Understanding Your Match Score
What the match score percentage means, the dimensions behind it, and when the cross-functional factor applies.
The match score is a percentage that shows how well two people fit for mentoring, based on what is in their profiles. A higher number means a stronger fit on paper. It is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict on whether the relationship will work.
Where you see it
- On the Matches page, the Active tab shows a line such as "72% match" under a match.
- On the match detail page, the Overview tab has a Match Score card. It shows the percentage, a bar for each dimension, and up to three plain-language reasons for the pairing.
- On the Mentors page, recommended mentors show a percentage and a breakdown.
A match created without a score shows no Match Score card.
The dimensions
MentorStack compares the mentee and the mentor on four dimensions. Each one scores from 0% to 100%.
- Skills: how many of the mentee's growth areas the mentor has as skills. If the mentee has not picked growth areas, MentorStack compares the overlap between the two people's skill lists instead.
- Goals: how closely the mentee's aspiration and active goals line up with the mentor's background. When both profiles have been analysed for meaning, MentorStack compares them by meaning, so "become a tech lead" can match "leadership track". Otherwise it compares the words they share.
- Seniority: how well the gap between the two levels fits your program's seniority setting. Prefer Senior favours a mentor a level or two above the mentee, Strict requires the same level, and Peer favours the same level. If a mentor listed preferred mentee levels, a mentee at one of those levels gets a small boost, and a mentee outside them gets a small reduction. If either level is missing, this dimension scores 50%.
- Availability: how much of the mentee's available time overlaps with the mentor's. If either person has not set availability, it scores 50%.
Your admin chooses how much each dimension counts in Settings → Program → Matching. Unless they change it, the weights are Skills 40%, Goals 30%, Seniority 20%, and Availability 10%. The score is the weighted sum of the four dimension scores. See Configuring Matching.
The cross-functional factor
A fifth bar, Cross-functional, appears only when all of these are true:
- Your organization is on the Growth plan or above.
- Your admin turned on DEI features in the organization settings.
When it applies, it looks at department only:
- Different departments score 100%.
- A missing department for either person scores 50%.
- The same department scores 0%.
Adding this factor takes a fixed share of the total score, and the four standard weights shrink to make room. The Cross-functional pairing reason shows only when the two people are in different departments. Gender and ethnicity are never used in the score. Add your Department on your profile if you want it considered. See DEI Metrics & Tracking.
Note
On the Free Pilot and Starter, the cross-functional factor is not available, even if the setting is on. The score uses the four standard dimensions only.
Why paired
Under the bars, the card lists the strongest reasons for the pairing, such as skills in common, goal alignment, complementary seniority, or schedules that line up. A dimension appears only if it scores at least 50%, and at most three reasons show. A weak dimension is left out rather than listed as a negative.
Tip
To raise your fit with the people you want to meet, keep your profile current: growth areas or expertise, goals, seniority level, department, and availability. See Your First-Time Profile Setup.