How to List Professional Affiliations on a Resume

Your professional affiliations help demonstrate commitment to your profession and show employers you’ve built connections within the industry.

Below, we’ll explain how to properly list affiliations on your resume.

1. Choose relevant professional memberships to add

Affiliations aren’t an essential part of a resume, so to save space, only include those relevant to the position you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re in the real estate industry, mention that you’re a member of the National Association of Realtors to enhance your credibility as a candidate.

Even if you’re also an active member of your university’s alumni association, in this case, it’s best to leave that information off your resume because it isn’t directly related to your career.

Be cautious with affiliations like union memberships, religious groups, or political organizations. Such organizations could make employers wary or introduce unintentional bias.

2. Decide whether to create a separate affiliations section

Creating a dedicated section for your affiliations isn’t necessary, but it helps them stand out to busy hiring managers reviewing dozens of resumes.

If your affiliations make you a stronger applicant, add them under a header titled “Professional Affiliations.” This way, you make sure they’re not overlooked.

Having a separate section is also helpful if you want to highlight multiple affiliations.

Alternatively, mention your affiliations in your resume summary. Here’s an example:

Results-driven marketing professional with 8+ years of experience in digital marketing and brand management. Skilled in executing integrated marketing campaigns that increase brand awareness and drive sales. Active member of the American Marketing Association, where I stay current with industry trends and best practices.

3. Include key details

When adding professional affiliations to your resume, include the following information:

• Full organization name (not the acronym)
• Your role or title
• Dates of involvement (optional, consider omitting affiliations over five years old)

If you’re heavily involved in an organization and you think it will strengthen your application, you can also include a brief description of your contributions. For example, highlight specific achievements or initiatives that you led, like this:

Frequently asked questions about putting affiliations on a resume

These are some of the questions we get asked the most about affiliations on resumes:

Should you include affiliations on a resume?

Yes, you should include affiliations on a resume if doing so makes you a stronger applicant.

If listing your professional affiliations showcases your leadership, dedication, expertise, or other skills or qualities relevant to your target role, it’s worth mentioning them on your resume.

What are examples of affiliations?

Affiliations are generally categorized as professional (industry-specific) or civic (non-profit or community-based). Besides professional affiliations, there are:

• Alumni associations
• Community organizations
• Networking groups
• Professional development groups
• Sororities and fraternities

List these affiliations on your resume if they’re relevant to the role you’re applying for. Civic affiliations are particularly useful for demonstrating transferable skills if your professional experience is limited.

Where do you put professional affiliations on a resume?

Affiliations are typically placed close to the bottom of a resume, below the experience section. However, you don’t have to follow this exact structure. If your professional affiliations are your top selling points, you can add them just below your summary.