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Boost your image with service and social organizations

A girls’ night out is integral to our sanity, but why not mix it up every once in awhile? Take the girls with you or, for the bold, venture out solo and try something new. Join up with a club or tackle a networking event to have some fun while preening your professional image!

These days, networking is not just about being able to litter the place with names. Instead, young professionals on the rise are joining up with all kinds of organizations to learn new skills, demonstrate leadership, provide service to their communities, climb career ladders, socialize and–perhaps most importantly in this work-infused world–have fun!

Depending upon your needs, the perfect opportunity awaits, ready to be seized.

Learn from your colleagues to polish up professionally.

From professional rodeo cowboys to chicken sexers, nearly every occupation has its own national organization with local chapters. By participating in an organization of your own professional peers, you’ll not only garner some knowledge from those in the know about your line of work and make contacts in the field, but you’ll also get to mingle with folks who share some like-mindedness with you.

To find your profession’s national organization and your local chapter, try the Internet Public Library guide of associations.

Meet fellow alumni for shared experiences.

Another option for joining up is to explore alumni groups from your alma mater. Meeting with other graduates from your university ensures that you, at the very least, share similarities in your educational backgrounds. While some groups sponsor regular events or meet at least annually, others merely provide a loose liaison between alumni, so you may have to do some of the grunt work to get the group of graduates together.

Try Braintrack to locate your university’s website.

Socialize with other breeds of worker bees.

Netparty sponsored events, touted as “business and social networking events at stylish clubs for young professionals’ represent the new way to network “with a twist.” Events are organized locally with details disseminated online. Past events, always held at the hottest locales, have drawn in upwards of 600 attendees! Organizers liken the events to an “extended cocktail hour” in which all of the participants are there for the same goal: to socialize with other young people and make professional contacts. The events feature drink specials, hors d’oeuvres and music quiet enough to hold conversations with all of the great new contacts you’ll make!

Check out Netparty.

Sans the soiree scene, there’s the online professional networking site LinkedIn. Here, patrons are provided with a place to post professional profiles for communication with existing work-related contacts or to initiate new connections. Think of it as a MySpace specifically for the working population. The site offers tools to locate colleagues and school chums, search for contacts by professional field and research the workforce. LinkedIn even makes suggestions for people you should meet within the network!

Look into LinkedIn.

Instead of just talking about learning something new, get out there and do it!

Climbing up the ranks at work does not come easy. Devoted to working on a professional image that will strengthen careers, many young professionals neglect their personal growth. Learning a new skill, pursuing a hobby or participating in sports activities is a healthy and enjoyable way to keep up on your personal growth while still finding time to hone a pleasing professional image. (Head honchos will be judging you on how you present yourself professionally and personally!) Try a local Toastmasters’ meeting where, each week in a supportive setting, members gather to master communication skills like listening and public speaking.

Consider Toastmasters, the United States Adult Soccer Association and marathon training program USA Fit.

Give to yourself by giving to others.

Join up with a great organization like the American Association of University Women. As the top organization sponsoring education and equity for women, AAUW provides ample opportunities on a local, state and national level to contribute to a worthwhile cause while getting to know some pretty amazing women. According to Colorado’s V.P. of State Membership, Diane Meyer, in their region alone they boast two mayors, a senator and a legislator! (Other national members include Betty Friedan, Coretta Scott King, Govenor Ann Richards and Janet Reno.)

Try out AAUW or use Idealist.org to find other organizations in your region categorized by area of focus.

So put on your oh-so-confident heels and initiate a fling with the new ‘club’ scene. You’ve got to join up to start living it up!