Association Job Boards Power Engagement, Member Value, and Revenue

In a recent information-packed episode of The Member Engagement Show podcast, guest Sarah Spinosa, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Higher Logic, chatted with me about the huge positive impact of having an association job board – both for engaging current members and prospective members. She also shared some of the features that make Higher Logic Thrive Jobs a stand-out job board solution.

One of the main reasons professionals join associations is to access resources that will help them grow their careers, so the inclusion of a job board is a really logical step for associations, fitting naturally into the benefits they offer.

Here are just a few of the ways association job board create value.

Job Boards Provide Career and Content Opportunities

Association job boards make it easier for your members to access career opportunities in your field. Your job board can reinforce your position as a trusted partner throughout your members’ careers. This is great for a lot of reasons:

• For many associations, if your member leaves their role at their current company, you might lose their contact info. With a job board, you’re highly likely to draw that member back in, even in their new role.
• An association job board shares opportunities that are highly specific to the field you support. People working in that industry can then see their potential growth opportunities and are more likely to stay in the field.
• The jobs posted to your job board can also provide invaluable insights into current industry trends, labor needs, and skill requirements. Armed with this information, your association can tailor resources, programs, and certifications to meet the evolving needs of the market and industry.

Integration with your association’s current tech stack adds to the effectiveness of your job board, streamlining operations, allowing for higher levels of personalization, and enhancing member engagement.

Job Boards Attract New Members

I know from my experience at the associations I’ve worked with – and from Higher Logic customers I’ve talked to – that many associations are seeing a lot of their members retire. Which means recruitment of new, early-career members is more important than ever.

Job boards are, frankly, the perfect tool to bring new members in. When someone enters your field, they’re obviously going to be looking for a job. And an association job board is a highly valuable source for those specific jobs. Once someone visits your association’s website and/or community to browse jobs, they’re going to see that you offer so much more!

Our first wave of Higher Logic Thrive Jobs saw a 40% increase in both page views and job searches, indicating an immediate impact on member engagement and search activity. Job boards are a powerful way to ensure that your association shows up in search results and draws site traffic.

Job Boards Generate Revenue and Industry Influence

Beyond their role in member engagement and career support, job boards can be a robust source of non-dues revenue for associations. This revenue stream from job boards not only sustains association operations but underscores the association’s commitment to betterment of the industry.

Plus, job boards foster relationships between associations and key industry players, facilitating talent acquisition and growth.

Higher Logic Thrive Jobs: Combining Careers and Community

Among the array of job board solutions, Higher Logic Thrive Jobs stands out because it’s included and seamlessly integrated with Higher Logic Thrive Community and Platform.

While it’s true there are other job board tools and providers available, Sarah called out the features and capabilities of the product she knows best. This includes streamlined setup and implementation, centralized profile management for members (they only have to maintain one profile!), and relevant jobs streamed directly into your Higher Logic Thrive Community feed.

This means your job board is actively drawing members (and nonmembers, if you leave it open) to your community. And when you have Higher Logic Thrive Platform – with your marketing and community tools working in tandem – it’s even easier to set up automated follow-up and engagement capabilities that provide richer member interactions.

These tools empower associations to provide the kind of personalized, multifaceted experience association members expect and help your association’s staff enjoy ease-of-use in managing the board.

Members Love an Association That Cares About Their Career

Job boards make a huge positive impact on member engagement, professional growth, and association value. Members might not always be actively seeking a new job, but being able to see what’s out there is helpful throughout their careers. It can give them a better understanding about what a long-term career in your industry would look like, and give them ideas for growth, like what skills or certifications they should be adding (which your association probably provides).

In this way, job boards are a natural fit with everything else your association offers. Members can turn to their association for additional career support and value. And in return, the association enjoys higher levels of member recruitment, engagement, and retention.

Learn more by listening to the episode!