Sorry for the off-topic thread, but I figured with so many ODU alums from different professional fields that this would be the best venue for an honest answer.
I have qualified to join Beta Alpha Psi and was wondering if it would be worth my time. From peers, co-workers and connections I have heard a wide array of answers ranging from "absolutely" (mostly peers and ODU staff) to "total waste of time" (mostly seasoned professionals). Currently, I go to school full-time, work full-time and am one month away from being married. So, as you can imagine, my free-time is limited and would rather not waste it on a worthless footnote on my resume. Thank you for your responses.
That's accounting/finance I think? I did it for about half a semester but I too was working full-time and taking 15-18 hrs/semester and couldn't keep up with it all. The advantages I see in it is 1) a feather in your cap which can't hurt with the current job market. If a job comes down between you and someone else it may be the edge 2) The little bit of time I did do it I remember there being several networking oppurtunities with potential employers. If you're planning on staying in the area and seeking employment directly after graduation this may be the greater advantage. Good luck and congratulations on your engagement!
Go Monarchs!
Find out what being a member entails if you don't already know, because it varies. Just contact an office member or the advisor. Some honors organizations will require you to be (somewhat) active while others just require you to fork over a check. I was president of the geography honor society and a regular member of the political science honor society, and while I required all geog members to participate in multiple semester events, all I did with the poli sci org was attend two 30min meetings. If you don't plan to do anything with it then it's not worth the membership fee in my opinion, unless you want to look flashy with your honors regalia when you walk at graduation or if you just want a certificate.
(09-05-2012 03:12 PM)mturn017 Wrote: [ -> ]That's accounting/finance I think? I did it for about half a semester but I too was working full-time and taking 15-18 hrs/semester and couldn't keep up with it all. The advantages I see in it is 1) a feather in your cap which can't hurt with the current job market. If a job comes down between you and someone else it may be the edge 2) The little bit of time I did do it I remember there being several networking opportunities with potential employers. If you're planning on staying in the area and seeking employment directly after graduation this may be the greater advantage. Good luck and congratulations on your engagement!
Go Monarchs!
Correct, I'm an Accounting major. The bolded portion describes me to a T and this is exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. Thanks for the advice and well-wishes, mturn.
(09-05-2012 06:59 PM)ClockStrikes10 Wrote: [ -> ]Find out what being a member entails if you don't already know, because it varies. Just contact an office member or the advisor. Some honors organizations will require you to be (somewhat) active while others just require you to fork over a check. I was president of the geography honor society and a regular member of the political science honor society, and while I required all geog members to participate in multiple semester events, all I did with the poli sci org was attend two 30min meetings. If you don't plan to do anything with it then it's not worth the membership fee in my opinion, unless you want to look flashy with your honors regalia when you walk at graduation or if you just want a certificate.
Thanks for the feedback, CS! I'm not sure what membership entails, but I believe it's closer to the PoliSci requirements than it is the Geography. The main reasons for me to join would be for networking and buffing up my resume. While my grades and work history are strong, my extracurriculars have been slacking since high school (mainly due to focusing so much on my grades and work). From all the feedback received, I believe it'll be well worth the time and energy.
This will make me feel truly old, but I was one of the founding members of Beta Alpha Psi at ODU in 1982. As others have said, it should generate good networking opportunities, it takes very little time and looks great on a resume. If your intended career path is a profession in accounting, there is very little downside. After leaving school, it does dissapear into thin air, but it's still on my resume today.
This is a great opportunity to begin to build your "network". If you do not plan to stay in the area, it may not be as much of a benefit. But if you plan to stay and work in the area, building a network can be very important.