Matching and preparing before you start
Step 1 / 4·Matching: four criteria and one prohibition
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Match on criteria rather than by instinct
- Prepare both mentor and mentee before kick-off
- Have a frame for the first meeting and the mentoring agreement
Matching: four criteria and one prohibition
Have a basis for matching instead of guessing.
Matching is the most decisive step and the one most often done casually — usually by department or by list order. The four criteria below give you a real basis.
Four matching criteria
| Criterion | Why it matters | How to collect it |
|---|---|---|
| The mentee's development goal | The most important criterion — the mentor must be further along the road the mentee wants to travel | An application form asking directly: what do you want to develop in the next 12 months |
| The mentor's experience and strengths | A mentor strong in A does not help a mentee who needs B | A mentor profile naming three specific areas they can help with |
| The experience gap | Too close and there is nothing to share; too far and the mentor has forgotten what that stage felt like | Two or three levels is usually the most effective distance |
| Working style and availability | A pair that cannot find a meeting slot is a pair that goes cold within two months | Ask directly about workable times and frequency on the application |
One thing to avoid: pairing with the line manager
Do not pair a mentee with their own line manager. A mentoring relationship needs room to discuss career doubts, including doubts about the current job — and people do not say those things to whoever decides their pay. A mentor from a different department is usually far more valuable.
Let the mentee choose
A better approach than hard matching: give the mentee two or three suitable mentor profiles and let them pick. Choosing creates commitment from the outset — and it relieves the organisers of having to match perfectly.
Key takeaway: Four criteria: mentee goal, mentor strengths, experience gap, availability; and never pair with the line manager.