Professional organizations provide valuable resources in helping current and former military members make the transition into civilian life, as well as advancing your career in the years to come. You certainly don’t have to wait until you’ve left the military to join either… nor should you. Membership can help you become familiar with the various specialties within your field of interest to help focus your transition, as well as providing job search and other resources through the organization itself. If you’re not a “professional” member in the field yet, you may be able to join as an associate member or as a student member if you’ve gone back to school. Both types of memberships usually come with reduced annual dues.

In my case, I joined the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) as a student member while pursuing my aeronautical engineering degree. Their monthly student chapter meetings featured interesting guest speakers and topics, and the institute’s monthly magazine Aerospace America included a variety of articles, which provided more depth and knowledge about the activities and opportunities available in my chosen profession. This information helped further focus my areas of interest as I began my job pursuits.

Take time to investigate the different professional organizations in your field of interest. If you’re at a loss as to how to get started, the US Department of Labor’s “careeronestop.org” website has a search feature that will help you locate professional organizations by industry or occupation. Consider the organization’s vision statement, available resources, variety and types of committees, and overall membership make-up and size.

The benefits of professional organization membership extend beyond the initial job search. At Northrop Grumman where I work, I quickly found that many of my colleagues were also active in job-related extracurricular professional activities. Soon, I was being asked to co-author AIAA technical papers and attend local chapter dinner meetings, which provided yet another level of business insight. I learned that these opportunities afford another level of visibility within a company, maintain a company’s visibility within industry, and advance the objectives of the organization – so it ends up being a win-win-win for you, your company, and the organization.

In summary, give serious consideration to professional organization membership to help you in your transition to civilian life and don’t wait until you’re ready to separate from service. Start your research now – it will be an education in itself and help you better focus your search. You can certainly join prior to your departure and take advantage of the resources they offer. However, be sure to get guidance from your unit or appropriate authority regarding more active participation, such as committee membership which could require approvals and/or commitments for time and travel. I think you’ll find that if you pick an organization that is well-aligned with your interests, it will help you in your transition to civilian life, and in your future professional development and career advancement.