A professional society is an organization that is made up of like-minded experts and authorities in a specific field or industry. Thus, in the same way that there are societies for recruiters, there are also professional societies for salespeople. Even though they are referred to as professional societies and clubs, their activities and events comprise of both social and professional aspects.
Advantages of Professional Clubs
1. Contacts
Professional associations give members access to a large network of business contacts. This is because these organizations often hold events during which members mingle and network. In addition, the groups are established with one of their primary objectives being to provide professional support to one another.
2. Information
Professional organizations also enable members to keep in touch with current trends, research and technology within the sales industry. Members are therefore easily able to stay current and updated. This is particularly useful in the sales industry where the salesperson is often a brand all by him/herself. Even in cases where their place of employment provides information, workshops and other tools aimed at optimizing the salesperson’s skills, professional clubs provide another effective avenue through which to stay on top of their game.
3. Valuable Tool for Candidates who may have been laid off
Professional associations are also very essential for sales professionals who have previously been laid off. During the processes of recruitment and headhunting, sales recruiters are very keen to find out what the candidate has been doing since getting laid off. The mere fact that the individual got laid off may not necessarily be a deal-breaker in determining whether or not they are going to get the sales position. However, the lack of skills and expertise usually is. It therefore helps if the candidate can demonstrate to the sales recruiter that he/she has remained updated on skills, trends and revolutionary practices within the sales industry.
Sales Recruiting through Professional Associations
Many sales recruiters and headhunters are finding that recruiting through professional associations is a highly viable option. By recruiting through these clubs and associations, professionals are able to channel their resources more efficiently. These include time, money and energy. Usually, the first step for a sales recruiter is to narrow down the long list of professional clubs to a select few. They do this by looking through aspects such as the club’s objectives, what drives them, as well as any publications they may have made. By considering such factors, recruiters are better able to determine what professional organizations would be most likely to have the candidates that they are looking for.
When a salesperson is choosing a professional organization to be a member of, here are some key factors to consider:
- The club’s reputation: The reputation of the professional club or association is the first thing that is going to grab the sales recruiter’s attention. It is therefore wise to choose an association that is already quite established within the sales industry. Additionally, the better the organization’s reputation is, the more likely it is that they have the tools and network that would prove beneficial to sales candidates.
- Local presence: Ideally, an effective professional association organizes meetings, gatherings and events on a fairly regular basis. It is during these gatherings that the individual enhances his/her visibility, and this in turn increases their visibility within the industry. Increased visibility translates to being more noticeable to sales recruiters as they increasingly recognize the individual as one who is not just an expert in the industry, but also one who is credible.