Originally Posted by DrPhil (Post 1924589)

Mystic Cat has me wondering whether there are legacies who thought they already had all of this figured out. LOL. They don't need no stinkin' training! They don't need no stinkin' sisterhood or membership retreats! They always called those "family reunions!"

Originally Posted by Senusret I (Post 1924571)

Nobody is born knowing how to recruit any more than they are born knowing how to be a sorority member.

Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 1924575)

Given my experience with a certain segment of Southern society in which girls are indeed taught, almost from birth, all they will need to know about rushing, I feel a strong urge to say "Bless your heart." :p

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna (Post 1924698)

There is a "certain segment" who train from birth, but it's a very, very small segment.

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1924592)

If you're in a Big 10 chapter, and you have just recently "gotten on your feet" - your HQ should be calling you and helping you every week to make sure things are ok.

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna (Post 1924698)

Senusret hit it.
There is a "certain segment" who train from birth, but it's a very, very small segment.
The rest of us have to learn!:p

Originally Posted by Titchou (Post 1924733)

I would beg to offer a different slant. I just think that certain people are taught, from childhood, how to great someone pleasantly, put them at ease and have a lovely and lively conversation with them. Now, if that's training from birth for recruitment, so be it. I call it properly raising a child to be a gracious adult.

Originally Posted by Gusteau (Post 1924757)

This. (I still hate using "This." by the way)

Originally Posted by Gusteau (Post 1924757)

The really good recruiters are always friendly, social people who can hold a conversation - they're socially excellent to use a Phired Up term. If you give already socially excellent people a few tactics and get them to think about recruitment constantly they can recruit an entire pledge class. The trick is teaching more reserved individuals to be socially excellent.

Originally Posted by DrPhil (Post 1924770)

This.



I see what you and Titchou mean and partly agree.

Howeverrrrrrrrrrr, there are people who would be socially awesome under any other circumstances but it doesn't work well in a membership intake environment. I'm speaking in terms of NPHC right now but that probably also applies to non-NPHC. For instance, I know of men and women who seem really cool, charming, funny, and friendly. Part of it was their "natural" charm and the rest was excellent upbringing. But, it was TOO MUCH for membership intake both when they were aspirants and when they were members bringing in new members. It was interpreted differently. Also, what many people consider being a "lady" or "gentleman" (I kind of hate those terms) doesn't fly well with everyone. Another instance of relativity.

This is why we have training. I don't want anyone thinking they already have "it" and therefore they don't have to worry about the dos and don'ts of the process. These people often fail miserably and are humbled big time.

Originally Posted by DrPhil (Post 1924770)

This.

Originally Posted by DrPhil (Post 1924770)

I see what you and Titchou mean and partly agree.

Howeverrrrrrrrrrr, there are people who would be socially awesome under any other circumstances but it doesn't work well in a membership intake environment. I'm speaking in terms of NPHC right now but that probably also applies to non-NPHC. For instance, I know of men and women who seem really cool, charming, funny, and friendly. Part of it was their "natural" charm and the rest was excellent upbringing. But, it was TOO MUCH for membership intake both when they were aspirants and when they were members bringing in new members. It was interpreted differently. Also, what many people consider being a "lady" or "gentleman" (I kind of hate those terms) doesn't fly well with everyone. Another instance of relativity.

This is why we have training. I don't want anyone thinking they already have "it" and therefore they don't have to worry about the dos and don'ts of the process. These people often fail miserably and are humbled big time.

Originally Posted by Gusteau (Post 1924775)

This...is why I hate you :)

Originally Posted by Gusteau (Post 1924775)

I definitely see what you're saying. I think at least in a northern, non-traditional NIC context you need to be "out there" because you're trying to reach out to a recruitment pool that may not be opposed to fraternity membership but is probably not actively interested in it. But recruitment and intake are obviously not the same thing.

Originally Posted by DrPhil (Post 1924777)

I see. Can't that fail miserably if you are going toooooo far for a bunch of PNMs who already think that GLOs try too hard to be relevant and sell themselves?

Originally Posted by Gusteau (Post 1924786)

Yes, it certainly can, but if it does you're probably not doing it right. The dynamic recruitment philosophy emphasizes meeting people and making friends outside of the fraternal context, so your goal as a recruiter is to become someone's friend without the fraternity as the focus. You should introduce them to your friends (ahem, brothers), and theoretically by the time you talk to them about joining the fraternity they like you enough to see the value in fraternity membership and how much you've gained from the experience. However, if you try to hard it will undoubtedly backfire.