Professional Organizations & Associations

[TMW2010]

As I've been doing the job search dance, I keep seeing postings that recommend membership in professional organizations. I wanted to ask if anyone has had any experience with them and, well, if such membership has been actually worth it to you. I can understand the opportunity for networking, especially if there's a local chapter of the organization, and some of them provide subscriptions to one or more peer-reviewed journals, along with eligibility to speak at conferences.

One problem I have is that I've been looking at some diverse areas for jobs - Instructional Design/Tech (both educational institution and private organizational training), Teaching, Training, Management/Leadership, etc. in addition to specific field associations (Psych, Sociology, and so on, for the teaching roles), and I don't want to blow a lot of cash and join 50 different associations. Once my school's email system comes back up from the migration they're doing today, I'm planning on getting opinions on associations from my Department Head/Departmental Advisor (It's great to have one person as both) but I know it's really, ultimately going to come down to what area I plan to focus on concerning employment.

So, what organizations have worked for you? And I'm not looking limit this discussion to what I'm looking for, by any means. If you are a member of a great professional association/organization, please share for others in your field!
-T

[sanantone]

I'm a member of the American Society of Criminology and the Association of Criminal Justice Sciences because it's expected of me as a doctoral student. If I wanted to present at one of their conferences, I would need to be a member. Other than that, they are in the back of my mind. I don't even have time to read their journals due to all of the reading I have to do for my courses.

[TMW2010]

Other than that, they are in the back of my mind. I don't even have time to read their journals due to all of the reading I have to do for my courses.

I can see where you're coming from as far as time constraints, but one thing I am hoping to get out of this is to be able to utilize the published literature in my own work; I'm hoping that since it's 'recently published' (which means it could have been anywhere from a year to three just to get to the published point) it would be kind of an edge as far as my own writing in my coursework.

My dept head responded to my email with the following three organizations:

ASTD | The World - The Association for Talent Development
AHRD - Academy of Human Resource Development
National Community Development Association : Welcome to NCDA! - National Community Development Association

Since my program is in leadership (and not just 'educational' leadership specifically, unlike the Ed.D., that my school offers) he's included training and talent development and HR development, as well as community development organizations. I had actually been looking at the Association for Talent Development and found that there's a local chapter in OKC. I'm definitely going for that one and going to try to get to some of the chapter meetings. I figure I'll give these and a couple others a shot (with the 'student' memberships) and if they don't do much (or anything) for me, I'll just not re-up with them.

I'm also going to join AAACE - The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. I've been finding their publications really useful in my coursework of late, so that's just an added bonus for me.

[soliloquy]

I'm a member of four professional legal associations. I think three of them have been very helpful with networking. I'm on the Board of two of them and my duties have given me a lot of exposure to other professionals in my field. I have a network of people I can ask questions to that have experience in various niches of my field and I have unlimited resources when I need assistance with a legal issue as a result. My certifications require continuing legal education credits and I can get free or reasonably priced CLE's through those associations. The national conventions give me an excuse to leave work and travel around the country (and gives me more CLE's) and they are really a lot of fun. The one that hasn't been very helpful is also one that I'm on the Board for and I plan on not running for for the Board during elections next year so I can make more time for some of the other associations. So yes they can be helpful but choose carefully. All of those dues add up.

[dposborne]

I am a member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE). Both of these organizations are very helpful in keeping me abreast of current advancements in my career field and fields of interest. I am also a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars as these organizations are excellent for networking with fellow veterans (not to mention the beer is cheap at the clubs cheersmate)
I guess joining an organization is all about what you are looking for. A lot of times it isn't cheap so you have to ask yourself is the return on investment there? For me I like conversing with like-minded individuals in the fields that interest me so I do believe that the membership fees are well worth it.

[TMW2010]

Soliloquy and DP -

Thank you for your responses. I definitely am concerned about the cost of dues; the good thing is that I can get a student membership to several which translates to about $50 per year (per association) so that makes it a lot more palatable than forking over $300+ on a yearly basis. I figure it will also allow me to see how well those organizations work for me; if I'm not getting any ROI, then I'll let the membership lapse.

Specifically, I'm looking at adding professional organizations as resume fodder and to open up networking opportunities (particularly for the area in which I currently live). I've lived in this area for two years now, and I don't really have any contacts outside of the school for which I worked for that time. Yes, I slacked and got too comfortable in my position and I'm trying to change that. I'm also facing what might be considered resume stigma; the teaching experience for the last two years has been at for-profit institutions and I've gotten a few up-turned noses at not-for-profit colleges and universities, even though all my degrees are from not-for-profit schools, including the doctoral program that I currently am enjoying. I'm hoping through networking that I can get an 'in' to positions that my resume might otherwise close off in that manner.

Thanks again for your input.
-T

[sanantone]

So having worked at for-profit colleges is really a drag? I might have to leave mine off my CV. Since I started that job around the same time I started the PhD program, the gap won't look weird.

[cookderosa]

I'd pick the top 2 in your field and if it's affordable, I'd join. Besides being up to date in your industry (and let's not lie, a little resume fluff) you might find it helpful for networking, especially if you attend any conferences. I think it's a good idea in general.

Now, if you're not going to do anything with it, it's probably a waste of money. My memberships cost too much for me to justify at this time since I'm not cheffing, however, my husband absolutely is current in the top 2 in our field because he is working as a chef.

[SteveFoerster]

So having worked at for-profit colleges is really a drag?

Perhaps in some cases, but it wasn't a drag for me. My first position in higher education was a two year stint on staff at a for profit, after that I worked for three non-profits and taught for a fourth.

[sanantone]

Perhaps in some cases, but it wasn't a drag for me. My first position in higher education was a two year stint on staff at a for profit, after that I worked for three non-profits and taught for a fourth.

I'm interested in getting a tenure-track position at a traditional college/university. I don't know if that's TMW2010's ultimate goal.