BCS Professional membership (£60+) Any advantage ????

[ladymuck]

I've been a BCS member for a few years, it was a doddle to get basic membership and after a year I upgraded to Member status. Haven't really had any major benefits other than you get their publications cheaper and some of them are quite interesting. Not sure yet if I will renew, but am currently rather taken by the gold 50 year commemorative membership card!

[BrowneIssue]

I though you needed a relevant degree and/or had passed an entrance exam.

Not any more. They lowered the bar a few years ago so much that even I qualified for entry. I have gone on to be chartered. Becoming chartered is damned hard for a contractor: the process is geared towards someone who has been with the same employer for 20 years.

I have found that for public sector work, having MBCS CITP on your CV makes a very positive difference to your chances of getting an interview.

I go to a BCS talk about once a month - most have been interesting. However, I am interested in the subject so that helps.

The networking I have found useful, sort of. It hasn't got me a contract yet but I am bad at networking. But it has given me introductions to people that I would otherwise have not had access to.

With other members, you tend to have an immediate rapport.

But, like anywhere else, the BCS has its arseholes. I'm probably one of them.

[Tensai]

I have gone on to be chartered. Becoming chartered is damned hard for a contractor: the process is geared towards someone who has been with the same employer for 20 years.

Me too, still not quite sure *why* I did it, but hopefully will look good on the CV. There are no calls for it on any of the jobserve ads, but it might come in useful one day if it's popularity grows.

[XLMonkey]

I'm a member, and chartered, and also sceptical about whether its of any real value. A shame really, as IT as an industry could do with a higher standard of rigour and professionalism.

The consultancy specialist group occasionally has useful contractor-focussed talks, but I'm not sure that is enough to justify the membership fee.