IAB Ireland launched a Pilot Mentoring Programme in Autumn 2023, with 9 mentoring partnerships working together over a 6 month period.
This is an exciting new initiative bringing more value to our members.
The objectives of the programme:
- The objective of this programme is to facilitate executives with 4-5 years experience from member companies to learn from more experienced members from other IAB Ireland member companies across the digital ecosystem. The mentor will offer support and guidance and share skills and knowledge with the mentee ensuring better understanding and knowledge of different sides of the Industry. (ęg. an agency team member might mentor a publisher team member, platform team member mentoring a brand etc.)
- IAB Ireland’s mentoring programme fosters collaboration and drives value for members with the opportunity to enhance the development of skills and knowledge among their teams.
- The mentoring programme can help address specific challenges and opportunities for mentees within the digital advertising/marketing sector.
- The USP of IAB IE Mentoring Programme is that it is focused on knowledge sharing of the Irish digital ad industry and fostering collaboration and developing personal skills to enhance your digital ad career rather than mentoring based on the individual’s specific career needs/challenges within a member organisation as this will be dealt with by in company mentoring schemes.
What are the benefits for both Mentors and Mentees:
Mentors: | Mentees: |
The programme will allow mentors to enhance their leadership skills in the digital advertising industry by providing guidance, motivation and support to their mentees, and sharing their own knowledge with mentees as well as gaining a fresh perspective.The mentor’s role is to listen and guide, and share their knowledge and perspective of the Digital Advertising Industry – to broaden the mentee’s knowledge. | Mentees are the drivers of the relationship and should have personal objectives and goals in mind when signing up. The mentee can expect a mentor who will listen and guide, share knowledge and their own experience. The programme is designed to enhance the knowledge of the mentee in the Digital Advertising space, and to help them develop the personal skills to enhance their career. |
Our Guidelines for a successful Mentor / Mentee relationship:
- Be clear about Goals – what do you want to learn / gain from the relationship?
- Bearing in mind your experience may be limited to date, what skills and knowledge do you need to develop your career further in the digital advertising industry? What would help you to gain a broader / 360 view of the industry?
- Be clear at the start of each meeting, what the objective is. Have a focus for each discussion, prepare specific questions or specific work challenge, a new experience etc.
- Both parties should commit to:
- Being open and honest.
- Being open and active listeners.
- Keep confidences.
- Honour their commitments, including any meetings. Be respectful of each others time.
- Enjoy the experience!
IAB Ireland facilitated a one hour virtual workshop with a professional coach for mentors and a second one hour workshop for mentees – this was to outline how the programme will work and what each participant can expect from the programme. We also required both parties to sign a Mentoring agreement / Code of Conduct, and as this is a pilot programme, we will be seeking high level feedback from both the mentor and mentee at the end of the programme.
This feedback will help determine if we will roll out this programme again in 2024.