Why Consider Association Careers
When professionals think about jobs that provide career growth, they often look toward corporate roles and startups. But there’s one career path that’s often overlooked—association jobs. If you’re looking for a mission-driven career with room to grow, it’s time to take a closer look.
Association roles offer unique benefits that many job seekers don’t initially consider:
- Mission-Driven Work – You’re not just working for profit; your contributions create impact and serve a broader community.
- Learning & Growth Opportunities – With a strong commitment to educating their members, associations prioritize professional development for their staff as well.
- Diverse Skill Development – Whether it’s event planning, membership engagement, advocacy, or leadership, association roles help you expand your expertise in ways corporate roles often don’t.
- A Tight-Knit Professional Network – The association world is highly connected. Engaging in organizations like ASAE helps you build a network that supports your career growth.
Yet, some professionals dismiss association jobs because they believe:
- "You need a nonprofit background." (Not true! Many association professionals come from corporate, government, or education roles.)
- "The pay isn’t competitive." (Many associations offer strong compensation and benefits—often rivaling corporate roles.)
- "It’s hard to break in." (With the right approach, transitioning is possible.)
Ready to Explore an Association Career?
If you’ve never considered working in an association, this might be the career move you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re looking to transition into the association world or if you’re looking for a new position in an association, you can’t approach the job search the same way you would in the corporate sector. Associations hire differently.
Here’s what you need to know to stand out:
- Mission Alignment Matters. Associations want professionals who understand and connect with their mission. Your resume and interviews should reflect that.
- Networking is Key. Many association jobs never hit the major job boards. Instead, they’re shared within professional circles. If you’re not engaging with industry groups and attending association events, you could be missing out. Having a mutual contact who can refer you and vouch for you can be helpful.
- Certain Skills and Competencies are Important. Associations often look for the ability to collaborate and to work with diverse groups of individuals including members, among other skills. Once you understand the general skill sets that are important in associations, researching a specific association and its values and mission will provide more information.
- Showing Revenue Growth Skills is Important but Not at the Expense of Member Experience. While associations seek candidates who can achieve revenue growth goals, there needs to be a balance between driving revenue and providing engaging experiences for members. Your materials need to reflect that you understand that nuance.
- Hiring Timelines Can Vary. Associations don’t always move at the same pace as corporate hiring. Some roles take time to fill for many reasons, including taking the time to get everyone on board with the new hire or waiting for the budget for the position. Understanding this can help you remain patient.
If you’re trying to land a role in an association, your job search approach should reflect how associations hire and operate.
To get valuable advice, we recommend talking to Mary Ellen Brennan, who is an experienced association executive both in Europe and North America, and writes a regular blog on careers, with a focus on associations.