YOUR BUSINESS: Jon E. Paradise

Professional memberships good for business

Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR JON E.PARADISE is governmental and public affairs manager for the Maine Credit Union League. He is the immediate past-president of the Maine Public Relations Council and has more than 20 years of experience in the communications and public relations field. He can be contacted atjparadise@mainecul.org. To top of story

Networking and collaboration are two words in the business world that never seem to go out of style. Professional organizations from business groups to public relations groups are quick to tout networking and collaboration as benefits of membership. While they sound good, are they really all they are cracked up to be and do they benefit business?

First of all, not all professional organizations are created equally. There are organizations that strictly focus on business and professional development and hold only formal functions. Others, though, mix business and pleasure by presenting a combination of educational workshops and some opportunities to socialize. Then there are those that are strictly social clubs disguised as professional organizations. While all three types serve a purpose, my experience tends to lean more toward the first two. Using the company's or your own money to be in a social club seems like an ill-advised use of resources.

Throughout my professional career, I have been in a number of professional organizations and time has taught me that you can't and shouldn't be in every one that even remotely sounds related to your profession. You become a sort of "jack-of-all-clubs, master of none." In other words, if you do not narrow your focus and pick and choose which professional organization to join, your involvement and benefits will be limited.

To maximize the benefits of membership in a professional organization, I strongly advocate attending functions and, if possible, volunteering for board positions or committees. The opportunity to collaborate with individuals from your own field is priceless. In most cases, you are serving on a committee with people of vast knowledge and experience whom you can watch in action and gain valuable insight into why and how they are successful. I liken this experience to having your own personal tutor and consultant without the expense. From your company's perspective, the price of dues to belong to the professional organization(s) is considerably less than paying for you to take classes or attend conferences.

In addition to opportunities to work with peers from your profession, members of professional organizations are accessible to fellow members. Having a membership book full of names of people you can call for advice is a benefit that is, as the commercial says, priceless for both you and your company. If you belong to an organization that has, say, 250 members, it's almost as if your company has 249 consultants but only one person on the payroll. Now that is what I call a good deal!

In addition to the collaboration and networking benefits that belonging to a professional organization present, it also provides a credibility benefit. In some ways, belonging to a professional organization that is connected to your profession means you have arrived. It is not that you were nobody before you belonged, but in today's world where image seems to be everything, professional organization membership carries a certain "in-crowd" connotation.

If professional organization membership adds credibility to the individual, it also adds credibility to a company. Having an employee in a professional organization can often boost a company's image and worth in their community. For new companies, this is especially true.

Recently, I concluded a two-year term as the president of one such organization, the Maine Public Relations Council. A member since 1993, I have served on the MPRC board since 1998 and now serve as immediate past-president of the organization. This experience has helped me to grow both professionally and personally. Being around and learning from a group of professionals who do what I do has helped me gain confidence and now, no longer the new kid on the block, I find myself on occasion called upon for insight and advice, which makes me proud to be a part of a professional organization.

There are lots of other professional organizations throughout the state focused on everything from office professionals to social responsibility. Determining which one is right for you and your profession as well as your employer is the first step in the process.

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