

[Shephally Stern]

Hi Irina, I'm glad to get connected to you via Boolean strings network. Have several question in regards to sourcing the right contact. For example, how to find out specific contact with a specific titles within a specific company using google.

Regards,
Shephally

[Irina Shamaeva]

Shephally,

This seems to be a common thread. (See
http://booleanstrings.ning.com/forum/topics/strings-to-get-email-id... and
http://booleanstrings.ning.com/forum/topics/the-list-of-a-company for example).
There's no one simple answer but there are many ways to work on it such as X-raying LinkedIn. I am going to address those ways at my webinar Researching People and Companies on the Internet
If you'd like please start a new discussion here on the forum and suggest a sample search; I will reply with some ideas on that search.

Shephally Stern said:

Hi Irina, I'm glad to get connected to you via Boolean strings network. Have several question in regards to sourcing the right contact. For example, how to find out specific contact with a specific titles within a specific company using google.

Regards,
Shephally

[Elaine Bonin]

I am a beginner and am finding everything difficult and challenging. I am persistant and a fast learner. I am just starting and want to learn, learn, learn. I am searching all over and help on where to begin would be lovely. I was fasinated by your webinar with ZoomInfo this afternoon. Irina...you are my idol. Boolean Sourcing Guru! Just point the way!
My eyes are wide open.

[Irina Shamaeva]

Elaine -

Thank you for your nice words! :) I am glad you have joined the community.
You can learn quite a bit by browsing through the archives here and asking questions.
If you might be interested, I have training DVDs that may help you get going.

Irina

Elaine Bonin said:

I am a beginner and am finding everything difficult and challenging. I am persistant and a fast learner. I am just starting and want to learn, learn, learn. I am searching all over and help on where to begin would be lovely. I was fasinated by your webinar with ZoomInfo this afternoon. Irina...you are my idol. Boolean Sourcing Guru! Just point the way!
My eyes are wide open.

[Yogesh Kumar]

Indeed, beginners face these challenges....

[Edna Barone]

two & four.

you have been much help in my growth in this industry, i am still learning.
thanks

[Joann Cabral]

I am a complete beginner and I am trying to put together a string which I can reuse (while changing the main keywords) and get meaningful results. For me I would consider all four as difficulties I am facing starting with the Boolean Logic to writing a good string and ending with good results.
Joann