Joining Professional Organizations by Dana Swanson

Joining Professional Organizations by Dana Swanson Life Member, Zeta Epsilon/ΤΒΣ

While at the Northeast District convention last year, I was asked by several music education majors what professional organizations join. Don’t worry about the above criteria just yet. I thought they should join. Without giving it any thought I rattled off a list of those organizations I belong to. But once I was back in my office, I started thinking about their question. Why do I belong to all these organizations? What am I looking for in an organization when I join, and what makes me keep paying my dues year after year? Am I getting my money’s worth?

Before you join any organization, it makes sense to do some research on it. What are the benefits? What are the responsibilities? What opportunities are available for involvement? As an administrator at a major medical school, I screened literally hundreds of applications each year. Students always think it is good to have a long list of memberships on their vitas to make them look well-rounded. But the truth is, unless they actually get involved in the organizations (and I don’t mean just going to meetings), these memberships mean little to admissions committees.

Medical school applicants bombarded me with questions pertaining to what organizations look best on their applications. My response is to tell them the best organizations are those they got involved in and were not merely members of. There is no best organization other than that which is best for you. To find out which organizations are best for you, I’ve developed a set of questions for you to consider before plunking down the membership dues. 1) Assess your financial standing. Though student memberships are very reasonable, once you’ve joined ten or twelve, the cost does start to add up. Most professional organizations offer student memberships, but many come with reduced benefits. You need to make sure you know what you are getting before you send in your money. Do you really want or need all those benefits anyway? 2) Prioritize your wants/needs. You need to take stock of what you want/need out of an organization. Are you looking for networking opportunities? How about publications? Do you want to get active in leadership? Most organizations have all of these possibilities awaiting you, but some are better than others.

3) Cultivate a list of possible organizations you could

Make the list broad, and include organizations outside of your profession as well. The internet is an excellent place to look, but also go to the library and see what journals it carries. Ask your professors! (see #5)

4) Organize the list according to the criteria you’ve

identified as important to you. You’ll find that many organizations offer all the benefits you want and/or need, but some will offer only part of them or none at all.

5) Ask around to find out who is a member of an

organization on your list. Ask for their advice. An organization may look terrific on paper, but do they live up to their promises? You can also ask them why they joined, or didn’t join a particular organization. This information can be invaluable! 6) Rank order your list. Starting with the best matches, check the membership criteria. Make sure you can afford to join! I recommend keeping separate lists for organizations in and out of your field so you don’t join a bunch that are alike in scope at the expense of those that might have some benefit, but are outside of your profession. For example, I belong to Illinois Women in Government for the sole purpose of networking with state legislators. You never know when an organization like this will prove an asset! If I rank ordered it with professional music organizations, it would be at the bottom. 7) JOIN! Take advantage of your membership! Get involved! Read the publications! Get to know other members! As you move up the professional ladder, you will need to reassess your memberships. Try to do this on an annual basis. A word on publications: Organizations publish many different types of publications. Many have a newsletter or magazine, while others offer peer-reviewed journals and other research-oriented materials. Sometimes the research publications are an additional cost above and beyond the membership. Make sure you figure any extra cost into your budget! Being a member has its benefits, as American Express will tell you. But if you are going to join, make sure the benefits are right for you! }