Improving my chapter's image for a successful recruitment

recruitmentgal1 · #1 12-08-2011, 04:34 PM

Hi everyone,

I just joined, so this is my first thread. I was just elected as VP Recruitment for 2012. We are already starting to plan for next fall's recruitment and I am in need of some advice. My chapter is located at an extremely competitive campus, and we are the true underdogs, constantly falling under quota, and only one of three chapters that does continuous recruitment (although most of the greek community doesn't really regard the other houses as true Panhellenic houses because they don't participate in formal recruitment at all).

There are many problems plaguing my house. First is our image. We are either unknown on campus, or have the reputation of being the "reject" house where anyone can get in (which is not true). I am under serious pressure as this is the year we truly have to turn our house around.

My house is filled with amazing, real woman who don't necessarily fit the typical sorority stereotype. The problem is, on such a competitive campus, it is hard to recruit with this as our self-perscribed image. Also, a lot of the girls in my house are shy, and pnms leave our house feeling like they have had awkward conversations. My dilemma is that my chapter needs to turn our reputation around, but this is hard when a lot of girls are struggling with self-confidence, which is certainly not helped by the fact that we are "bottom tier".

We have been using phired it up for years, but it has not really been successful. I guess the main point of this post is to get advice of ways to improve the self-confidence in these girls, while also making it clear that something has to change in order for us to have a successful recruitment.

Sorry this is so long!

<3 recruitment gal

AlphaFrog · #2 12-08-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recruitmentgal1

I guess the main point of this post is to get advice of ways to improve the self-confidence in these girls, while also making it clear that something has to change in order for us to have a successful recruitment.

I'm glad you understand the true problem and recognize that the less than stellar recruitments are a symptom and NOT the problem.

If you are truly on a competitive campus, then you are still probably a fairly large chapter, even being one of the smaller ones. Draw on the strength of your members. If you have a sister or two that are particularly good at fashion/hair/makeup, ask them to host a workshop on that. If you have few that are good public speakers, have them do a workshop on that. When you get everyone involved and allow them to use their strengths, it will naturally boost their confidence as well as the chapter as a whole.

33girl · #3 12-09-2011, 12:27 AM

Make it a chapter bylaw (if it isn't a national one) that every member MUST be actively involved in one other campus activity, two is even better. Jobs (on- or off-campus) do not count. Too many women join a sorority and then never join anything else or let their other activities go and forget what it's like to meet new people - they just stay in the sorority bubble.

Rush your butts off this semester. Take a pledge class even if no one else does. The point is to get you to a comparable size with the other groups going into fall rush. Ask the Greek life office for names of women who rushed and were dropped by the other groups. No I am not suggesting you are taking their "rejects" - rather these women have had a semester to realize that the top tier group they thought was so awesome maybe isn't and that they weren't suited for it at all. Along the same lines, do not invite women who were rude or disinterested at your parties. You deserve far better.

DrPhil · #4 12-09-2011, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

Rush your butts off this semester.

Sorry this made me laugh.

/lane swerve

DubaiSis · #5 12-09-2011, 02:23 AM

Step one is understanding the problems. Check. So that's good. Two things to do regarding conversations skills - use the girls who are best at it to your biggest advantage. Make sure they are the ones talking with the girls you have targeted as the ones you want. Get cracking on conversation workshops. I'm just spit-balling here, but having the gals talk for 15 seconds on a subject that you thrust upon them. Movies - go! What you did last summer - go! What's your major - go!

Regarding those best rushers, you might have them as a team handle the spring rush. That's not to say all of the other girls won't be involved. They better be! But when it comes to closing the sale, they're the ones doing it for every girl who you have targeted.

One thing my chapter struggled with was we saw ourselves as the non-traditional sorority girl types. But here's the thing. Girls who want to be sorority girls are the ones who go through rush. You need to build on your similarities, not your differences. Even the most cookie-cutter chapters would say their members are diverse. If all you have is diversity (for lack of a better word, I'm certainly not talking about race), then you don't have a sisterhood. Maybe you could have a sisterhood event and talk about what you have as a sisterhood that makes you special. Once you can quantify it among yourselves you're going to have a lot easier time sharing it with rushees.

AnchorAlumna · #6 12-09-2011, 08:54 AM

Good for you for starting on this problem early!

Most (if not all) NPC sororities have regional and (inter)national offices that can help, but you must start asking NOW. Start at the top - call AND e-mail your sorority's national officer for recruitment/membership. If you don't get an answer within 3 days, call/e-mail again. Copy the president. AND copy regional officers!

Ask for spring training with a traveling consultant, or a special recruitment consultant (or both). Ask for that same help during your pre-recruitment workshop week.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! that wheel until you get help!

But don't wait - start from your end, too, with the suggestions from the posters above.
And get out your recruitment manual - yes, you do have one - and read it word for word!
It will take you more than 1 rush - plan on doing this for at least 2 years.
Much, much good luck and good wishes to you!

HQWest · #7 12-09-2011, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Good for you for starting on this problem early!

Most (if not all) NPC sororities have regional and (inter)national offices that can help, but you must start asking NOW. Start at the top - call AND e-mail your sorority's national officer for recruitment/membership. If you don't get an answer within 3 days, call/e-mail again. Copy the president. AND copy regional officers!

Ask for spring training with a traveling consultant, or a special recruitment consultant (or both). Ask for that same help during your pre-recruitment workshop week.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! that wheel until you get help!

But don't wait - start from your end, too, with the suggestions from the posters above.
And get out your recruitment manual - yes, you do have one - and read it word for word!
It will take you more than 1 rush - plan on doing this for at least 2 years.
Much, much good luck and good wishes to you!

Also - Get some practice on conversation. One thing that can help a lot is if you can get another chapter to practice with. Maybe there is another chapter where a lot of girls have friends? Have them come over and pretend to be PNMs, and then you go over there and pretend to be PNMs. Run it just like first party, and then talk about what happened.