Professional Organizations

Public Relations Society of America (http://www.prsa.org/):
This organization is invested in networking, professional development and even job placement. The PRSA is a good jumping off point for someone just graduating college and wanting to broaden their horizons. This is also a good way to see any upcoming training or seminars available in your local area. I wouldn't mind being a part of this org. It seems legit and seems like it's pretty user-friendly.

National Communication Association (http://www.natcom.org/):
Well this one wasn't as impressive, to me, as the PRSA. However, I would say that the NCA has some high points. It does focus on education and scholarships for the communication field, which would have been awesome to know about before I started college. Also, they do have quite a broad reach into all the states in America. What I didn't like was that their Web site didn't have a whole lot of information. Their "About Us" section was merely a paragraph and their mission statement left much to be desired. I don't think this is an org I will be joining.

The Association for Women in Communications (http://www.womcom.org/):
Well I have to have this one, don't I? In all seriousness, I would like to be a part of this org. Their site seems very well put together and I like that they not only have a brief overview of themselves, but a fact sheet as well. I also can't resist an organization that is committed to helping me succeed in my professional endeavors. This one has my vote!

Association of Professional Communication Consultants (http://consultingsuccess.org/wp/):
APCC is a good organization, I believe. However, I don't think it's one that would interest me very much. They do seem very dedicated to providing additional training and offering tools for success, but something about their presentation left me feeling like I was watching a cheesy infomercial instead of looking at something that very well may change the direction of my career path. Pretty good, I guess, but definitely not for me.

The American Communication Association (http://www.americancomm.org/):
I like the ACA, they seem like they're relevant to the field of communication, and they provide some muscle where we need it. I like that they are involved in communication law. I like that their mission is to facilitate instruction, scholarship, etc. What I didn't like, however, was one of their core values. "Americanness"...is that even a word? When you are dealing in a world of professional communicators, the last thing you want to do is start making up words that everyone understands but no one is prepared to buy in to. Just saying.

All in all, most of the orgs seem pretty good and all seem legit. I think my top two are the PRSA and the Women in Communications. I think both of those sites offer more of what I'm looking for from a professional org. I felt immediately drawn to their design, mission and goals.