Do you know of any professional organizations that could help guide your career?

You’re probably already overworked, overscheduled and overcommitted. So why try to cram time into your jampacked calendar for joining professional groups? Because by participating in professional organizations (alumni organizations, organizations that target professionals from your field and your demographic) you may gain credentials and contacts that are just as important to your career as those yielded by your paid experience, many professionals claim.

• Mingling With Hiring Managers: Many employers value contributions to professional organizations as much as paid experience. Your participation in professional organizations demonstrates your initiative, engagement in your field and commitment to staying current. Employers project what you do on a volunteer basis to what you would do for payment. Therefore, if your fellow members like what they see, they may hire you.
• Collect advice on launching a new career: If you’re a recent grad or have an itch to switch career tracks, professional organizations can help you decide whether and how to plunge into a new field. When surrounded by those in your target field, you may be introduced to mentors and employers.
• Get Training:  Many organizations provide career-boosting training not available on the job. Training with certain organizations can give you a sense of community, allow mentors to give advise, energize you and help you strategize future career moves.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at 3:06 pm and is filed under Business, Helping Women, Money Savvy, My Life At Work, News, Personal Finance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.