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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[SameOldStory]

I suspect it's like the IEE, sorry, IET, which is a bunch of old fogies...

Of which set, I am now one...

A lot of whom now run companies, many hiring contractors.

I've had a number of interesting offers from these old fogies.

[thunderlizard]

Contractors probably get the least amount of value from the BCS: with academics at the top, and permanently-employed professionals wanting structured career development in the middle.

Some customers like to see it as a sign of dedication (it's not quite joinable by any old tom dick & harry: but if Tom has a computer science degree, & Dick has about 5 years industry experience, they'd get in easily enough).

They have OK talks every once in a while, and their online textbook library thing is good according to a mate of mine who claims he actually understands how to use it.

[tim123]

But anybody can join the BCS, surely to be a chartered engineer they have some standards and don't let any old Tom, Dick, or Harry join.

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

tim

[tim123]

Guys,

Any advantage in getting BCS (British Comp Society) Professional membership..?? Is this value for money..??

Only if you want to apply for a job with one of the numpty employers who think that it's of value.

I have one on my desk right now!

tim

[Ardesco]

But anybody can join the BCS, surely to be a chartered engineer they have some standards and don't let any old Tom, Dick, or Harry join.

Not to mention from what I've heard while gigging the BCS is generally seen as a group of old fogies out of touch with reality and the current state of the IT market. I may just have worked for a bunch of anti-BCS companies though.

[Fred Bloggs]

But on the other hand....... If by joining BCS you were able to qualify as a Chartered IT Professional then all other things being equal between 2 CV's, might that recognised Professional registration swing things in your favour? I don't know, I'm an Engineer but registration as a Professional Engineer has only ever been good for me. Maybe in IT it is different.

[Ardesco]

I worked with a test manager who was a chairman of one of the regional BCS units. He was without doubt the most incompetent individual I have ever had the misfortune to work with. He couldn't produce any of the required documentation, had no idea how to handle people and was eventually disciplined and fired after picking on one of the guys in the test lab and constantly calling him a fat bastard.

He spent most of his work time talking about the BCS and how wonderful it (and he) was, and had hissy fits when we didn't turn up to BCS lectures and didn't want to join.

If he is any indication of the BCS as a whole I would steer well clear!!!

[oracleslave]

Join the PCG. It's a no-brainer.

Malvolio.

[SueEllen]

Nope.

You are better of having membership of an organisation where you can network with contractors. BCS, from the posts displayed here and from the news articles on this site and others, don't understand contracting.

[Darren_Test]

Guys,

Any advantage in getting BCS (British Comp Society) Professional membership..?? Is this value for money..??