What’s the difference, and why does it matter?
When you search for candidates, our system uses two types of matching: Keyword Search and Semantic Search.
Both help you find the right candidates, but they work in very different ways.
Here’s a simple explanation.
🧠 What is Keyword Search?
Keyword Search looks for the exact words you typed.
Think of it as a very fast “Find” button inside thousands of resumes.
✔️ What it recognizes:
Exact words
Exact spellings
Basic variations (like plurals)
Specific phrases
❌ What it does not recognize:
Synonyms
Related words
Misspellings
Context
Example:
You search for “Salesforce”.
Keyword Search will only find resumes that literally contain:
“Salesforce”
Or very close spelling variations
It will not pick up candidates who list:
“CRM specialist”
“Experience with customer relationship platforms”
“Sales operations tools”
—even if they clearly have the right experience.
Keyword Search is perfect for:
Searching by names, IDs, emails
Checking for specific certifications
Finding exact tools or technologies
🤖 What is Semantic Search?
Semantic Search looks for meaning, not just words.
It understands the intent behind your search, similar to how a human recruiter reads a resume.
✔️ What it recognizes:
Synonyms
Related terms
Conceptual matches
Context of experience
Skills described in different ways
Different languages (in many cases)
❌ What it does not require:
Exact keywords
Exact formatting
Specific spellings
Example:
You search for “customer support experience in a fast-paced environment.”
Semantic Search understands the meaning behind this phrase and can match candidates who wrote things like:
“Call center agent handling 80+ calls per day”
“Experience with high-volume customer inquiries”
“Front desk associate managing rapid guest turnover”
—even though none of them contain the exact words you typed.
Semantic Search is perfect for:
Natural-language searches
Job description matching
Broader searches where context matters
Finding candidates who should match even if they don’t use your words
🆚 Side-by-Side Comparison
Feature | Keyword Search | Semantic Search |
Looks for | Exact words | Meaning & context |
Requires exact spelling | Yes | No |
Understands synonyms | No | Yes |
Handles natural language | No | Yes |
Good for | Names, IDs, exact terms | Skills, experience, job matches |
Finds related concepts | No | Yes |
Handles multilingual phrases | Limited | Yes (with AI) |
🎯 Why we use both in Candidate Search AI
Our Candidate Search uses a hybrid approach:
Keyword Search ensures literal matches aren’t missed
Semantic Search ensures conceptually relevant candidates are included
By combining the two, you get:
Broader coverage
Smarter matching
More accurate rankings
Fewer missed candidates
This means the search results feel more “human” and relevant—closer to how a recruiter would judge a candidate.
👋 We are always here for you if you need us!
Remember, our whole team is around almost 24/7 to support you! In fact, you can simply press the messenger button on the bottom right of this page to start chatting with us! Our team will be happy to assist you.