Advertising professionals will dole out quick and dirty career advice during the National Advertising Benevolent Society’s (NABS) first speed mentoring event, to be held March 31 at Toronto’s BerBer Lounge.

Open to all segments of the advertising industry, interested participants can apply online. ‘We just want qualified candidates – it’s not a job fair,’ explains Astral Outdoor’s Gabe Dunlop, who is co-project manager for the event along with OMD’s Cynthia Steele.

Dunlop says the speed mentoring event is more than an icebreaker. ‘It gives young professionals the opportunity to associate with people who have been through the experiences they’re probably living right now,’ Dunlop tells MiC.

‘If you’ve got questions that you’re not sure you can ask your boss, or you need to plot your next career strategy, this would be the place. This gives you the opportunity to take out the awkwardness of approaching these individuals, because everyone comes to the table knowing what’s expected.’

Confirmed mentors include Mini Canada director John Capella, Transcontinental VP interactive Dominic Sebastien, Metro Newspapers’ national sales director Peter Bartrem, CBC general sales manager Scott Moore, Astral Media Outdoor’s VP sales Val Meyer, McDonnell Haynes president Anita Dong, CHUM Radio general sales manager Breydon MacDonald, Corus Women’s Specialty Networks director of sales Marilyn Orecchio and Quebecor/TVA’s national sales manager Michelle McEnery.

‘We’re looking to draw a couple more from the interactive side of the business, and a couple more from the media agency side of the business,’ he confirms.

The NABS Ambassador Central Committee was created in 2006 to generate awareness of the NABS organization and the services they have to offer to the under-35 demo in the advertising, marketing and communications industry.