40 Ways You Can Support Your Profession Or Industry

I became a member of my first professional association in my very first full time job, which started six days after my last secondary school examination. I have paid for many association memberships since then over many years and I am currently part of eight profession or industry associations (see below).

However, I have also done my best to support each and every one of these membership groups in a variety of ways.

Sadly, I am noticing more and more professional associations struggling to maintain their financial viability and ability to represent their members and provide support services.

Sure, there are plenty of free online courses, videos, articles, podcasts and informational resources online.

But they do not represent a collective.

They may help you individually, but they do not help the group.

In a world where more and more people are scrambling to survive individually, I see this time in history as an opportunity for us to come together and support one another.

Let’s face it, the robots use our collective knowledge.

And if we don’t support each other, we can’t rely on the robots to do it for us.

So how many practical ways can you support your profession or industry – by actions, by participation and by contribution – financial or otherwise?

Connect with everyone you can find in your profession or industry on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a database and the more people you are connected to in that area, the more the database can associate you with that profession or industry.
Click the Notification Bell on their LinkedIn Profile or Company Page and choose ‘All new Posts’ so that you can ‘curate’ your Newsfeed with information relevant to you.
Engage with your peers’ content online. When you see their useful content, react to it (Like) and engage with it (Comment) so that their message (and by association) your message reaches a wider audience
Join relevant LinkedIn Groups for your profession or industry.
Follow the profession or industry Company Page (or preferably School Page) on LinkedIn and again, click the Notification Bell and choose ‘All new Posts’, react and engage.
Find ‘thought leaders’ in your profession or industry (even if they are not members of an association) and Connect, Follow and Engage with their content.
Find journalists who specialise in content related to your profession or industry and consider alerting them to new developments in your field. Connect with them online and engage with their content.
Join the profession or industry association (even if only as an affiliate member) to keep it running and make sure you find out what the benefits are and use them
Volunteer for the association – you could provide content, join a committee (and contribute not just have it look great on your resume and be all talk in meetings), promote their content, attend events (and invite others to come with you), provide feedback and suggestions, ask how you can help etc. The benefits will far outweigh your contribution.
Make a commitment to the association – each year I will do x, y and z for the association and fellow members. For example, attend at least three events, meet at least three other members one-on-one, read at least six newsletters in full, engage with as many online posts as possible etc. Make sure you keep your online profile on the Association website UP TO DATE.
Invite other people to join the association – there is no need to worry about ruining your business and passing on opportunities to your competitors. I have found that many people come and go from associations over the years, as their lives and circumstances change. The ones who stay are usually the ones who add the most value and in turn, receive the most value.
Pay your membership on time and book in for events early – this ensures that the financial income is consistent and that these opportunities will continue to be available in the future. How often do we say that we will book something later and then forget? Book in when you see it and show up!
Provide referrals. Perhaps you know of an organisation that could sponsor the association in some way, or work in partnership with them. In my very first professional association, the Australian Institute of Bankers, I helped develop a relationship with the association representing accountants as we often worked with the same people and we hosted several very successful joint events. I have also introduced Educate Plus to the Australian Human Resources Institute when they started a ‘People and Culture’ stream.
Share marketing ideas. The Career Development Association of Australia has recently started a program to help more private practitioners market their services and run specific events with experts to pass on their knowledge.
Complete and share research. Evidence based information is so useful and if you have put in the effort to create this resource, share it as far and wide as possible so that people can take action and it can be put to good use.
Form small partnerships. Perhaps there is a way for small groups of individuals who share similar values, locations, areas of expertise or an over-supply of leads can collaborate on a small group basis. This approach is particularly helpful for sole operators who often work on their own a lot of the time.
Keep in touch. I have a number of professional colleagues as ‘friends’ on Facebook and I love it when they say ‘Happy Birthday’ each year or like my personal posts! Sadly, we have also lost a few members over the years and being able to pass on our condolences or even attend memorial celebrations is a way to acknowledge their contribution and service on a personal level. I know of one member who was also supported during a terminal illness and we were able to collectively share our grief.
Participate in Awards. Nominate others (or yourself), enter the Awards, offer to judge the awards and also attend Award Ceremonies. These are important occasions for the recipients and a reminder of what is possible to achieve.
Encourage people to vote in elections. If you really want to support your profession or industry, make sure that the committee represents your profession or industry in the best way possible. Show you care by voting, even if you don’t know the people personally.
Uphold the ethical standards of your profession or industry. Ensure that you represent the association to the best of your ability in every interaction in person or online. Make sure you know what the ethical standards and expectations are (including any social media policy).
Promote your membership wherever you can. On your LinkedIn Profile in the Licenses and Certification section and the Organizations section and the Contact Info section and as post nominals after your name in the About section. Add it to your personal website (or company website if relevant). Add it to your email signature. Your business card. Your letterhead. Your marketing brochures. Anywhere that is relevant and allowed by the association.
Add reviews online – to Google, Facebook and other review websites but also write a testimonial or review that can be added to the Association website (with your permission and authorisation).
Add the membership post nominals to your name wherever that is shared (but not in the Last Name field on LinkedIn). Be consistent with your approach and list them in date order. I encourage you to include your formal educational qualifications as well.
Offer to be a speaker at workshops, events, webinars and conferences. You may have a perspective that is particularly helpful to other members, even if you don’t consider yourself to be a ‘speaker.’ Take some time out to develop your presentation skills so that you can share what is most useful and most relevant to other members. Structure the content carefully and provide written materials to aid with comprehension.
Volunteer at events. Participating on the front desk giving out name tags is a great way to meet people. Be part of the welcoming committee that automatically spots people arriving on their own and help by introducing them to other people. Be part of the bump in or bump out. Help out by taking photos or videos and sharing on your socials. Actively engage with facilitation services. The Career Development Association is represented at Career Expos and we provide voluntary consultations.
Talk about your industry in other locations. I have been invited on to radio, podcasts, national television etc and I often share how members in my industry or profession can help others.
Publicly acknowledge others. Do you have an opportunity to showcase another member’s achievements, content, contributions, award etc? Share this news through your circles so that you are not ‘humble bragging’ about yourself but you are sharing other achievements through a wider network.
Mentor others in your profession or industry. Either through formal programs or informally by being accessible for information or resources. Also consider asking for mentoring if you are just starting out but also think about how you can provide some form of exchange in return.
Participate in programs associated with schools, colleges and universities. They are often seeking people in the profession or industry who can share ‘what it is like’ with students. Be open to volunteering your time to participate in developing the next cohort and encourage students to join as student members so that they have an early introduction to being part of a profession or industry association.
Recommend people for roles within the profession or association. Perhaps you know someone who could be approached to be on a select committee, an advisory project, a regulatory assessment committee etc. Perhaps an external consultant could provide insights on a pro bono basis.
Say thank you as often as possible. Be kind to those who make an effort. Acknowledge them whenever you can. Put it in writing. Say it publicly if appropriate and not embarrassing.
Maintain your professional integrity at all times, but be willing to support people personally. Be interested and interesting. Be prepared to ask ‘are you okay?’ and if the person is struggling, ask how you can help. Sometimes the bravest and boldest people won’t speak up, but in a quiet and confidential moment, there may be a way for you to help them on their journey.
Experiment. I have been known to ‘beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission’ when I am actively supporting every member. It can sometimes be assumed that you are ‘only after your own rewards.’ But I have persisted several times to support every member. For example, I created a mailing list to help encourage more people to attend events rather than rely on the association’s activities to attract registrations. By the way, I also provided this list back to the association on a regular basis.
Speak up. Perhaps there is an issue in your profession or industry that is causing issues. Rather than stay quiet, use the appropriate channels to raise your concerns and find ways to move forward.
Provide content. Does your profession or industry have a written publication, an email newsletter or even social media channels that need print, image or video content? Preprepare something for the Communications Team to make it easier for them but make sure you are always adding value.
Acknowledge the efforts of the paid employees and voluntary committee members. Don’t be seen as the person always ‘asking for more’ or being unengaged (just paying the membership fee and forgetting about it). They may be paid, but everyday, they need to decide what will serve the members and that is a responsibility and a commitment.
Help with the onboarding of new members. Perhaps you can be a reference point for a new member in their first 12 months on a ‘buddy’ basis to encourage them to also engage with the association. Make sure they complete their online profile on the Association website and keep it up to date (and you too!!)
Help with the offboarding of past members. For various reasons, some people ‘leave’ or ‘retire’ but they may still be interested in what is going on. Don’t abandon them when they are no longer paid up members as they probably still have a lot to offer. Life Members can often feel very isolated after the ‘busy-ness’ of a professional career.
Provide additional contributions or donations. Perhaps you have a book, a product or a service that you can offer as a ‘prize’ or a donation to the association. Perhaps you could be a sponsor of an upcoming initiative. Perhaps you could leave a contribution in your final will and testament. Think about financial and non-financial contributions. Perhaps you could offer an internship, scholarship or other developmental program to a specific type of member.
Give yourself a pat on the back for what you have contributed already (even if it was only financial) and think about new ways you can contribute in the future. It is never too late. No time is ever wasted. It doesn’t matter how big or small your next step is. Just do it.

