Does your association value career advancement as a top member benefit? The 2023 Community Brands Association Trends Study found that both job opportunities and help with career advancement make it onto the list of top member benefits. Unfortunately, association professionals continue to undervalue career advancement resources.
One area where both professionals and members agree? The necessity to innovate in professional development offerings. Community Brands research discovered that 85% of association professionals and 77% of members agree that organizations must innovate, or they will no longer be a go-to source for professional development.
Improve your association’s member experience by supporting your members’ careers. Keep reading for helpful strategies to get started.
6 ways your association can offer career advancement resources
Ensure your association management software (AMS) integrates with your career center software. When your technology systems work together, you can offer your members a connected and enriching experience, supporting career advancement.
Here are six ways technology can offer more value throughout a member’s career:
1. Job matching and email alerts
2023 Community Brands Association Trends Research reports that members currently value the quality of job opportunities from their professional organizations more than sources like LinkedIn or Indeed. Ensure your job board software goes the extra mile in supporting your members’ careers by selecting a platform that features personalization and automated notifications.
Encourage members to sign up for new job notifications, sent directly to their inbox, and based on their unique preferences and qualifications. Using email alerts will allow members to be the first to discover and apply for new opportunities.
2. Job seeker tips and career advice insights
Community Brands research found that 76% of members are interested in receiving career advice articles, but only 26% of associations provide this service. 75% of members desire career insights to learn about jobs, but just 14% of associations offer this assistance.
In your career center, try posting vital career insights about industry jobs, qualifications, and earning potential to help members prepare themselves for career advancement. Cross-post these career advice articles (including résumé writing tips, interview tips, networking tips, and job search ideas) to your online community platform and on social media to draw more members to your career center and boost this vital member benefit.
3. Career coaching and mentoring
Community Brands research discovered that 68% of members are interested in career coaching, but only 9% of associations offer this service. And while 69% of members would like a mentoring service, just 22% of associations support this opportunity.
Provide access to certified career coaches who can help members with job search strategies, CVs and résumés, cover letters, and more. To support your members’ career advancement, offer a mentoring service so members can get professional advice throughout their career journeys.
4. Networking
Community Brands research found that 51% of members rely on their professional organization for networking opportunities and almost half of all surveyed members used their organization’s online community platform.
Leverage your online community platform to offer professional networking opportunities. Create subgroups to connect members and boost professional engagement. After a large association event, consider creating a group to promote virtual networking and keep the conversation flowing.
Integrate social media with your career center, allowing job seekers who view a post on your job board to instantly see any LinkedIn connections they might have at that company. This useful technology integration can help members open doors to new opportunities.
5. Professional development
Community Brands research reports that members place the highest value on completing a certification or accreditation program and taking an online continuing education course. Respectively, 82% and 76% of members ranked these options as their top engagement activities.
To keep your members invested in your association and support them throughout their careers, you should consider innovating your professional development program. Try leveraging learning management software (LMS) to offer engaging webinars, webcasts, and on-demand learning options. Utilize interactive tools like assessments, live discussions, polls, and learning paths to drive learner engagement and offer more member value.
6. Career paths and peer data
The latest Community Brands research determined that Gen Z and Millennial members are especially interested in career advancement resources that offer peer data, career paths, and additional career advice and insights. Both Gen Z and Millennial members agree that if their association doesn’t innovate in career-building resources then the organization will cease to be a preferred source for career advancement.
Select robust career center software with interactive career path insights to empower your members to blaze a trail to their ultimate professional goals. Leverage your AMS to manage your member data, gather career survey results, and deliver relevant career data to your members.
