Job Consultants say, “Join Your Professional Association”

It has often been repeated on this blog that membership in a professional association is a career enhancing step that professionals should take and that we should market to our prospective members. However, it is nice when those who are helping people find jobs repeat the same advice.

I came across several such recommendations from professional career counselors today.

For students, Sally Kearsley, wrote an article on Jobweb, It Pays to Join a Professional Association and said, “Want to do something great for your future job hunt and your career? Consider joining a professional association--or the student chapter of a professional association! There is a professional association for almost any career field you can mention and you can join at any time, freshman to senior year (or beyond).”

Lynn Friedman gave this advice to those earning a graduate degree, “You have some basic skills but feel that you are only at the beginning. How do you continue professional development and growth? First, join a professional organization within your discipline.”[1]

Carol Rogers, vice president and lead consultant for human resources firm Right Management in Rockville emphasized the importance of highlighting your professional associations on your resume for more experience professionals. She says, “prune your resume and reshape it so it’s relevant . . . [and] indicate if you a member of professional organizations.” [2]

When the experts are recommending this to students, graduates and experienced professionals, it is probably a theme that you should also pick up in your membership marketing.

[1] By Lynn Friedman, Ph.D., Life After Earning a Graduate Degree, Washington Post.
[2] Vickie Elmer, Turning One’s Age into a Job-Market Asset, The Washington Post, Sunday, April 5, 2009, page H1.

Membership as Economical Unemployment Insurance

Positioning your membership offer is as important as ever. And when it is done properly, I am seeing membership marketing response rates continue at a good pace this fall.

Here is an example of a smart way to position the benefits of a professional membership. I received this promotion in the mail the other day. The letter focused on the practical economic benefits of membership in this organization. One point was that membership was cheap unemployment insurance. Here is a quote from the letter:

“When I talk with younger colleagues, I have frequently described the value of STC membership as being a form of layoff insurance. Think about it: if you've accumulated a lot of additional skills and knowledge, you're more likely to weather layoffs because you will be more valuable to your employer. And even if you do get laid off, you'll probably be able to get another job quicker than your compatriots. Here's a little secret: STC members get a 14-day advance look at all the new job postings on the online Career Center. (It's an exclusive membership benefit.) That's a two-week head start on your competition.”[1]

The lesson here is that people still make purchases during tough economic times. But their priorities and motivations change. Be sure that your marketing differentiates your organization as a solution.

[1] Society for Technical Communication, Membership Letter, October 1, 2008.

Unemployment and Membership

Do the unemployed tend to drop membership in associations or do they unemployed join or remain in associations in order to tap into a network to help in landing a job? I have wondered about this and recently came across some research that speaks to this issue.

According to a 2005 study done in Belgium, it appears that the unemployed are far less likely to be members of an association. The study concludes:

“The employment status appears to have an impact on the membership of an association. . . Again the unemployed are significantly less engaged in an association than the reference [employed] group, up to 50 years.”

By the way, the study finds that the unemployed under age 50 also have a lower satisfaction with life and report more mental health problems than the employed.

The statistics for those over age 50 generally show a lower level of membership, life satisfaction, and mental health for the unemployed, but not nearly as significant as those under age 50.

Sociability, Life Satisfaction, and Mental Health According to Age and (Un)Employment Status
N. Burnaya,T, P. Kissb, J. Malchairea\
International Congress Series 1280 (2005) 347– 352