To Recruit, Put Yourself In Their Shoes

by Matt Mattson

First year students are arriving soon.  College student organization leaders are giddy.  It’s time to get to work recruiting these freshmen into the organizations that will shape their college career.  Let’s go get ‘em!!!!

…Whoa, tiger. Wait a minute before you charge out the door on the hunt for fresh-meat — I mean freshmen.  Take a moment, before you give them your smooth pitch, your cool promotional items, and your well practiced handshake/wink combo move.  Do you remember when you were in their shoes?

You were nervous.

You were trying to figure out what the new “cool” was.

You were scared.

You were clueless about how the new social scene worked.

You were secretly trying to impress the people who impressed you.

You were really missing that small group of close friends you had back in high school.

You had no idea what organizations like the one you ended up in were really about.

You were overwhelmed by all the colorful t-shirts, sidewalk chalk, banners and posters, but never really read them.

You were only really interested in the groups that had people in them that you already knew — or the groups that your friends were joining.

You barely knew how to navigate campus, much less navigate the process of joining a life-changing student organization.

You just wanted to be listened to.

You just wanted to feel included.

You just wanted to feel important.

You just wanted to be cared about and loved.

Put yourself in their shoes… Strategize accordingly.