Should You Join a Professional Association as an Administrative Professional?

If you’re an admin professional, have you considered joining a professional association? Joining an established group of your peers is crucial for staying up to date on the latest trends and training in your profession. Additionally, it provides you with a built-in opportunity to network, build connections, and expand your database. 

In this article, we will take a look at why joining a professional association is beneficial to you and which professional associations to consider. 

Examples of Professional Associations

Regardless of your location, there are plenty of professional associations to join. The administrative profession is a well-respected and growing career path, with many like-minded colleagues around the world.

Joining an association is easy and doesn’t require a lot of your free time. Most professional associations gather once a month, whether virtually or in person, and may hold quarterly or annual in-person events. Therefore, participating in an association may require a small amount of your time, while providing career-long results. 

Here are a few examples of professional associations that tailor to administrative professionals: 

• American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) 

• International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)

• Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals (AEAP) 

Joining any of these associations will likely lead to professional opportunities, from new skills and knowledge to new connections.

What Is a Professional Association, Exactly?

A professional association is a group of professionals that collectively work toward advancing and supporting their profession. These groups are sometimes referred to as a professional society, a professional body, or a professional organization. 

These associations consider the specific needs and interests of their members. Additionally, they often provide training, networking, and other professional development opportunities. Joining a professional association is a great way to interact with other people who share your professional interests and experiences. It’s also a great way to share new tools, tips, and tricks that you use on the job.

Moreover, joining a professional association is a meaninful contribution to your community. Many associations partner with other local organizations, often nonprofits. They may sponsor an event, and have raffles or auctions that support a good local cause. When attending an association's event, you are often helping to support a charitable cause as well. 

Think Outside the Box: Networking in an Association

Networking should not always be limited to your own specific professional field. Admins and executive assistants, for example, support a wide range of  industries. Therefore, joining an association that represents many different kinds of professionals is important. 

For example, consider getting involved with a local Women’s Council, a “Leaders in Business” group, or an entrepreneur group. Connecting with a group of professionals that span broader backgrounds is useful for you and your company. In this way, you will inevitably connect with people who need your company’s services and vice versa. 

Continue to Engage

Once you join a professional association, continue to engage with the group regularly. Stay up to date on their virtual and live events. When attending events, ensure you are prepared to make new connections. Here are some helpful tips for successful engagement at a professional association's event. 

• Dress appropriately in business attire. First impressions matter, so make yours count. 

• Wear a name tag. This makes it easier for people to approach you and lets others know you are open to connecting and chatting. 

• Bring business cards. Whether you are using paper business cards or a digital business card, ensure you have your contact information handy for easy sharing. 

• Get contact information from people you meet. Gather printed or virtual business cards, and make a point to remember the names of people you talk with. 

• After the event, follow up. Consider sending a follow-up email, text, or LinkedIn message. Let your new connections know that it was nice to meet them and that you hope to see them again at future events. 

If you take the time to join and attend professional association events, you need to make them count. By following the above networking tips, you will grow your database and make career-long connections. 

Join Our Events! 

If you’re looking to join a supportive and fun association, consider getting involved with ASAP. Our association is tailored toward administrative professionals (including executive assistants, office managers, senior administrators, and more!) and comes with a lot of perks. We offer interactive webinars, in-person training events, and informative newsletters, to name just a few member benefits.

We love to see our members interact with each other while building a bigger network and improving their job skills! If you want to enhance your career, reach out to us today to learn more.