Accounting

• American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) offers membership to Certified Public Accountants and supports members through a variety of resources.
• American Accounting Association (AAA) is a community of academically minded accountants.
• National Society of Accountants (NSA) keeps its members up to date on the latest tax and accounting news in the United States. It also encourages continuing education through free courses and advocates for ethical industry standards.

Animal Care and Veterinary Services

• American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) strives to bring together the best of the best in American veterinary medicine and offers accreditation to member practices.
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) promotes excellence in veterinary academic medicine.

Arts and Entertainment

• American Federation of Musicians (AFM) is a union that represents Canadian and American musicians in all areas of the music industry.
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) represents stagehands and crew members in the film and theater industries in Canada and the United States. IATSE protects members’ rights and helps ensure a safe working environment.
• SAG-AFTRA is an actor’s union in the United States that outlines and enforces workplace standards and protections for actors on set.

Aviation

• Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) is the biggest aviation association in the world, offering pilot training, resources and advocacy benefits.
• Air Marshal Association (AMA) represents the rights and voice of federal air marshals.

Communications

• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) connects professionals in the communications field and supports their professional development through networking opportunities.
• National Communication Association (NCA) seeks to support members through research and education.

Construction

• North America’s Building Trade Unions (NABTU) protects benefits, work standards, wages and economic security for construction workers in North America.

Counseling

• American Counseling Association (ACA) offers online tools and other supports to professionals entering or growing a practice in this field.
• American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) is the leading national association for licensed mental health professionals.

Customer Service

• National Customer Service Association (NCSA) offers CCSP certification to customer service professionals worldwide. Completing the CCSP certifications demonstrates someone is committed to providing a high level of service to clients.

Dental

• American Dental Association (ADA) is the United States’ leading dental organization that helps dentists build their careers through resources and ongoing benefits.
• American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) helps further the success of dental assistants through continuing education and engaging in professional development activities.

Education

• Association of American Educators (AAE) promotes educational advocacy and is the biggest non-union national teachers association.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is a labor union representing the rights and interests of educators in the United States.

Engineering

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Professional Communication Society is a global organization supporting engineers in using best practices in their communications across various platforms.

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) promotes learning and innovation through training and opportunities for discovery.

Fashion

• United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) seeks to remove the obstacles to textile and apparel trade in the fashion industry across the United States.

Finance

• The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a professional trade association supporting members who are insurance agents and financial advisors.

Funeral Services

• National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) supports funeral professionals in the United States by providing tools and resources to help them deliver quality services.

Healthcare

• National Nurses United (NNU) is the largest association of registered nurses in America, with more than 175,000 members across the country.

• Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) stands up for doctors and dentists in the United States to ensure they have the means to provide high-quality healthcare to their patients.

Horticulture and Agriculture

• American Farm Bureau Federation (FB) is a national organization with individual offices at the state level. It advocates for farmers and communities on rural issues.
• National Farmers Union (NFU) works to achieve fairness for American farmers and was founded in1902.

Hospitality and Tourism

• American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) represents all areas of the hospitality industry across the United States and is the largest hotel association.

Human Resources

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is committed to cultivating better workplaces across the United States and has over 300,000 members.

Information Technology

• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is a scientific computing organization that focuses on advancing professional skills of its members.

Interior Design

• Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) establishes standards for higher education in the field of interior design to advance the profession.
• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a nonprofit organization that protects the rights of interior designers and offers business support services, like contract templates.

Journalism

• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) encourages the freedom of journalistic expression in the United States and was founded in 1909.
• American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) was established in 1948 and is a large organization for independent writers, who can get help with networking and professional development.

Legal

• American Bar Association (ABA) is the professional community for lawyers in the United States not specific to a certain jurisdiction. It offers members countless resources and opportunities for professional development. Employers can use its member directory to source candidates.
• Collier Legal Search is a full-service legal recruiting firm that helps employers in the United States find attorneys and legal staff with the necessary experience and qualifications.

Manufacturing

• The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) was established in 2007 and is the biggest industrial union for workers in the United States. It protects workers in the industry by improving workplace policies.

Marketing

• Business Marketing Association (BMA) works to advance B2B marketing, with local chapters across the United States providing networking and educational opportunities to members.
• American Marketing Association (AMA) offers members discounts on exams and promotes development through member-only marketing tool kits.

Mining

• Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) is a group of professionals in the mining and mineral industries, with over 13,000 members using available resources to advance their careers.

Pharmaceutical

• American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) is a professional organization with over 7,000 members that advances the capabilities of pharmaceuticals to improve healthcare.
• American Pharmacists Association (APhA) advocates for individuals working in the pharmaceutical field. Members gain benefits such as continuing education, news updates and practice resources.

Real Estate

• National Association of Realtors (NAR) is a commercial organization with more than 1 million members that advocates for real estate agents and provides educational opportunities to members.

Retail

• Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) takes care of the critical problems in American retail to support members. Most recently, RILA worked with the American Staffing Association (ASA) to fill vacancies in retail positions while competition in the job market was high.

Transportation

• American Trucking Associations (ATA) is a national trade association for the trucking field and dates back to 1933. It advocates for members, offers advice and works to further members’ education.

Waste Management

• Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) emphasizes advocacy, research and education for its members to improve the management of solid waste disposal.
• Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) has an online directory of certified professionals capable of handling hazardous waste disposal. It awards credentials, including Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) status.

Writing

• American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), an organization for professional medical writers, has over 4,000 members. Its site has a member directory for sourcing candidates.
• The Authors Guild (AG) offers a Writers Directory for finding professional writers. The guild protects members through negotiating fair contracts and ensuring their work is subject to copyright.

How a Professional Organization Helps Employers Source Candidates

Many of these professional associations and job organizations have the means to help you match candidates to your hiring criteria. In most cases, they offer a directory of their members that you can access to find qualified candidates independently. Once you view members on a directory, you can reach out to them via a recruiter on professional networking platforms to see if they are interested in available roles at your company.