July 2, 2010 — I wanted to capture this link before it slipped away. I think most of the readers of this blog know about the American Society for Indexing. In case you don’t, you can navigate to the ASI’s Web site and take a look at what the Society offers and explore some of the information on the site. We find the news interesting but we are in the indexing business. If you are new to indexing, you may want to take a look at some of the items. Some titles that looks somewhat dry, like “Minutes from 2010 Annual Meeting,” are available only to members. But the President’s Letters can offer some valuable insights into the organization. For example, in the most recent president’s letter, I noted this comment:

We have problems getting people to serve as ASI officers, and presidential candidates are particularly difficult to pin down. The process is somewhat hampered because currently potential presidents must have served on the national board in some capacity, which limits the pool of candidates.

If I were looking for a way to make useful industry contacts and enhance my professional standing, I would sign up for the organization and volunteer. The experience is invaluable and the exposure to others in this field is difficult to duplicate by other means. Let’s face it. Mailing résumés or putting one’s future in the hands of a commercial job search system lacks the effectiveness each of these methods once had.

The chapters link provides a way to identify some motivated professionals in the field. You can attend a chapter meeting and take advantage of the community that permeates these meet-ups.

Take a few moments to explore the Web site.

Stephen E Arnold, July 2, 2010