CA Career Cafe: Join a Professional Association

CA Career Café

"The way of the world is meeting people through other people.”

• Robert Kerrigan

Did you know?

Joining a Professional Association while still on campus can help students learn about their prospective career paths and offer a wealth of experiential and networking opportunities. Professional organizations exist for almost every profession from artists to zoo keepers. These non-profit organizations host meetings, conventions, and virtual workshops. Introduce your students to Professional Associations via the California Career Café where students can access Cool Connections, a Professional Association database.

Try this…

• Ask your students about Professional Associations…

What is a Professional Association?
Can you name some Professional Associations?
Why join a Professional Association?

• Share your own Professional Association experiences.
• View video.
• Access this Professional Association database and identify associations related to your discipline.
• Distribute the Student Activity, review the directions, and complete.
• Discuss the possibilities and power of networking cards.

Add an Experience!

Have students try the Connect to a Professional Association student lesson on CaCareerCafe.com. Encourage students to make a personal connection via phone, email or in person using their networking card as part of their introduction.