Your association can be the top career development destination in your industry. Your membership displays a wide range of career stages – from students/new grads, early careerists, mid careerists, late careerists, to retirement. If your association caters to members at every career stage, you can:
- Increase member engagement, retention, and new member acquisition
- Increase traffic to your career center
- Gain insight into the career growth opportunities your members are interested in
- Generate additional revenue by directing members to continuing education based on their career stage
So, let’s take a look at the steps in your members’ lifetime career journeys.
1. Students/New Grads
Students and new graduates join a local or student association chapter and start searching and applying for internships so they can begin crafting their professional skills. It’s also a great member benefit to match them with a mentor and connect them with a certification and accreditation program.
InternBoard
MentorBoard
2. Early Careerists
Many early careerists join a professional association within their industry in the first five years of their career. At this career stage, members place higher value on associations that help them earn certifications and map out their career path options.
TIP: Career Journey by YM Careers inspires and empowers members to plan out their career paths.
Career Journey
This group is eager to search and apply to industry jobs using your association’s job board. They’re also going to look for opportunities to attend career fairs, and associations that can offer career events in a variety of ways (virtual, in-person, or hybrid) will stand out in their industry. Early careerists also begin engaging with Learning Management Systems (LMS) as they work on their continuing education (and as some of them prep for board exams).
- Subscribe to recommended jobs emails
3. Mid-Careerists
Mid-careerists take continuing education self-assessments and focus on maintaining their certification credentials. As they progress along their recommended lifelong learning paths, they might also take leadership courses. And, as this group takes on more of a leadership role, they can help recruit and hire highly qualified staff – both for their employers and for your association.
4. Late Careerists
Late careerists want to track their progress on any continuing education credits. They tend to take on more ancillary roles, such as serving on the Board of Directors. They can also build an employer brand within your association’s recruitment guide.
Recruitment Guides
Members in this group are also great candidates to become mentors to young professionals. And, at this stage in their careers, they’re candidates for buying booths as an employer for onsite and virtual (or hybrid) career fairs.
5. Retirement
Members entering retirement obtain lifetime member status with your association and want to maintain their credentials. They’re also great candidates for guest speakers at annual conferences and other engagements.
In your members’ eyes, the value your association provides will grow and change as they move through their careers. From initial recruitment to renewal, it is imperative that your organization understands what members want and need at each stage of their career and how you can deliver value on what they find most important.
