Make connections through professional organizations

As a sophomore in college, I was invited to join a professional organization in my major. I thought it an honor to be asked to join, especially because most of the members were juniors and seniors.

I learned a lot by being a member: what I could work toward in my college career, good electives to take, what faculty to avoid having classes with (wink, wink). I also got to travel to conferences and hear what working professionals had to say, complementing what I was learning in the classroom. It made me feel part of a world I planned to work in.?

It also led me to other professional student associations, a great way to meet my fellow majors and those in majors adjacent to mine.

As I stumbled through my earliest working years, I grew apart from the organizations. I became one of those “go to work and go home” people, kind of complacent in my job and not looking much beyond finishing the workweek and getting my paycheck. I was more interested in spending my free time having a good time.

When I found more challenging work that also made me realize I still needed to learn more about my profession, I got back into these organizations. They provided me the two things I’d been so keen on as a student: networking and professional development. They offered opportunities for skills growth, leadership and community within my profession.

As I progressed in my field (and aged), there were times I felt like a fossil, especially compared to some of the dynamic young entry-level professionals I ran into at meetings. But at those very same meetings, I learned about emerging media and technologies, exciting case studies that showed what to do – and what not to do – and made me re-energized about my work life.

Those same communities kept me going during lean years and career moves. As I moved into a new career phase (ostensibly post-retirement) they helped me find clients, raise awareness of my “new” job and yes, continue to develop new skills.

The organizations I belong to are not the same as the ones I joined as a student or PR novice; I’ve changed membership as my career has changed. But it’s that membership that is key: staying connected.

I see many people dipping a toe into new careers, and they sometimes reach out to ask how I did this or achieved that. I always include among my advice to join something. It will aid your growth into the industry and give you a support system.

I would also recommend this to people who have fallen into the “do the job and go home” malaise. You will not advance in your career if you just punch the time clock and leave. Sure, you’ll learn a few odd things on the job, but you’ll learn so much more if you take advantage of what a professional organization offers in terms of development.?

Smart bosses will see that you are trying to be a better employee. Some – the smart ones – might even pay your fees and associated costs of membership. They understand that your involvement and subsequent development as a professional works to their advantage as well. Your membership also raises the company’s visibility in numerous ways. It’s a win-win.

On a side note, I can also tell you that, from my experience, when jobs open up, the first people I think of as potential candidates are those I’ve seen go that extra mile, take that committee chair role, attend that seminar. They’re the kinds of people you want to hire and to work with.

Sure, you can find lots of reasons to not join a professional association. Maybe you don’t want to advance in your career. Maybe you’re happy to do the same old things for the foreseeable future. Maybe you’re happy just the way things are right now. At some point, your boss won’t be.?Or, as things do, businesses ebb and flow and change and close. Someone with a solid professional network and ongoing skills development will be able to ride those waves into a more secure future.