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 ones that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

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

While you might also be 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.

2. Decide whether to create a separate affiliations section

Creating a dedicated section for your affiliations isn’t necessary, but it can help them stand out to a busy hiring manager who’s going through dozens of resumes.

If you believe that your affiliations make you a much stronger applicant for the role, it’s best to 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.

However, if you decide not to add a new section to your resume, you can also 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:

• Organization name
• Your role or title
• Dates of involvement (optional)

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, you could highlight any particularly impressive 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?

Besides professional affiliations, there are other types of affiliations, such as:

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

Depending on the role you’re applying for, it might be worth listing these affiliations on your resume as well.

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.