When is recruitment on your campus?
by Matt Mattson
When is recruitment on your campus?
…wait …wait …wait for it… [DRAMATIC PAUSE]
O.K., how did you answer that question?
Did you give a list of dates? Did you say “the fall” or “the spring”? Did you start explaining your deferred/delayed recruitment process? Did you say it starts with when “online sign-up” opens? Did you explain the difference between formal recruitment and C.O.B./C.O.R.? Did you start searching for your calendar? Did you say, “Uh, I don’t know”? Did you start explaining the rules set up by “the university” or your Greek Council? Did you feel like you had to ask your chapter president or recruitment chair?
Did you say “Recruitment is 24/7/365″?
Did you say “Now”?
Did you realize that the question is sort of ridiculous to begin with?
If you agree with us that recruitment is NOT about convincing enough people to join your organization, but instead recruitment IS about giving the life-changing gift of your organizazition away to people who deserve it… then you probably think that the question, “WHEN IS RECRUITMENT?” is pretty ridiculuous.
If recruitment is about changing someone’s life for the better by giving them the gift of your organization, then recruitment should happen whenever that opportunity arises. Whenever you and your organization know someone well enough to know that a) they measurably, objectively, and demonstrably represent your organization’s values, and b) if you offer them membership, their life and your group will forever be changed for the better — whenever that happens, GIVE THE GIFT.
Don’t wait for the 1 week out of the year when you think it is allowed. Do it. Make it happen. Now.
The highest performing groups we work with are open to…
- weekly votes on potential members,
- multiple community “bid days” per semester,
- open recruitment policies for all groups,
- “rush week” or “formal recruitment” as a time to get a few extra members that the chapter hasn’t had the opportunity to meet yet,
- 24/7/365 Social Excellence + Recruitment whenever the opportunity to GIVE THE GIFT of membership arises,
- summer recruitment,
- recruitment policies built in the interests of the potential members, not just the chapters,
- standing up strongly against policies that prevent the “simple beauty of recruitment.”
What is the “simple beauty of recruitment”?
It is simple: a person wants to join a values-based, cause-oriented group it believes in + a group wants a person to join them because they believe in him/her, and they believe that that person can help them make the world a better place through the power of the group.
It is beautiful: a person’s life is changed forever + a group receives the gifts that a unique new member has to offer.
Should anything stand in the way of that? Ever?
So, when is recruitment on your campus?