> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cutshort.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I use search filters to find more relevant candidates?

> Cutshort filters are built for tech recruiters and founders. Narrow with skills, industry, and education first — then use key requirements for custom criteria.

Unlike large platforms such as LinkedIn, which have generic filters, Cutshort has designed filters for tech industry recruiters and founders who look for solid and skilled talent.

After you start a search, the left **Filters** panel on the results page is where these options live. For the full search flow, see [How do I search relevant candidates on Cutshort?](/employers/search-relevant-candidates#3-tighten-results-with-filters).

Open **Talent database** → a saved search, or start a new one from [cutshort.io/profile/candidate-search/new](https://cutshort.io/profile/candidate-search/new).

## First, an important recommendation

First use filters like **Skills**, **Industry**, **Location**, and **Education pedigree** to narrow the talent pool.

For custom and specific criteria — such as “Experience in ML models, not just using LLMs” — use **Key requirements** for best accuracy.

## Skills

If you already know the concrete skills for the role, add them under **Skills**. Candidates with those skills rank higher.

Use **Boolean search** when you need the exact words on the resume — for example `(kafka OR "event-driven") AND node`. That catches mentions in job descriptions and projects, not only tagged skills.

Do not stack too many skill groups. Two to four is enough. Prefer `python` over `python 3.10`.

## Key requirements

Use **Key requirements** for custom and specific criteria a resume can show — not just a skill tag. Example: “Experience in ML models, not just using LLMs.” Other examples: owned a payments API, led a team of 5, worked in a GCC, or went to a tier-1 college.

Set these when you start the search, or later with **Edit key requirements** / **Edit criteria**.

Each line is **Mandatory** or **Preferred**. Mandatory lines hide people who do not match.

To surface people who match every mandatory line without reading cards one by one, flip **All relevant** to **Top 50**. Cutshort reviews the search results for you. See [How do I find Top 50 candidates who match all my requirements?](/employers/find-top-50-candidates).

Top 50 uses AI review credits. Freedom plans include 10,000 AI review credits per month. If you hit the limit, email [hire@cutshort.io](mailto:hire@cutshort.io).

## Industry

On most recruiting platforms, including LinkedIn, industry filters have two problems:

* They work only on well-known companies. A vast majority of companies are smaller, and their industry info is not accurate.
* Recruiters care about different industry tags like SaaS, Products, and Services — which have very different meaning to them.

On Cutshort, **Industry** uses an LLM-based approach so that:

* They work for lesser-known companies, not just the famous ones.
* You can choose categories you care about — **B2B SaaS**, **Consumer internet** (B2C), **Software product**, **GCC** — and exclude large IT services in one click.

Other tags you can pick:

* **E-commerce**
* **Banking and finance**
* **Healthcare**
* **Edtech and education**
* **Gaming**
* **Computer security**
* **Travel**

To hide IT-services backgrounds:

* **Exclude large IT services** — companies like Infosys, Cognizant, TCS
* **Exclude all IT services** — large and smaller IT-services / consulting firms

## Education pedigree

Do not type college names. A name list misses global schools such as Caltech or Berkeley.

Under **Education pedigree**, pick a tier:

* **Tier 1+ colleges** — topmost tech institutes, such as top IITs, IISc, BITS Pilani, MIT, Purdue, Caltech
* **Tier 1 colleges** — the next band, such as other IITs and recognised NITs
* **Tier 2 colleges** — other reputed tech institutes

You can select more than one tier.

## Job switching

**Job switching** hides people who have a pattern of short tenures. Turn on **Hide frequent job switchers**.

Use this when you want a more stable work history. Leave it off if short stints are fine for the role.

## Startup experience and entrepreneurial experience

These are two filters.

**Startup experience**

* **Funded startups** — worked at a funded or well-known startup
* **Other startups** — startup experience outside that set

**Entrepreneurial experience**

* **Cofounded a venture** — started a company
* **Early stage member** — played a core role in the early stage of a venture

Use one or both, depending on whether you want company-type (startup) or founder / early-employee experience.

## Work quality

**Work quality** looks at the strength of achievements on the profile.

* **Extremely high** — remarkable achievement on a professional task
* **High** — notable achievement

This is a preference filter. Start with the broader search, then add it if the list is still too wide.

## Career growth

**Career growth** keeps people who have shown relatively fast progression. The option is **Fast career growth**.

Use it for roles where pace of promotion or expanding scope matters.

## Gender

**Gender** filters by **Male**, **Female**, **Other**, or **Undisclosed / NA**.

Candidates who have not shared gender appear under **Undisclosed / NA**.

## If something goes wrong

* **List collapsed to almost no one** — remove one filter at a time. Industry exclude + pedigree + must-have skills stack quickly.
* **Industry looks wrong** — these tags are from the profile, not the current employer name alone. Try a nearby tag (for example **Software product** and **B2B SaaS**).
* **College you care about is missing** — pick the tier, do not type the school name.
* **Top 50 is out of credits** — Freedom includes 10,000 AI review credits per month. Email [hire@cutshort.io](mailto:hire@cutshort.io) if you need more.

Something else? Chat with us on [cutshort.io](https://cutshort.io).

## Related

* [How do I search relevant candidates on Cutshort?](/employers/search-relevant-candidates)
* [How do I find Top 50 candidates who match all my requirements?](/employers/find-top-50-candidates)
* [What is a Talent Card?](/employers/what-is-a-talent-card)