Tips from the Pros

Bob Wallach

CEO, MarketingPower.com (a subsidiary of the American Marketing Association)

Many industry associations provide extensive job boards and also offer searchable resume databases. Employers often feel that candidates who come through industry association sites, as opposed to the mass-audience job boards (Monster^®, HotJobs^®, etc.), are a “cut above the rest,” since they have taken the extra step of belonging to an association to further their careers and knowledge.

Industry associations also provide an important networking opportunity for job seekers. Association events are wonderful opportunities to meet people who can expand your contacts and provide valuable career advice. Many associations also offer online job fairs, forums, or chat sessions on career-related topics.

If you’re new to an association, look for an opportunity to volunteer at an event related to your career interests. By doing so, you’ll develop valuable new relationships with other volunteers. You may be asked to recruit (and thereby get to know) prominent speakers, and in some cases you can even MC the event, which is a great way to raise your profile as an industry leader.

Bob Wallach is the creator and CEO of MarketingPower.com, a subsidiary of the American Marketing Association. He earned an MBA with honors from Columbia University and is the recipient of numerous awards, including three Edison New Product Awards and two BrandWeek New Product Awards. MarketingPower.com receives approximately 365,000 visitor sessions and 5 million page views each month.

© 2002 Used with permission of the author.