Gold Quill Awards: Mentorship Program
If you are entering or learning about the Gold Quill Awards for the first time, the entry process may seem a little overwhelming. Take a breath; you are not alone.
Because the requirements to enter the Gold Quill Awards can be complex, we’re continuing the mentorship program in 2012. The program will run from 7 November 2011 to 27 January 2012.
We will pair past winners and judges, as well as Accredited Business Communicators (ABCs), to mentor any communicator who wishes to receive guideance from this extraordinary group of communicators. By enrolling in this program, you will receive feedback on how to prepare and improve your entries and, based on the outcomes for last year’s entries, you could double your chances of winning.
Your mentor can walk you through the steps on preparing your Gold Quill Award entry, review your work plan and work sample and provide general feedback as you prepare for the final submission of your entry.
Your mentor is investing his or her time in your success. In return, we ask that once you commit to using a mentor, you make every effort to complete and submit your entry or entries.
Establish a schedule for check-ins. Set up your first meeting as soon as you decide to commit yourself to entering. Keep in mind that your mentor is offering guidance and support, but will not rewrite or directly alter your entry. When you win, we want the credit to be completely yours.
Mentorship Guidelines: Mentees
Ask early. The mentorship program ends 27 January 2012. Request a mentor early so that he or she has more time to give feedback.
Complete as much of your entry as you can. The more that you include in your draft, the more your mentor has to respond to.
Allow sufficient time for mentor to provide feedback and to work on revisions that may result.
Do not expect the mentor to write your entry for you! You will be given advice and support, but ultimately the content of your entry is your responsibility.
Listen to the advice provided and incorporate changes where appropriate.
Consider contacting your mentor prior to beginning your draft and giving them an overview of the work you intend to submit.
Remember to thank your mentor—they have volunteered their time to assist you.
Create and maintain a professional, productive, friendly and rewarding mentoring relationship.
Mentorship Guidelines: Mentors
Provide advice, input and recommendations to improve the mentee’s entry.
Ensure feedback is provided in a timely manner.
Provide feedback that is constructive, open and friendly. Remember to point out strengths as well as areas for improvement.
Do not re-write entries. Point out errors and typos, but you should not make wholesale revisions to the content of the entry.
Use the references and resources available on the IABC web site to help guide your advice to your mentee.
Create and maintain a professional, productive, friendly and rewarding mentoring relationship.
Apply for a Mentor
Mentors will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. To request a mentor, please e-mail the Gold Quill Awards chair at recognition@iabc.com and include your area of expertise and the category that you plan on submitting to; we will do our best to match you with a mentor based on this information.
Success Stories from Past Mentees
"The mentorship program was very helpful and it made for a better entry. As communicators, we want to be in touch with our audiences. That applies when writing a Gold Quill entry as well, so why not take advantage of a mentor who can provide feedback from a perspective similar to that of a Gold Quill judge? My mentor also provided guidance on choosing the category that would be most appropriate for my entry. Finally, it just felt great to touch base with someone who understood what this meant to me and offered that added bit of encouragement that my work just might be a winner."
- Dave Flaherty, Molina Healthcare
2011 Gold Quill Award Excellence winner
"Working with a mentor was an invaluable experience. I knew I had the bones of a potentially successful work plan, but my mentor really just helped bring all of that information that was in my head to the surface. It’s easy to gloss over details that you don’t think are significant, but she was able to help me think like a judge and put in those pertinent details. I would definitely recommend anyone entering the Gold Quills for the first time to work with a mentor."
- Karin Basaraba,
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
2011 Gold Quill Award Excellence winner
"When I signed up for the Gold Quill Awards mentorship program, I had no idea it would be so helpful in the process! Since she was a former Gold Quill Award recipient, my mentor was able to offer solid advice on my plan and portfolio. I don't think I could have won without her help and experienced viewpoint."
– Molly Cain, Alliance Data
2009 Gold Quill Award winner
"The Gold Quill Awards mentorship program provided invaluable guidance in preparing our award entry. We benefited greatly from the insights and critique of a previous Gold Quill Award winner, who helped us fine-tune and strengthen the write-up for our submission. I think our mentor’s advice and counsel gave us that extra 'push' we needed to get into the winner’s circle!"
- Evelyn Jenkinson, Danbury Hospital/Danbury Health Systems
2009 Gold Quill Award winner
"Participating in the IABC Gold Quill Awards mentorship program was a fabulous experience for our team. This was the first time our team entered the awards program, and being partnered with an IABC mentor was extremely helpful. Our mentor, Eduarda, was a former IABC Gold Quill Award winner herself and Blue Ribbon Panel judge; her honest feedback and fresh perspective on our two entries were greatly appreciated. We were delighted to be honored with two Gold Quill Awards for our work."
– Christine Arthur, Wells Fargo Enterprise Marketing
2009 Gold Quill Award winner
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