By Sue Ellson GK BBus MPC PCDAA ASA WV MEdPlus AWS
Golden Key International Honour Society – Member
Bachelor of Business – Education from University of South Australia
Melbourne Press Club – Member
Career Development Association of Australia – Practitioner
Australian Society of Authors – Member
Writers’ Victoria – Member
Educate Plus – Member
Australian Women Speakers – Member

Photo: Sue Ellson AHRI Victoria Committee 29 October 2015

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SOCIAL MEDIA POST
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP // Have you considered purchasing or cancelling your professional or industry membership recently? Have you thought about what you could contribute and gain from your membership? Have you considered how your fees help support you and others?

In this article, I share 40 ways you can support your profession or industry (and most of them don’t cost a cent).

I am a professional member of eight associations including Golden Key International Honour Society, Melbourne Press Club, Career Development Association Australia, Australian Society of Authors (ASA), Writers Victoria, The Small Press Network, Educate Plus and Australian Women Speakers.

And I am a sole operator. 😀

I won’t tell you how much it costs per year. But is a tax deduction. 💰

Or how many voluntary contributions I make. 🤔

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. ✅

I have also racked up lengthy memberships with Australian HR Institute and Australian Institute of Management.

These associations have provided me with meaning, purpose, knowledge, inspiration, opportunity, community and SO MUCH MORE.

So I would love to hear from you.

How many ways have you supported your profession or industry association (even if you are not a current financial member)?

What could you do to play your small part?

What unique abilities can you share?