“Do it.” That’s the recommendation from the nearly 20 D.C.- region marketers – half in the early stages of their marketing careers, half with a decade or more experience in the discipline – who in June 2017 became the first graduates of the AMADC’s revamped Mentor Program. Mentoring, they say, is a valuable use of time.

Upcoming 2017-2018 Session Will Incorporate Graduates’ Recommendations

“Do it.”  That’s the recommendation from the nearly 20 D.C.- region marketers – half in the early stages of their marketing careers, half with a decade or more experience in the discipline – who in June 2017 became the first graduates of the AMADC’s revamped Mentor Program.  Mentoring, they say, is a valuable use of time.

Those sentiments are among the findings gleaned from the end-of-program survey completed by 2016-17 AMADC Mentor Program participants.  Conducted for the AMADC by WHP Research Inc., the results revealed an overall theme: sign up. AMADC’s Mentor Program provides a useful framework for committed, engaged participants to achieve career enhancing experiences and networking opportunities. Eight out of ten program participants, both protégés and mentors, said they arevery likely to recommend the program to others.

“We are thrilled to learn that the program graduates’ experience was so positive,” said Angela Long, VP, AMADC Mentor Program. “Peer recommendations are a powerful indicator of success, so the graduate endorsements are particularly meaningful.”

The Mentor Program, which kicked off in October of last year and ended in June 2017, featured a new format designed to provide greater flexibility for participants. Mentor/protégé pairs followed a framework created by Mentor Program leaders that helps to establish goal-setting and meet-ups, while also allowing each pair to establish a relationship focus and set meetings according to their specific needs, goals and schedules. 

More than eight out of ten protégés were satisfied with how often they met/communicated with their mentor. About the same percentage (83 percent) of protégés reported that their mentor was “genuinely interested in hearing about my professional challenges.”  A similar percentage of mentors said they “enjoyed the mentor experience.”

Networking and professional development opportunities ranked high among both protégés and mentors for meeting or exceeding their expectations about the program. One particularly popular event, said mentors: Marketing Roundtables. Facilitated by program leaders, the January 26 event featured mentors, each with a specific expertise within marketing – think market research or creative development. Proteges rotated among the tables, asking questions of each mentor on his or her area of specialization.

In keeping with the AMADC’s commitment to continually improve its offerings, Ms. Long said that recommendations provided by graduations in survey responses will be incorporated into the 2017-2018 AMADC Mentor Program. These include:

• A mentor-only and a protégé-only event 
• A new emphasis on building the mentor program’s network, featuring a social event for graduates from previous Mentor Program classes and potential participants
• Speed networking integrated into the Program’s Kick Off night activities  
• A fresh approach to mentor participant recognition

Registration is now open for AMADC’s 2017-2018 Mentor Program. Applications are due by September 17, 2017, and the program kicks off on October 4, 2017. Learn more: https://www.amadc.org/amadc-mentor-program