Job Tuition

Leverage the Power of Professional Organizations

January 2nd, 2007 by Andrew

Are you looking to expand your professional network? Perhaps you are looking for a job. Maybe you are always on the lookout for new clients or business partners. For these, and a bevy of other reasons, you should seek out professional organizations in your field.

What is it?

Wikipedia explains that a professional organization “exists to further a particular profession, to protect both the public interest and the interests of professionals.” Quite simply, professional organizations help advance the interests of their members, while at the same time watching out for the public interest and the future of the profession.

This applies to you in a simple, concrete way. By joining with a group of people in your profession, you are uniting under common goals. You instantly become part of the larger community in which you work, becoming part of a whole.

A few examples

If you are scratching your head thinking, “I have never seen one of these,” think again. Surely you have heard of the American Bar Association. What about the American Medical Association? Virtually ever professional field has some type of association to which you can belong. They are typically organized on the national and local levels.

An off-the-wall example is the American Society of Civil Engineers. These are the people who design and build the amazing structures in our world. Think “Golden Gate Bridge.” Perhaps “The English Channel Tunnel.” These guys made them. If you’re interested in that type of a career, check them out! See, there’s an organization for everyone.

Benefits to you

The major benefit you gain by joining these organizations is being connected. Isn’t that what networking is all about? You come together with people in your field and unite over common goals and aspirations.

To help with networking and learning in the field, most organizations have different events their members can attend. For example, bar associations typically host continuing education events. Some of these might be luncheons; whereas, others might be full fledged conferences. Most organizations also organize purely social events, just to become more familiar with your colleagues.

Even students can benefit from being members of professional organizations. Most organizations allow students to join and participate in many events. Are you studying to be an interior designer? You can join your school’s chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. Many organizations will provide discounted fees for students. This allows you to join and begin enhancing your network before you even graduate!

Are you convinced yet? If you do not belong to your profession’s organization, go look it up. See if there is a local chapter near you. Connect with your colleagues.