Introduction
There are two self-match workflow methods: Structured and Gap-free. Generally speaking, smaller programs with fewer than 200 participants and a more targeted focus (e.g. high potential programs, grad students in a certain department connecting with professionals in their area of study, etc.) benefit most from a structured workflow set, while larger programs (200+ participants) with a broader focus (e.g. general career mentoring, undergraduate programs to facilitate the transition from high school to college, etc.) benefit most from a gap-free workflow set. Type of organization can also be a factor (academic, association, corporate). Reach out to a Customer Success team member for consultation.
Why it matters: Whether you're starting a brand new program or beginning a new cohort for your existing program, the enrollment and matching workflows you have participants follow can have a strong impact on the overall success.
Structured
Mentors have a specified duration for creating and publishing their profiles
Mentees have a specified duration for creating and publishing their profiles
Mentees wait until a designated matching period to find their matches
Advantages
Provides additional structure gives a sense of urgency to participants.
Provides a equal opportunity for all mentees to review all available mentors and decide which ones they would like to reach out to (this pairs well with the Bookmarking feature[link]). No first-come-first-served urgency.
When messaging to non-connected participants is enabled, mentees have time to reach out to a mentor about any questions they may have before making a connection request, increasing the likelihood of a strong pairing.
Drawbacks
Creates an artificial time barrier to matching which can result in fewer mentees remembering to return to the platform to find a partner.
Can feel constraining or over-engineered to some cultures, resulting in lower participant turnout.
Gap-free
Mentors have a specified duration for creating and publishing their profiles
Mentees can begin requesting a mentoring partner as soon as they publish their profiles
Mentees can match at their own leisure (rolling enrollment program; enrollment-only cohort workflow
Advantage
No time barrier to matching, which typically results in a higher number of mentoring requests being sent
Drawbacks
Without a specified time to send requests, mentees may feel more inclined to put off profile completion and finding a mentoring partner, leading to participant fall off.
Less mentors available at any given time and therefore, mentees may not have the opportunity to reach out to the mentor(s) of their choice.
Factors to consider:
Culture of your organization: Do people typically expect or respond better to structure?
Number of participants: With more mentors, the likelihood of mentees finding a mentor that can assist them with their specific needs.
Goal of the program: General career mentoring increases the likelihood of more mentors having experience in across the program in general skills, as opposed to meeting highly specific needs among mentees.
Audience type: Everyone, high potential program w/ execs, grad school students pairing with professionals, etc. (ties in with # of participants).
Connection duration: Does the duration increase the likelihood of returning participants, increase the likelihood of participating mentees?
Messaging campaign: How and at what frequency this information will need to be conveyed to participants.