Career Networking Tips

Professional associations and clubs can provide great career networking opportunities. In order to cut costs, you may be tempted to let your memberships to professional associations expire when you find yourself out of work, particularly if you're going to be out of work for an extended period of time. It's wise, however, to explore the networking opportunities provided by your professional association before let your membership expire.

Granted, some professional associations offer very few networking benefits, but they may allow you to claim certain professional designations. If those designations are important to employers in your field, then, as frustrating as it may be to write the check for your membership dues every year, you really must maintain your membership to maintain the professional designations that make you competitive in the job market.

Other professional associations are wonderful and provide great opportunities for networking, professional development and staying up to date in your industry. Maintaining or starting a membership with these associations can help you to find unadvertised jobs and build an insider career network that will help you to build your career.

Before you commit your hard earned money to membership dues, take the time to research associations carefully. What benefits will you receive in exchange for your membership fees? Will you gain access to professional conferences or regular meetings that will provide career networking opportunities? Perhaps you'll receive discounted entry fees to conferences, seminars and other professional development opportunities.

Attending conferences, seminars and meetings organized by your professional association is a great way to network to build your career. Employers like to hire people they know, so finding job leads should be less about looking for ads in the newspaper or online (although your can reasonably devote about 20% of your time to pursuing these leads) and more about figuring out where to go to meet people in your field of work. Ask yourself, "Where do people who are involved in my industry go?" and then make sure you're there too.

For that reason, joining professional associations that provide opportunities to attend meetings, conferences and seminars can help enhance your networking efforts and allow you to meet with people in your field who could provide the lead you're seeking for your next great job.