Joining a professional association - why, how, and which one?

Joining the professional association relevant to your area of study is a must for all students at University. Joining your relevant professional association provides you with:

• latest industry information
• labour market information
• industry and graduate jobs listings
• e-newsletters
• opportunity for a professional listing on their website
• career information
• on-line discussion forums
• events, workshop and professional development and training seminars
• use of their libraries and bookshops
• e-learning opportunities
• subscriptions to professional resources, journals and other publications
• current information on policy and other developments affecting your industry
• the opportunity to start developing a professional network

Most professional associations offer a range of services and information essential to your professional development. Joining as a student member will give you the edge once you start seeking graduate positions, and membership looks great on your resume. Student membership is often relatively inexpensive, as professional associations recognise that students are operating on limited budgets.

Below are a few of the professional associations in the human resources and management sector:

• Australian Association of Graduate Employers
• Australian Human Resources Institute
• Australian Institute of Management
• Australian Institute of Project Management
• Australian Institute of Training and Development
• Career Development Association of Australia
• Career Industry Council of Australia
• Graduate Management Association of Australia
• Institute for Information Management
• Institute of Management Consultants
• Institute of Public Administration Australia
• Recruitment and Consulting Services Association