The Networking Chain

Whenever I meet other PRSA members, I like to ask them if they feel like their membership is valuable. Obviously our participation is valuable in the monetary sense, especially to New Pros like us, to whom a few hundred dollars a year can mean a significant difference in the monthly rent payments. But what I like to hear from people is what they actually get out of their membership. I usually get one of two responses: the person who thinks PRSA is a great way to learn about the field, network and volunteer; and the person who thinks it's really not much more than a glorified social circle.

I have been involved with this organization since I was a student at the University of New Mexico and for me, PRSA is not just a social outlet. Last September, I chose to leave my job in nonprofit communications in pursuit of...well, something else. That "something" was not completely defined, and my search took me out of my home state, through a brief stint freelancing at a small agency, and finally, to a new position that I couldn't be happier about. During the six months I was deciding what I wanted to do, I fell back on my PRSA connections. It wasn't always easy, but I volunteered at events, I e-mailed my contacts and I told them I needed help. Not only did I have an incredible amount of support, but I found my new job because one of those contacts alerted me to the opening.

While it's not always easy to give up our free time to man the auction tables at an awards banquet or to continually pitch ourselves to anyone who might know of a job opening, there are people in this organization who want to help. Period. They've all been where we are, and they want nothing more than to do for us what someone once did for them. Having received this support, I can't wait to one day pass it along to someone else. I guess that's how the networking chain stays strong.