Let’s face it, recruitment is a beast that a select few have the courage to conduct. From big-ticket priorities like teaching conversation skills to your chapter members to small things like figuring out what the latest trends are to appeal to potential new members, our to-do list never seems to end.

Think for a second, there must be a way to make this easier. I promise, there is! Here are six ways to make recruitment easier for all of our rock star recruitment chairwomen.

1.Prioritize the superficial things last.
Some mixed reviews will probably come about when this is stated, but leave the outfits and themes for the end of your list. Remember, no matter how beautiful a room is or how complementing our outfits are to each other, those factors do not attract the sisterhood we aim for in Alpha Sigma Alpha. Listen, last time I checked bell-bottoms are not one of our core values. When the frills tend to take priority we lose what is truly important: relationships. Focus on what our organization actually stands for.

2.Utilize your recruitment committee.
Trust your committee. I know, “everything will not be perfect if I do not do it myself.” Here is a little secret — nothing will be perfect no matter who does it. That is the beauty of recruitment. We are ultimately cultivating friendships, and friendships are not fostered perfectly. Delegate duties to your committee; do not overwhelm yourself. Burning yourself out will not result in the best recruitment for the chapter anyway. Use your committee to create recruitment teams, update the Names List, or even develop some cute shirt ideas that I know you just HAVE to have. Committees are there for a reason. Do not be afraid to lean on your sisters.

3.Find the “wow” factor for you and your chapter.
Engagement is the hardest thing to tackle during recruitment education. I am sure we all know that no one wants to sit through a three-hour workshop about bumping. The question is, how can we make recruitment more engaging for members? Find things you do in your regular everyday life to incorporate into recruitment education. From creating a recruitment BuzzFeed quiz to creating a recruitment escape room, keeping our chapter members interested, excited, and ready to tackle recruitment will ultimately make it a pleasant experience.

4.Plan recruitment workshop topics in advance.
Recruitment education is the key to success when ensuring our members understand and practice recruitment skills. At minimum have one recruitment workshop a month. Each chapter is expected to focus on recruitment education totaling up to two to three hours monthly. This can vary in capacity, from having a workshop during your minutes at a chapter meeting to planning a separate day and time for a strict recruitment-focused event.

Stuck on which topics to discuss? Explore your resources on Officer Portal! Key concepts and resources on topics such as The 5-Step Model, conversation skills, social excellence and using recruitment teams can be found in the new recruitment resource manual in the document library!

5.Set chapter responsibilities and expectations from the beginning.
Recruitment is everyone’s responsibility. Not just the vice president of PR & recruitment, not just your committee, not just the executive board. It is for everyone to put in the effort. Setting expectations and responsibilities for the chapter as a whole can ultimately put you in a place of success and ease. Whether the expectations be small such as adding a certain amount of names to the names list monthly or large such as having certain recruitment goals, being upfront and straightforward in what you expect of chapter members can go a long way.

6.Develop a self-care plan.
Last, but certainly not least, take care of yourself! Recruitment is a lot, and often we get so overwhelmed and over-extend ourselves. Learn to recognize when you need to take a step back. Set recruitment hours or days where you focus on getting your recruitment tasks completed. Although recruitment is a priority, taking care of the sisters we have already always takes greater priority. You will not get every single thing correct, and that is okay. Giving yourself the time and grace to recognize when you need to step back is the best thing to do.

Recruitment is not always the easiest thing to be in charge of, but you dared to do it! Have the courage to make the experience easier, more fun, and different! I mean, who would not want to?

Taylor Landry, ΘM