Self Matching for mentors
Table of Contents
What is Self Matching?
Self matching means you choose the mentee(s) you want to be matched with, rather than being matched by a program manager.
With MentorKey, you can:
- Browse a list of available mentees
- Read about their background, goals, and interests
- Send a request to the mentees you’d like to work with
Note: Whether self matching is available depends on how your program has been set up by your administrators.
Reviewing requests from mentees
Mentees can request mentors directly. When this happens, you’ll receive requests from mentees that you can review and respond to before starting a mentoring partnership.
Reviewing requests
You can view incoming mentee requests from the "Requests" page.
Here is how you review requests:
Accepting or declining requests
After reviewing a request, you can choose to accept or decline it.
- Accepting a request starts a mentoring partnership with the mentee.
- Declining a request lets the mentee know you’re unable to proceed.
Tip: In most programs, you can only accept one mentee at a time, so it’s a good idea to review all requests before accepting one.
Here is how you accept or decline requests:
Accepting multiple requests
Some MentorKey programs allow mentors to accept more than one mentee request.
If this has been enabled by your program administrator:
- You can accept multiple mentee requests
- Each mentoring partnership is managed separately
If this option isn’t enabled, you’ll only be able to accept one request at a time.
Requesting a mentee
In some programs, self matching allows you to browse available mentees and send a request to those you’d like to be matched with.
Browsing mentees
To start, you can browse a list of mentees who are currently available in the program.
From the "Find a Mentee" page, you can:
- View mentee profiles
- Read about their goals and areas of interest
Here’s how you can browse the list of available mentees and view their profiles:
Sending a request to a mentee
Once you’ve found a mentee you’d like to connect with, you can send them a request.
Here’s how to send a request to be matched with a mentee:
Note: You can have one active mentee request at a time.
Mentees have up to 7 days to respond. If there’s no response after this time, your request will automatically expire and you can request another mentee.
Viewing your request
If you’ve already sent a request, you can view it on the View requests page. From here, you can see the mentee you’ve requested and cancel the request if needed.
Here’s how to view your request:
Cancelling a request
If your request is still waiting for a response and you no longer want to proceed, you can cancel it.
Here’s how to cancel a request:
Finding another mentee
If the mentee you requested is not currently available, or you cancel the request, you can look for another mentee by browsing the list again and sending a new request.
How to return to the Dashboard to find more mentee
To find more mentees, you can easily return to the main dashboard at any time.
With MentorKey, you can:
Click on the MentorKey logo in the top-left corner while viewing a mentee’s dashboard
Be automatically redirected to the main dashboard
Browse and discover additional mentees to connect with
What happens next?
Once you accept a request or your request has been accepted, the mentoring partnership begins. You can access your program from your dashboard and get started.
FAQs
Why is my self matching home page empty?
If your self matching home page is empty, it usually means there are no available mentees in your program right now.
We recommend checking back at a later time.
How do I view or edit my profile?
Your profile helps mentees understand who you are and how you can support them. Keeping it up to date can improve the quality of matches you receive.
Here is how you view or update your profile:
How do I set or update my preferences?
Some programs allow you to set preferences, such as how many mentees you’d like to work with at the same time.
If this option is available, here’s how to update your preferences:
If you don’t see preferences, this feature may not be enabled for your program.
How long does a request stay active?
A mentee request stays active for up to 7 days.
If the mentee doesn’t respond within that time, the request will automatically expire and you’ll be able to request another mentee.
How do I know how many mentoring relationships I’m in?
You can see all your active mentoring relationships from your dashboard.
Each active mentee you’re matched with will be listed there, so you can quickly see how many relationships you have.
I’ve accepted a mentee, why am I being asked if I want another?
Some MentorKey programs allow mentors to work with more than one mentee at the same time.
If this has been enabled by your program administrator, you may be prompted to accept or request another mentee. If not, you’ll only be able to have one active mentoring relationship.
Why am I being recommended certain mentees?
Mentee recommendations are based on information in their profile and preferences, such as:
- Their goals or areas of interest
- Topics they’re looking for support with
These recommendations are designed to help you find mentees who may be a good fit, but you’re always free to choose who you request.