THE ROLE OF MENTORING AT THE BEGINNING OF A PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN ADVERTISING

This paper explores the role of mentoring at the onset of a professional career in advertising, focusing on college students and recent graduates. Following a theoretical overview of key concepts and theories related to mentoring and career development, the study presents statistical data describing the organizational climate of the advertising industry and its openness toward young professionals, both internationally and in Romania. The empirical section includes a qualitative analysis based on in-depth interviews with two categories of participants: graduates of mentoring programs and their organizers—mentors and employers within the Romanian advertising field. Findings highlight that young participants benefit from mentoring through opportunities that foster professional growth, guidance from senior professionals, and effective knowledge transfer. Mentoring programs yield mutual advantages: for mentees, a valuable career foundation; for mentors, personal satisfaction and professional recognition; and for employers and the industry, improved performance and talent development.