The Benefits of CIPD Membership

If you’ve been browsing HR and L&D job vacancies recently you may have noticed that the most common prerequisite for candidates is a CIPD qualification. Even simply stating the fact that you’re currently studying a CIPD course can boost your CV and help you land a job.  

The reason these qualifications are so often requested by employers is that the CIPD is the world's largest professional HR and L&D body and is internationally recognised as the industry gold standard. They offer top-quality qualifications, supporting 160,000 members with a whole host of benefits that help people professionals as they advance their careers. 

Read on to discover some of the biggest benefits of CIPD membership and how they can support your career development.

Access to Quality Resources

As a member, you can access the mountain of resources that make up the CIPD Knowledge Hub. This extensive online library has factsheets and guides on key topics like Employment Law, Learning and Development, and Reward Strategy. It also houses tons of industry-related research and evidence and a podcast covering topical workplace issues. 

If that’s still not enough, you can browse over 200 HR/L&D and business journals via the EBSCO Discovery Service. Plus, if you need tools or templates you can easily access the customisable model documents and policies provided on the CIPD’s HR-inform site.

These high-quality resources are available to you from day one of your membership and will support you at every stage of your HR career.

And hey! Even if you're not yet a member of the CIPD, you can access their Profession Map, an innovative new tool acting as the benchmark for the people profession, helping people face imminent workplace challenges and preparing them for the future. 

Professional Credibility

Within the HR and L&D professions, being a member of CIPD is a mark of professional credibility and high standards and something that you can be proud of. 

Depending on what type of member you are, you can add certain designatory letters to your name on your CV, LinkedIn profile and anywhere else you wish to display it. 

Affiliate Member

You don’t need to be studying a CIPD qualification to become a member.

The Affiliate Membership is available to anyone who wants access to CIPD member resources, support and benefits without completing a qualification or assessment.

Student Member

While you're studying a CIPD qualification, you’ll automatically become a Student Member of the CIPD. 

Foundation Member

If you complete the CIPD Level 3 Certificate in People Practice, you’ll become a Foundation Member, the newest level of membership now awarded by the CIPD.

Associate Member: ‘Assoc CIPD’

When you complete a CIPD Diploma at Level 5 or Level 7, your Student Membership will automatically become an Associate Membership, illustrating your competency in the HR or L&D industry.

Chartered Member: ‘Chartered MCIPD’

After you've completed a Level 7 Advanced Diploma (or equivalent), you'll be eligible to apply for and become a Chartered Member of the CIPD. To qualify, you need to demonstrate your success working at the advanced level for at least one year. 

Chartered Fellow: ‘Chartered FCIPD’

The most prestigious designation available through the CIPD, a Chartered Fellow is highly skilled, experienced, and specialised. To earn this status, you must have a Level 7 Advanced Diploma or equivalent degree and typically over one year of experience and proven success in an HR or L&D role.

Depending on your experience and qualifications, you may also gain CIPD membership through a rigorous experience assessment.

More Career Prospects

As we’ve mentioned, many HR and L&D job adverts specify a CIPD qualification as a prerequisite for the role. So, being CIPD-qualified will open up a wider range of opportunities to you when you’re searching for your next role.

To show you how CIPD qualifications and membership can help your career advancement, we conducted a survey of our CIPD graduates. We found that less than 2 years after graduation:

1. 92% were working in HR or L&D
2. The number working in mid-level HR roles increased from 23% to 49%
3. The number working in senior HR roles increased from 2% to 10%
4. 74% said CIPD has played a vital role in their career advancement

You’ll also be able to use the CIPD Career Hub which is a fantastic platform that’s packed with the resources and tools you need to advance your HR or L&D career.

Higher earning potential

CIPD membership gives you more bargaining power when it comes to negotiating salaries. It demonstrates to employers that you meet the high standards of the CIPD and have the skills and experience required to excel in more senior positions.

Don’t just take our word for it; in the same survey of our CIPD graduates we found that:

1. 3 out of 5 said their salary had increased
2. 78% said their earning potential had increased
3. The number earning between £30k and £40k almost doubled from 16% to 27%
4. The number earning between £40k and £50k more than doubled from 6% to 14%

Networking and Mentoring

Building a strong professional network can be a huge asset throughout your HR or L&D career, and CIPD membership gives you plenty of opportunities to connect with other people professionals.

You can attend events through your local CIPD branch, take part in conferences and learning events, and join discussions through the online CIPD Community.

These communities give you opportunities to exchange ideas and learn from other people's experiences, as well as connect with professionals working across different areas and levels of the profession.

Members can also access the CIPD member-to-member mentoring programme. Whether you're looking for guidance from someone with more experience or you've reached a stage where you'd like to mentor someone else, it's another useful way to learn, share knowledge and grow your professional network.

Member Helplines

The CIPD run 4 helplines offering legal guidance that as a member you’ll be entitled to use.

The one that will most likely come in handiest is their Employment Law helpline. It’s open 24/7 and your CIPD membership grants you 20 calls per year.

Employment law is notoriously tricky and can throw off even the most seasoned HR professionals, so having expert advice just a phone call away can be a big help.

The other helplines deal with whistleblowing, personal legal issues and EU employment; so, no matter what your legal dilemma, you should be able to get the support and advice you need. 

Have Your Say in the Profession

Once you reach Chartered status you can also have a greater voice within the CIPD itself.

Under the CIPD's current membership terms, Chartered members have the right to receive notice of General Meetings and vote on matters put before those meetings.

It’s another way experienced members can contribute to the direction of their professional body and engage with issues affecting the wider people profession.

Take the Next Step with a CIPD Qualification

CIPD membership gives you more than just letters after your name. You get access to trusted HR and L&D resources, career tools, professional development, mentoring, and networking. Your membership will keep supporting you even after you finish your qualification.
 

And because your membership can progress alongside your qualifications and experience, it gives you a recognised professional pathway from the beginning of your people career through to senior. 

Interested in studying a CIPD qualification? Take a look at our 100% online CIPD courses.