March is the time of year IEEE dues are cut in half, and it is an excellent opportunity for current members to try new IEEE societies or to recruit new members. As a former Society Membership Development Chair, I found that conferences were an excellent place to recruit new members. Getting up to 50 percent discounts off the conference price and receiving IEEE Society publications at reduced member rates is a deal most engineers cannot pass up. For current members who are on the fence about joining an additional society, this time of year is a great opportunity to test the waters. If improving your professional skills is a goal for 2000, you may want to consider joining either the IEEE Professional Communication Society or the IEEE Engineering Management Society.
Communication skills are key to every professional's career growth.
In the beginning, the art of clear writing and speaking was a major PCS concern. The bimonthly newsletter is geared to the working professional with short, practical articles, tutorials and book reviews. By joining PCS now, you'll be invited to attend the annual IEEE Professional Communication Society conference in September at the member rate. The keynote speaker is Nicholas Negroponte of MIT's Media Laboratory and author of Being Digital. Add value to your IEEE membership by joining an IEEE technical society.