5.3: Connecting with Professional Associations

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Professional associations are a great way for you to connect with professionals working in the industry you may be considering. These associations are organizations where people in the same profession come together, engage and connect with each other to discuss current trends in the industry. Most professional associations have membership fees and often offer reduced fees for student membership. These associations also usually host regional, national and perhaps even international conferences. Check online to see if an association in a career field in which you are interested is hosting a conference nearby. Professional associations often list a job bank with current job openings in the industry. These job listings are a great way for you to see what industry is demanding and what skills, qualifications, and training are required. The more you know now, the better prepared you will be when you enter the industry.

View the following YouTube video titled “Career Cafe Students” to gain a student’s perspective of how professional associations can help with career research and networking.

Career Cafe Students

Remember CareerOneStop, the resource for research listed earlier in this chapter? This site also has a professional association finder. Go to the following link to check out this great resource where you can search by industry, occupation or association name: Career OneStop [www.careeronestop.org]

Activity 5.3

Researching Professional Associations

Consider the top occupational choice in which you are interested at this time and search for professional associations linked to this industry.

What is your top occupational choice at this time?
Explore two professional associations linked to the industry.
Give a brief description of the associations and how you think they may be helpful in your career exploration and development.
- What are the membership fees? Is there a discount provided for students?
- Are there any upcoming conferences being sponsored by the association? If so, when, where, and how much is registration? Are you considering attending?