How much are you investing in your members’ careers? The 2023 Community Brands Association Trends Study found that job opportunities and help with career advancement are top member priorities, growing in importance this year.
When it comes to the value placed on career advancement, unfortunately, there is a widening gap between members and association professionals. 75% of members are looking for career insights to help them learn about jobs, earning potential, and necessary qualifications. However, just 14% of association professionals are offering this career advancement service.
Show you value your members’ futures and improve the member experience—support your members throughout their careers by providing personalized resources. Read our blog for three strategies to get started.
How to personalize member experiences throughout the entire career journey
Members now expect a personalized experience with your association. According to the latest Community Brands research, your members value different career advancement opportunities through each stage of their career.
Here are three ways to provide a personalized member experience throughout the entire career journey:
1. Consider what career benefits your members want
Did you know that member priorities differ based on career stage? Understanding what your members want throughout their career journeys will prepare your organization to offer the most impactful career-building resources.
Here’s how member priorities shift based on career stage:
Early-career. Gen Z and young Millennials are seeking tangible career advancement opportunities.
- 63% want training options
- 62% want help with career advancement
- 61% want job opportunities
- 57% want certifications
- 54% want networking opportunities
Mid-career. Older Millennials and Gen Xers are also looking for career-building resources.
- 57% want help with career advancement
- 56% want training options
- 54% want job opportunities
- 53% want certifications
- 52% want networking opportunities
Late-career. While you might expect your Boomer members to be well-settled into their careers and not looking for growth opportunities, the opposite is true.
- 52% want industry-specific information
- 50% want certifications
- 42% want training options
- 41% want networking opportunities
- 39% want continuing education courses
2. Collect and use member data
Now that you understand how member priorities change based on career stage, you’re better prepared to offer the best career advancement resources. Enhance the member experience further by offering targeted and personalized career-building benefits.
Leverage your association management software (AMS) to collect and analyze data about your members’ career stages, educational backgrounds, professional interests, and behaviors. Collecting and managing member data will empower your association to offer personalized career advancement resources.
If your AMS has built–in Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, your organization can leverage your member data to offer customized member predictions. Will a member attend an upcoming networking event? Will they sign up for the latest continuing education course? Utilizing AI will help you predict which members are likely to use your services and personalize your approach to offering members the most relevant career-building resources.
3. Leverage innovative technology
Community Brands research found that more and more members are turning to associations for professional education opportunities. 77% of members and 85% of association professionals agree, that professional membership organizations that don’t innovate will no longer be a go-to source for professional development.
Prioritize the use of innovative technology to offer members a personalized experience throughout their careers. Look for a modern AMS that offers a built-in member community to offer virtual networking opportunities, create subgroups dedicated to professional roles and educational backgrounds, and deliver the latest in industry news and career insights.
An innovative AMS should make it easy to manage career and networking events, improving the staff and member experience. You’ll also want an AMS that streamlines continuing education course tracking so both staff and members know the status of a certification program.
With three annual, routine software upgrades, Nimble AMS offers continuous innovation, ensuring your association stays one step ahead of the competition and offers the best solutions for your members. Leverage Nimble Communities to build member engagement and create virtual career events and networking opportunities. Manage your career events and streamline professional development tracking to improve and personalize the member experience.
