If you are like me, you are a very busy person. Finding and making the time to excel at work and family life are both full time jobs and there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that you want to do. That being said, I am going to encourage you to add one more thing to your plate: professional organizations. 

Whether you are just starting out or are mid-career, you should definitely join at least one professional organization in your field. BUT, don’t just join a professional organization; choose to be an active participant in the organization. As a D.C.-based audiovisual services provider, I decided early on to become active in the Potomac Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Integrate! Baltimore. When you are active in an organization, you can possibly find the following benefits:

• You get to practice being a leader in a safe environment and learn leadership skills that you might not otherwise learn if you are lower on the totem pole in your work organization.

• Public speaking: if you are working on a committee and must present updates to the board of directors occasionally, you’ll learn how to organize your thoughts well for the presentation. You’ll present new ideas to your counterparts that will help move your organization forward to accomplish its goals. This will be great practice when it is time to present ideas in your office or to clients.

• You will meet and create your own personal network of like-minded people who may help you on your path to your goals. These people can help you find new business opportunities, be mentors who can talk you through challenges as they arise in your career, or even become great new friends who you hang out with aside from work or the group.

• The job you want may be posted on the website of your professional organization and not on more conspicuous job boards. The job you want may NOT be posted and you may only hear about it because you attended a networking event. At the monthly lunches that the DC chapter of International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) hosts, there is a time for announcements. There is always at least one person who stands up to say that they are seeking new employment and there is always at least one person who announces that they are seeking a person for fill-in-the-blank job! The two-hour time investment and the fee to attend the event are well worth it for those two folks who connected who might not otherwise have connected.

If you are nervous about attending events for the professional organization that you choose, FIND A BUDDY! Someone at your firm may be able to attend your first event with you and introduce you to a few people there. You can also reach out to the organizer of the event and ask them to introduce you to attendees who have similar interests as you. Bottom line: DON’T BE AFRAID to join, be active, and participate. You’ll benefit tremendously.