> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staffer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reading match scores

> What a candidate's match score means, and where the per-criterion breakdown and narrative come from.

Every candidate you search or shortlist gets scored against that specific job, not a general profile score.

## The score

Each of the job's criteria is compared against the candidate's profile and scored individually, then combined into one overall match score. Required criteria count for more than preferred ones. See [The brief: hard fields and criteria](/companies/brief-criteria) for how that weighting works.

## The narrative

Alongside the number, Staffer writes a short narrative explaining the match: where the candidate is strong, where they fall short. Treat it as commentary from the agent, not as part of the score itself. It's there to help you read the number faster, not to justify it.

## When scores change

A score reflects the criteria at the moment it was calculated. See [Editing and rescoring](/companies/editing-and-rescoring) for when it updates on its own and when you need to trigger it yourself.

**Next:** [Shortlist and push to candidates](/companies/shortlist-and-push)