By Jason Baum

Things changed a lot in the past year. It’s competitive beyond competitive right now. The need for professional associations, like DevOps Institute, has become more urgent. Sure, there are different communities, and certainly lots of social media platforms that individuals can participate in, but a professional DevOps association has a distinctiveness about it. 

Unless you’re involved in one, you might not know anything about associations – like what they do and or what they are. I still, after 15 years, am explaining to my friends what it is that I do. 

But associations are very important. 

There are three basic questions to ask yourself before joining an association:

1. Am I looking to grow my network? 
2. Do I need a mentor? 
3. And am I looking for professional development?

If you answered yes to any of those, then an association is for you. 

In this post, I will explore five reasons to join a professional DevOps association in 2022.

1. Associations are important to both American and International economies.
2. Associations are essential to the growth of an industry.
3. Associations allow both incoming and seasoned professionals to grow.
4. Associations provide a community of like-minded individuals.
5. A safe space for the Humans of DevOps.

The Humans of DevOps Podcast EP29: Why joining a professional DevOps association is important

Associations are Important to both American and International Economies

Everybody knows about lobbying. Everybody knows the impact of certain associations – for example, the NRA, the AICPA, the AARP – they’re all different types of associations, whether they’re consumer-based or whether they’re professional-based. There are 65,000 trade and professional associations in the United States alone.

But the one thing that they all have in common is that they make significant contributions to American and international life. They’re very important in our economy. They create jobs and the economic benefits can be felt by almost two million people who are involved in working for associations themselves. Its payroll, for example, is over $55 billion just involved in association work.

Associations are Essential to the Growth of an Industry

DevOps is a relatively young industry, and joining a professional DevOps association like DevOps Institute will help it achieve widespread growth. There have been industries that have been around forever. And a lot of them formed unions. Unions are an association. Societies, that’s an association. And the one thing that they all do is rally the industry to grow it. 

John F. Kennedy had the saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And that’s the model of an association: to get everybody involved so that you can make more money for yourself and the industry, and thereby, the industry grows.

Associations Allow Both Incoming and Seasoned Professionals to Grow

I may be a student or somebody that’s fairly new in my career. I may be somebody that’s on a trajectory towards management, or I may be somebody that’s in the management role. 

If you’re younger, sometimes associations may sound like they’re archaic. And in some ways, some trade associations are archaic. But as long as it serves a purpose in being relevant for the growth of your career, I think it comes back down to, does it fulfill what you’re trying to do with your career?

The greatest value is being able to access the tools to get ahead professionally, because at the end of the day, we’re all looking for that leg up, right? It’s a very competitive landscape. Associations may not necessarily help even the playing field, but they help everybody get to that same point where it’s a little less competitive. Also, we’re helping each other so that we can all survive and thrive.

Associations Provide a Community of Like-Minded Individuals

At DevOps Institute, we’ve been able to create a community where practitioners, vendors, consultants, and recognized thought leaders come together. And if you look at our global ambassador community, it is a healthy mix of all of that, all of those experiences, and all of that practical knowledge.

Being part of a safe environment where you can ask questions and reach out to other members of the community, creates a sense of belonging. 

No matter where you are in your career, relevant content might be valuable to you. Being able to access a DevOps association that will give you more insight into how to be a better DevOps Human and also perhaps a better DevOps leader. You’ll be able to better support your organizational goal. That’s really what an association is. So it’s not just the content itself, but it’s also a level of involvement and what you’d like to get out of the opportunity. 

A Safe Space for the Humans of DevOps

A professional DevOps Association like the DevOps Institute Community is a way for DevOps practitioners to stay current on emerging concepts and DevOps trends, gain access to exclusive content and research, and help drive the future of the industry. Exchange ideas, share knowledge and connect with your peers around the world.

SKILup and advance your career with a DevOps Institute Membership. DevOps Institute’s goal is to empower you to gain the edge you need to elevate your DevOps Skills, Knowledge, Ideas and Learning. Learn more about the exclusive experiences, resources, and events at staging-devopsinstitute.kinsta.cloud.

Jason Baum joined the DevOps Institute team in December of 2020 as Director of Membership. In this role, Jason is charged with creating premium services and benefits for a new paid membership model. Prior to DOI, Jason served on the leadership team for SmithBucklin, the largest association management, and services company in North America. As Senior Manager of Associations, Jason was primarily responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Association For Creative Industries (AFCI). Jason previously worked for AFCI for eight years. During that time, he held the roles of Marketing Manager, Senior Marketing Manager and Director of Membership & Marketing.