Before you go out recruiting, know what it is that you are looking for. You want to be specific in your needs but draw in as many men as possible that seem to fit your criteria. In order to understand what you are looking for, know the atmosphere the fraternity you are doing the recruiting for is trying to support. In such a diverse world, knowing exactly what your demographic is will go a long way. Do research on fraternity you want to recruit for if you were not a member, if you are one then put your experience to good use.
At times it can be difficult to discern the type of person a fraternity is looking for. It is always good to focus on your main needs first. Are there any office holders leaving, such as any of the student leadership roles you can ascertain. These roles are primary needs, worthy candidates for these positions are always worth pursuing if you get the chance.
You want to make sure that you are replacing the future leaders in training, as well as who will replace yourself when you are ready to move on from being a recruiter. Target intelligent individuals that can maintain eye contact and carry on a conversation. Once you meet with candidates, look into their grades, question them about extra-curricular activities, and give them a clear set of expectations. Tell them from the beginning exactly what it is that you are looking for.
Be up front but not discouraging, express the success of other members of the fraternity. Tell candidates about the history of your society and the role they have played in relevant major events. It is always encouraging to know what a fraternity has to offer in way of prestige. No man wants to join a fraternity just to be another “”frat guy,”” they want opportunities to strive in the future. Make sure to boast the benefits of joining your order.
Be sure to project confidence when you are promoting, it is important to have character. Do not just rely on words, people want to feel like you mean what you say. Sell your fraternity but more importantly sell yourself, it is not a problem to make friends. Being friendly to new candidates once they are interested will ensure that they stick around to find out more. Once you have had a formal greeting and decide they fit what you are looking for, it is time begin acquainting yourself with them.
Every sorority or fraternity has an experience they’d rather forget about. There may have been a guest who drank too much at a party, or a pledge caught with drugs on campus. When this happens, previous alumni may lose trust in their former house. In order to continue the valuable philanthropic work of your chapter, as well as to secure the continuation of support from alumni, it’s important to understand how to manage a public relations crisis. Keep these simple tips in mind:
Listen to alumni concerns
First, truly, deeply listen to the concerns of past members. If it’s appropriate, invite them over on an individual basis, or reach out to members who’ve expressed concerns about what happened. They’ll be impressed you’re concerned enough to call them, and feel like you value their wisdom and input.
Listening means nothing if you do nothing. Tell alumni how your chapter will work to remedy the situation, whether the remedy be an apology, paying for the damages, or some form of community service. This helps to show that even if what happened was terrible, your chapter cares and are committed to taking responsibility for their actions.
Finally, it’s not enough to say that you’re taking action. These people lived in the pledge during their formative years and care deeply about what happens to it. Give them a sense of control by providing a forum for oversight. This could be as simple as letting an alumni committee suggest a reasonable punitive action, or providing them with a chance for input in future house rules. Without allowing actions that are too zealous, look to support reasonable gestures that give alumni more control over the actions of their beloved house.
The beauty of a fraternity or sorority is that it is
a student organization run and managed all by the members. The student
who have the opportunity to run and manage their chapter are also college
students who have classes, grades, responsibilities, jobs, friends and possibly
romantic relationships to deal with. This means that delegation is a key
to getting everything done. However, it is also a great way to include
other people in the management of the chapter that will allow for more people
to be ready to take over when the officers graduate.
When an officer of a fraternity or sorority
delegates duties to someone else, it is a learning experience for the person
who is helping and an opportunity to catch up on other work for the
officer. This partnership can help to keep the chapter functional while
also ensuring that there are people who are capable of managing the chapter in
the future.
Whether it is the finances of the chapter, the
events, elections or other chapter duties, there is always room for every
person in the chapter to make themselves useful and learn jobs that will help
them to lead the chapter in the future. With the help of everyone in the
chapter, the officers can get everything done that keeps the chapter running
while also training new generations to take their place upon their graduation.
