Ashby: The Boolean Search Limitation
The Verdict: Ashby is often praised as the "Ferrari" of ATS platforms, but for sourcers, it has a flat tire. The inability to use full boolean strings—specifically the "NOT" operator—turns simple searches into manual chores.
The Problem: No "NOT" Allowed
Ashby uses a system of nested dropdowns instead of standard boolean strings. While this is user-friendly for beginners, it is a nightmare for power users.
The Deal-Breaker: You cannot easily exclude terms. If you want to search for "Software Engineer" but exclude "Manager," Ashby makes this incredibly difficult. Users report that setting up a search that takes 30 seconds in other tools takes 4-5 minutes in Ashby.
Sourcing Inefficiency
For high-volume sourcing, this friction adds up. Hours are wasted clicking through dropdown menus instead of running precise queries. This limits your ability to quickly filter your own talent pool.
How Mokka Fixes It
Mokka brings professional-grade search back to your workflow.
Full Boolean Power: Mokka supports complex boolean queries, including AND, OR, and NOT operators, allowing you to slice and dice your candidate pool with precision.
AI Semantic Search: Go beyond keywords. Mokka understands that a "Java Developer" is also a "Backend Engineer," finding relevant candidates even if they don't match your exact string.
Keep Ashby for the pipeline. Use Mokka for the search.