Professional bodies vital for careers
Aug 08, 2009
ALL you needed to succeed in a given career in the past was to have the right academic qualifications. However, with the global village dynamics, this has changed. You have to be versatile in marketing yourself as a prospective employee.
By Susan Muyiyi
ALL you needed to succeed in a given career in the past was to have the right academic qualifications. However, with the global village dynamics, this has changed. You have to be versatile in marketing yourself as a prospective employee.
In addition to acquiring a bachelor’s or master’s degree, joining a professional organisation provides several benefits.
When applying for a job, employers ask for professional references. One option is to have your former employer recommend you.
However, a recommendation letter from your professional association is very valuable, says Peter Ojede, a member of the Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda.
“It shows that you are serious and passionate about your profession.â€
Besides opportunities to work with your profession peers, members of professional organisations are accessible to fellow members. You can get professional advice if you encounter a difficult work-related issue at no cost.
“The interaction is not limited to saying hello. We share experiences and challenges and help one another improve professionally. This helps one avoid professional misjudgment because of the sound insight from other more experienced members,†Ojede explains.
Employers will want to take you on because it makes economic sense, Ojede adds.
“Suppose the professional association is a 200-member strong, it is as though your organisation is paying one consultant and yet benefiting from many experts sharing their knowledge and expertise.â€
Ojede adds that bosses will most likely respect your views on a decision because it is based on a wealth of knowledge and not far-fetched. You also gain respect in your area of expertise.
While you could access career-advancement information elsewhere, a professional association is one avenue. Networking and collaborations present a combination of educational interactions where you receive cutting-edge information. Access to new developments in your field is also guaranteed.
Members receive news letters with information on training opportunities, says Ojede.
Members of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) receive professional information through a continuous professional development programme, which keeps them abreast with the developments in the profession, the economy and other global trends. Gerald Mbalire, the institute’s chief executive officer, says, this enables accountants to be up-to-date.
Do not stop at registering to maximise the benefits of membership in a professional organisation. Attend functions and, if possible, volunteer for board positions or committees.
“It is an invaluable opportunity to associate with individuals from your own field. This exposes you to people with vast knowledge and experience you can never learn from a classroom. They also provide you free hands on experience.â€
In an environment where a lot of things are not genuine, belonging to an association provides a credibility benefit.
“Image is a vital selling point in one’s career. This is one way of enhancing it,†experts say. While it is not mandatory to belong to a profession association for some professionals such as gynecologists, others like accountants, must oblige.
According to Mbalire, under the Accountants Act Cap 266, the institute is the legal regulatory body of professional accountants in Uganda.
He concurs with Ojede that membership exposes members to wide horizons in the job market.
“An active member is more likely to get a job much easier because he/she has a lot of exposure than a person who is not.â€
Like members of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Uganda, ICPAU members gain professional recognition at local and global levels. In the case of ICPAU, recognition by the Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants is a huge profession boost, says Mbalire.
The institute offers a good forum for professional accountants to voice their concerns and allows members to offer professional practice as auditors.
Pious Okong, a member of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Uganda, says unfortunately, few people recognise the importance of being members.
“It is not a legal requirement,†he adds.
However, the limitations notwithstanding, exposure to new information is achieved. Training opportunities and accreditation for international networking are the other benefits members get.â€
You can join an association as a student or after some hands-on experience in your field after acquiring your academic qualifications. You may also join as an associate member.
Some of the professional associations include the Uganda Law Society, the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers, the Uganda Journalists Association, the Institute of Surveys of Uganda and the Uganda Medical Association.
ALL you needed to succeed in a given career in the past was to have the right academic qualifications. However, with the global village dynamics, this has changed. You have to be versatile in marketing yourself as a prospective employee.
In addition to acquiring a bachelor’s or master’s degree, joining a professional organisation provides several benefits.
When applying for a job, employers ask for professional references. One option is to have your former employer recommend you.
However, a recommendation letter from your professional association is very valuable, says Peter Ojede, a member of the Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda.
“It shows that you are serious and passionate about your profession.â€
Besides opportunities to work with your profession peers, members of professional organisations are accessible to fellow members. You can get professional advice if you encounter a difficult work-related issue at no cost.
“The interaction is not limited to saying hello. We share experiences and challenges and help one another improve professionally. This helps one avoid professional misjudgment because of the sound insight from other more experienced members,†Ojede explains.
Employers will want to take you on because it makes economic sense, Ojede adds.
“Suppose the professional association is a 200-member strong, it is as though your organisation is paying one consultant and yet benefiting from many experts sharing their knowledge and expertise.â€
Ojede adds that bosses will most likely respect your views on a decision because it is based on a wealth of knowledge and not far-fetched. You also gain respect in your area of expertise.
While you could access career-advancement information elsewhere, a professional association is one avenue. Networking and collaborations present a combination of educational interactions where you receive cutting-edge information. Access to new developments in your field is also guaranteed.
Members receive news letters with information on training opportunities, says Ojede.
Members of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) receive professional information through a continuous professional development programme, which keeps them abreast with the developments in the profession, the economy and other global trends. Gerald Mbalire, the institute’s chief executive officer, says, this enables accountants to be up-to-date.
Do not stop at registering to maximise the benefits of membership in a professional organisation. Attend functions and, if possible, volunteer for board positions or committees.
“It is an invaluable opportunity to associate with individuals from your own field. This exposes you to people with vast knowledge and experience you can never learn from a classroom. They also provide you free hands on experience.â€
In an environment where a lot of things are not genuine, belonging to an association provides a credibility benefit.
“Image is a vital selling point in one’s career. This is one way of enhancing it,†experts say. While it is not mandatory to belong to a profession association for some professionals such as gynecologists, others like accountants, must oblige.
According to Mbalire, under the Accountants Act Cap 266, the institute is the legal regulatory body of professional accountants in Uganda.
He concurs with Ojede that membership exposes members to wide horizons in the job market.
“An active member is more likely to get a job much easier because he/she has a lot of exposure than a person who is not.â€
Like members of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Uganda, ICPAU members gain professional recognition at local and global levels. In the case of ICPAU, recognition by the Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants is a huge profession boost, says Mbalire.
The institute offers a good forum for professional accountants to voice their concerns and allows members to offer professional practice as auditors.
Pious Okong, a member of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Uganda, says unfortunately, few people recognise the importance of being members.
“It is not a legal requirement,†he adds.
However, the limitations notwithstanding, exposure to new information is achieved. Training opportunities and accreditation for international networking are the other benefits members get.â€
You can join an association as a student or after some hands-on experience in your field after acquiring your academic qualifications. You may also join as an associate member.
Some of the professional associations include the Uganda Law Society, the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers, the Uganda Journalists Association, the Institute of Surveys of Uganda and the Uganda Medical Association.