How Provenly trust scores work
A trust score is a number from 0 to 100. It reflects how much verifiable signal exists on a profile — not how impressive the claims are. A profile full of self-reported achievements scores lower than one with two confirmed references and a recorded intro, because the second one can be checked.
Employers on Provenly can filter by trust score before they read a single word of a profile. The number matters.
What goes into the score
Ten factors. Each has a fixed point ceiling. The score is their sum, capped at 100.
Your email is confirmed and at least one referee has vouched for you. This is the base signal that you are a real person who has actually worked somewhere.
Former managers or colleagues who complete a verification request. The first reference gives 9 points, the second adds 9 more, and a third fills the remaining 7. These are the highest-value points on the score — they come from another person, not from you.
Roles with both a job title and a company name. Up to 3 roles count, at 5 points each. An entry missing either field does not count.
At least one school on your profile. Degree and field are shown but not required for the points.
Every 2 skills you list earn 2 points, up to 10 skills. The full 10 points requires at least 10 skills. Skill claims are self-reported here — the quiz signal below independently checks them.
A recorded intro lets an employer hear or see you before deciding whether to reach out. It carries weight because most candidates skip it — hiring managers do watch them.
A profile photo earns 3 points. A bio longer than 30 characters earns 2 more. A one-sentence bio is enough.
LinkedIn, GitHub, or a portfolio URL. One link earns 3 points; two or more earn 5. These are public-web signals that exist outside Provenly.
An uploaded resume. Employers can download it directly from your profile.
Server-graded quizzes with no preview. The first pass earns 2 points, the second adds 2, the third fills the last 1. These are the only points on the score that prove a skill rather than claiming it.
Score bands
Profile exists but has little verifiable signal. Employers will see this score and likely look for more.
Some signal is in place. One or two references and a fuller profile pushes you out of this band.
You have meaningful verifiable signal. Most candidates with real work history land here.
Multiple references vouched, full work history, and a complete profile. This is the band employers filter for.
Why references carry the most weight
References vouched contribute up to 25 of the 100 points — the largest single category. The reason is simple: they come from a second person, not from the candidate. A confirmed reference means someone who worked with you answered a structured form, agreed that the relationship existed, and chose to vouch publicly.
Everything else on the score is still useful signal, but it is self-reported. References are the part of the score that another person had to actively choose to give you.
What does not raise the score
- Pending references — a request sent but not yet responded to counts as 0.
- Declined references — no points, and the referee is not shown publicly.
- Skills listed without a passing quiz — skills earn points, but they are self-reported and flagged as unverified.
- Partial work entries — a role missing either title or company does not count.
- A very short bio — fewer than 30 characters earns 0 for the bio portion.
Your trust score updates the moment you add a verified reference, fill out a section, or pass a quiz. There is no manual review — the score is live.