Professional Associations: Membership Has Rewards

May 8, 2009 -- In a bad economy, college students and recent grads need to try everything they can to land a job or internship. One often-overlooked resource is the world of professional associations.

These organizations exist to support, educate and provide resources for professionals in a particular industry or profession.

Some are really small and others are as huge as corporations. Some are full of young members and others could use some fresh faces. Some are super active and some only meet occasionally.

This means you have to do your research (check out the American Society of Association Executives, the professional association for associations) and ask your professors which associations they think are worthwhile.

Note that professional association memberships can be expensive, so always ask for student or young professional rates when you join.

What can a professional association do for you? Here are some suggestions:

"Professionalize" your resume. Membership in a professional association is a seal of approval in many fields. It shows that you understand the importance of professional networking and you're an invested member of the career field you'd like to join.

Membership also allows you to "graduate" from looking like a student on your resume to looking like a professional (think of the different message it sends to list membership in the Undergraduate Human Resources Club at your school versus membership in the Society for Human Resource Management, the leading association in that field).

Make networking easier. It can be weird and scary to reach out to strangers and ask for help with your job search. As a member of a professional association, that difficulty is eased through events where networking is actively encouraged.

Many associations also offer formal mentoring programs, LinkedIn groups, Facebook pages, listservs and job boards to facilitate member networking.

Will established professional association members want to network with students and recent grads? According to Certified Association Executive Matthew D'Uva, the answer is an emphatic yes.