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Internet Business Organizations

© Debbie Levitt

Joining and participating in organizations means more than filling your home page with logos. These organizations offer opportunities for you to stand out in your field, perhaps as an expert, leader, guide, mentor, or just someone who always has the right question or answer. Now that you've convinced yourself to really be active in one or more organizations, you'll just need to decide which ones are best for you. Here are four organizations that might interest you (all prices in US dollars).

International Webmasters Association - accepting memberships from professionals and students serving as webmasters, website developers, graphic designers, programmers, multimedia specialists, system administrators, educators, Intranet/Extranet specialists, and others who participate in the development, monitoring and management of websites. Applicants must agree to a code of ethics and standard of professional practise. Dues for professionals are $50/yr; dues for full-time educators, military personnel, and students are $25/yr. Benefits include: involvement in local chapters, discounts on certain training courses, conferences, rental cars, and more, and access to experts and job databases. The IWA is seeking to standardise internet talent by creating a "Certified Member" status for $75/yr and an extra application designed to determine if you have appropriate expertise in your specialty. A "Senior Member," a step beyond the Certified Member, is under development. Submit your article to WebProfession ezine.

Association of Internet Professionals - open to any "internet professionals." Dues are as follows: students $45/yr, associate members (individuals who have not completed a "professional-class project") $90/yr, individual voting member $90/yr, small business corporate member $500-2500/yr based on your revenue, corporate member $5000-10000/yr based on your revenue, educational institution $3000/yr, non-profit association $1000/yr. If you're like me, you're already wondering why the big dues. Their benefits (according to their website) include regional chapters, international discussion forums, internet news, insurance and financial planning programs, discounts on certain rental cars, hotels, conferences, publications, software, and web hosting. AIP is also working on an industry-wide code of ethics and practises as well as defining qualified talent.

Professional Presence Network - free membership upon approved application for professional companies and individuals who create web presences. Applicants must agree to a code of ethics and must submit an article to PPN's Network '98 ezine. Benefits include: discounts on certain internet press releases, shopping cart software solutions, broken link reporting tools, and PPN Quote. Quote allows potential clients to fill out a form from the PPN site about where they are and what they need. This is emailed to every PPN member, who can then contact the potential client to supply a quote or information.

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