Working With The Recruitment Chairman

Short Description

The Membership Orientation Officer works very closely with the Recruitment Chairman throughout the recruitment and associate member period. The following resource will provide you with a plan for working together to increase membership retention.

Target Audience

Membership Orientation Officer

Borradaile Challenge or Area of Focus

Recruitment
Membership Orientation

Working with the Recruitment Chairman

The first thing you should do after recruitment is schedule a meeting with the Recruitment Chair to talk about how the recruitment process worked, what specific programs and services were talked about during recruitment and to review any concerns that may have arisen (i.e. a potential member was concerned about finances or academics, a potential member was not sure if he should join but joined on a “trial basis”, a potential members parents did not want him to join). Your job starts where the recruitment chair’s job ends….however the job is still recruitment. The issues listed above are now just as much your issues as they are the individuals and the chapters. The men that have been recruited into the Fraternity joined primarily because they saw it as a way to meet a need (i.e. friendship, service, academic support, and networking). Our job is to make sure that the need is met.

Membership Retention

Too often, group focus on recruitment without taking the time to work with new members and getting them acclimated into the group. The following are some suggestions to help increase membership retention efforts.

  • LEARN THE NAMES OF THE MEMBERS, AND USE THEM! Not only in meetings, but make friends outside meetings; followers are more likely to follow if they have a personal relationship with you!
  • GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER The more you get to know each other, the more likely the group will work better together.
    • BE POSITIVE
    • SPEND EXTRA TIME WITH NEW MEMBERS. Let them know how they can get involved in the group. A little attention now will pay off big later!
  • IMPLEMENT A MENTORING SYSTEM WITH ACTIVE AND NEW ASSOCIATES
  • ASSIGN TASKS TO EVERYONE—ESPECIALLY DURING PLANNING STAGES. People are more likely to support what they help create.
  • ASK FOR MEMBERS' OPINIONS. When was the last time someone asked for your personal opinion?
  • PRAISE YOUR BROTHERS Simple ideas can reap many rewards.
  • ORGANIZE A FUN GET TOGETHER! Get to know each other outside weekly meetings.
  • LEARN MEMBERS' TALENTS AND PUT THEM TO USE. What better way to get people involved than to give them a task they are good at!
  • COORDINATE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES REGULARLY. Have a little fun at your meetings and learn about each others’ roles within your team.
  • BE OPEN AND HONEST. People are more likely to trust you if you are honest; Trusting people are more likely to be motivated to do a good job.
  • PLAN AND COORDINATE EFFECTIVE MEETINGS. (Know what you are doing and build trust by displaying confidence in doing your job.)
  • SAY THANK YOU (These two simple words will get you a long way–use them regularly!)

Self-Destructing an Organization!

While it may seem easy to implement one of the motivational ideas above, it may be even easier to set the tone for apathy. Simple phrases or actions may be more dangerous than you realize. Things you should avoid include:

  • Showing up late to meetings.
  • Not allowing anyone else to give a report at a meeting.
  • Sticking to the "traditional events," and don't be creative.
  • Meeting infrequently.
  • Not "Doing as you say."
  • Failing to give credit where credit is due.
  • Telling others how to do their job.
  • Not paying attention to group dynamics.
  • Failing to address the needs of the members and consider their circumstances.
  • Responding to new ideas with statements such as: "Yes, but…" or "It won't work"

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