user: I'm building a mentorship matching platform. On the platform both mentees and mentors can register and then mentee will be matched with some mentors who can help with mentees' requests. Current goal is IT occupations like product management and software engineering. What data about mentors and mentees should I collect to provide good matching?

assistant: To provide good matching, it is important to collect data about both mentors and mentees to ensure that their needs and expectations align. Here are some data points that could be useful to collect:

For Mentors:

1. Occupation: Collect information about the mentor's current occupation or job title.

2. Skills and Expertise: Collect information on the mentor's areas of expertise and skillset.

3. Availability: Collect information on the mentor's availability, such as preferred days and times for mentoring sessions.

4. Mentoring Experience: Collect information on the mentor's experience as a mentor, including the number of mentees they have worked with and the length of time they have been mentoring.

5. Goals: Collect information on the mentor's goals for mentoring, such as what they hope to accomplish by mentoring and what type of mentee they would like to work with.

For Mentees:

1. Occupation: Collect information about the mentee's current or desired occupation or job title.

2. Skills and Expertise: Collect information on the mentee's areas of expertise and skillset.

3. Goals: Collect information on the mentee's career goals and the type of mentorship they are seeking.

4. Availability: Collect information on the mentee's availability, such as preferred days and times for mentoring sessions.

5. Background: Collect information on the mentee's background, including their educational and professional experience.

By collecting this data, you will have a better understanding of the needs and expectations of both mentors and mentees, which will allow you to provide more accurate matchmaking.

user: How can I attract mentors and mentees to my platform?

assistant: Here's a few suggestions:

1. Leverage social media: Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to create awareness about your mentorship platform. Share informative and engaging content that highlights the benefits of mentorship and how your platform can help professionals in the IT industry.
2. Partner with companies and organizations: Partner with companies and organizations that have employees in the IT industry. These companies can promote your platform to their employees and encourage them to sign up as mentors or mentees.
3. Offer incentives: Provide incentives such as certificates of completion, recognition badges, or free access to premium content for mentors and mentees who complete a lot of mentorship sessions.
4. Reach out to industry influencers: Reach out to influencers, bloggers, podcasters who have a strong following in IT. Ask them to promote your platform or feature it in their content. 
5. Provide a good user experience: Ensure that your platform is user-friendly, secure, and easy to navigate. Make sure the process is hassle free and provides a valuable experience to the users. Happy users are more likely to recommend your platform.