Professional Membership

[Spinal]

Odd one tonight (I need to find something better to do on saturday night than my coursework... and procrastinating here beats it!). I got a letter today inviting me to join the IEEE; UK section as an Imperial alumnus...

Now, I'm already a member of the BCS, and am wondering if joining the IEEE as well (or instead) would offer more benefits...

As I know that quite a few of you work in IT; I was wondering what your thoughts were....

Michele

 

[recycled]

i have not bothered with them.
I feel my various certifications in microsoft is more than enough proof of my ability.
but i guess it helps if you want to mix with that kind of setting

 

[agatward]

I've gone the other way -- I'm becoming a member of the IET (formerly IEE) and can't be bothered with the BCS. Certainly the BCS events around here have never given me the urge to join, even though my degree was BCS accredited.

 

[ukcodger]

As a retired C.Eng. MIEE (now IET), I would say any professional qualification is a definite help on a career path. As soon as I retired though I was happy to resign my professional status - something which took years of hard work to achieve. This was mainly because I found them mostly talking shops with 'organisational committees' galore! All about membership structures and worrying about 'why society doesn't value us' etc. The change away from IEE, after 130 years since Faraday was the last straw.

 

[Rose Chap]

Speaking as someone who works in IT, I believe professional qualifications can help your CV get down to the shortlist on an interview, but depending on the role you won't necessarily use them.

Professional qualifications however are different to joining a professional organisation. If membership of the organisation provides benefits to you that outweigh the cost of being a member, I'd say go for it. If not, I wouldn't bother.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have loads of professional memberships - I collect 'em - one of which being BCS. Not sure it's worth it when I write out all the cheques, but if you can afford the subscriptions and qualify against the criteria, then it probably makes good sense.

 

[Spinal]

I'll be frank, I think I may have attended one (possibly two) of the BCS organised events - and ended up feeling that the trekkie convention I went too was more interesting...

The first year of college I was very much like Bobby Dazzler; I think I joined 3 or 4 different associations; BCS and the AI one were the only two that made it past the second year... I then dropped AI too...

I think I'll see what IET have to offer... I'm guessing no-one's a member of the IEEE?