# Start matching: Step by step

Source: https://www.talentkiwi.tech/en/docs/workbench/matching

> Start from a candidate and let talentkiwi find the open jobs that fit them best, each ranked with a fit score and a plain-language explanation.



**Matching** reverses the usual job board. Instead of a person hunting for jobs, you hold the talent and talentkiwi hunts the market: one candidate goes in, and a ranked shortlist of fitting jobs comes out, each with a fit score and a plain-language explanation of why it fits.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Matching always begins with a candidate. Create a [candidate project](/en/docs/workbench/candidate-project) and upload the CV first, plus any recruiter notes or extra files. talentkiwi reads the documents automatically, including scanned PDFs via OCR, and pulls everything into a single profile the AI can work with.

## Preview the strategy before it runs [#preview-the-strategy-before-it-runs]

Before committing, you see a **Search Strategy Preview**: the AI explains in plain language how it interpreted your request and which filters it's applying. A live counter shows how many jobs currently match (for example, "searching in 1,240 jobs"), so you can widen or narrow the search before spending the run. Refine and re-preview as many times as you like.

## Define what you're looking for [#define-what-youre-looking-for]

Shape the search with three controls:

* **Sources**, pick where to search: the broad public job market, your own company data or ATS, and more.
* **Query**, describe the profile or role in your own words. You can type it or dictate it by voice.
* **Smart filters**, exclusion rules such as experience level, workload (%), languages, location, and company. The AI proposes a sensible starting set; adjust it freely.

For location, you can search by place plus radius, by region or canton, or by real **travel time** (for example, within 30 minutes by car or public transport). Commute time is then calculated for every job.

## How the matching works [#how-the-matching-works]

When you start the search, the engine works in layers to find true fit rather than keyword overlap:

1. It reads for **meaning**, so it surfaces relevant roles even when the wording differs from the CV.
2. It combines that with precise **keyword matching** for accuracy.
3. It **re-ranks** the best results by genuine relevance.
4. It **scores** each job and writes a short explanation of the fit.

A progress bar keeps you informed while it runs.

## Review the results [#review-the-results]

Each job comes back as a card showing:

* A color-coded **fit score** ring (green for excellent, amber for fair, and so on).
* Job title, company, location, and a **New** badge for fresh matches.
* Recruiting detail: commute time, workload (%), languages, posting date, distance, and a flag for agency-posted listings.
* The **AI fit explanation** in two panels, "Why it fits well" and "Areas to improve", so you get the reasoning, not just a number.
* The full job description and a link to the original posting.

You can re-rank results by best match, newest, distance, or match date, and apply a minimum quality threshold or filter by commute time. When a posting states that staffing agencies are not wanted, you can sort those jobs out. All adjustments apply instantly, without a new search.

## Act on matches [#act-on-matches]

For each job you can:

* **Shortlist or reject** it. Results are organized into Suggested and Shortlisted tabs.
* **Create a document project** pairing this candidate with this job in one click. talentkiwi tells you if one already exists, so you never duplicate work.
* See the **direct contact** for the role (name, phone, email), all copyable.
* Open the original posting.

You can also work in bulk: shortlist, reject, or create projects for many jobs at once, and generate email drafts to present jobs to your candidate or present your candidate to a client.

## Alerts and refreshing [#alerts-and-refreshing]

**Saved-search alerts**, turn any search into a standing alert that runs on its own and emails you new matching jobs as they appear, as a morning digest, hourly, every few hours, or weekly. Stale alerts pause themselves so your inbox stays clean.

**Additive refresh**, after a few days, re-run a search to pull in only the genuinely new postings. Your reviewed and shortlisted jobs stay untouched, and new finds are flagged.