In this thread we actives share recruitment advice...
 

Hey all! I've noticed on Greekchat that we have tons of advice on recruitment for the PNMS, but rarely advice for those on the other side. So in this thread, lets post our best recruitment advice, be it for formal recruitment, informal, or COR.

As a first year rusher, I feel this will be beneficial to me, but also to anyone else who has anything to do with recruitment. So, active collegiams, alums, advisors, current or recent PNMs, whoever motivated...go ahead and post your best advice!

remember that , just as you are watching pnms as they are out and about, they are watching you and your sisters, so show your best side at all times. you not only represent your chapter, but all your sisters all over the world.

Don't regard recruitment as some awful chore you have to endure - realize that the work you do with your sisters during Work Week will give you a chance to bond with them, and make memories. The week of recruitment is an opportunity to meet wonderful women, some of whom will be your new sisters! What a privilege to continue the legacy of your GLO!

If you are not a good conversationalist or feel uncomfortable talking with new people try to practice with your sisters (or others) before rush starts. I know this may seem a given especially since some chapters practice but I thought I'd throw it in there anyway just in case.

Interact with you sisters! PNMs are watching, and I think this is something that can really change the energy of a chapter during rush. Show them that you have fun with each other! I think this is one of the easiest, most natural, and fun ways you can make an impression on PNMs. Show them that you enjoy each other's company, greet them as you walk around the house, tell PNMs a memorable story that you and a sister shared and then point her out or try to introduce them if she happens to walk by. Smile, joke around (but don't clown around!), support each other-- don't just tell PNMs that you have a close sisterhood, SHOW them!!

1) Keep in mind that a chapter cannot extend a bid to every PNM that each active is in love with. It's a numbers thing and you can't take it personally. If a chapter has 100 actives and every one has a favorite PNM, then unless quota is 100 (which is highly doubtful) someone's fav isn't going to get a bid.

2) Keep in mind that just because others don't click with your BFF since Kindergarten doesn't mean they don't like you. You may think she's the greatest thing in the world, but others might not see it. It's hard but try not to take it personally. Would you really want her to receive a bid to an org where only one person (you) likes her and wants her? Would she be happy down the road if no one ever likes her? What's more important, your happiness or your friend's?

The day before FR began, my daughter's house "rushed" another sorority, and then switched places and returned the favor as the rushees. It gave each of the houses a chance to do a runthrough of their systems and see where problems might occur before the real thing started. It also prepped them on conversational skills etc.

I was amazed that the houses agreed to do this--everything during recruitment is so competitive and you don't want to give away company secrets. But when you think about it, everyone already has a system and you aren't going to copy someone else's the day before FR begins. More importantly, there were a lot of benefits besides logistical preparation, including improving the whole "Panhehllenic" feeling. The other house has traditionally had difficulty meeting quota and has some negative stereotypes, but my daughter and her sisters were impressed by the individuals that they got to know during the runthrough. It really changed their minds about the other house.

Avoid inside jokes whether it's in skits or in conversations. The PNMs obviously won't get the joke and it only makes them feel awkward.

For formal, be nice to your recruitment counselors (even those that aren't from your chapter). It makes things go smoother and looks really good to PNMs.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen chapter members freaking out on recruitment counselors in front of PNMs. It doesn't do anything for a panhellenic environment, and it looks REALLY BAD against the chapter to PNMs because they already like their recruitment counselors and feel like they need to side with them.

^^^Co-sign. Even the smallest things like handing them a glass of water or having a chair at the door for them to sit, goes a long way.

Be sensitive to the Legacy issue. Give legacies every opportunity to click with your chapter. If your own sister or daughter were going through, you'd want them to have every chance as well!

Make an attempt to build relationships with the PNMs. If your chapter has a format where rushers pick up the first random PNM to come through the door, think about putting more thought into who rushes each PNM. If a girl sees a different sister everyday and never has a chance to reconnect with someone she spoke with on a previous day, she'll be less likely to pick your chapter over one where she feels like she has built a relationship with a sister over the week.

Let's be honest. There will be some PNMs who you know will not fit into your org, but never, ever let them know or even sense that. You have no idea who she's friends with in her Rho Chi group, on her dorm floor, in class, who she went to summer camp with 3 years ago, etc. PNMs talk and if 1 is treated rudely many, many others will find out about it.

Definitely co-sign as well. I was a Rho Gamma this year, and that stuff is really appreciated.

I remember my first recruitment as an active... you see everything! We had a girl come through with a eye problem (blood red after an accident over the summer) and it was shocking for a second, but I did my best to make her feel comfortable and not awkward. Let's see... this is a bit obvious, but be very careful coming downstairs in heels or you could spend Pref Day sore like I did.

Oh, yes... even if you're not in the skit, try to participate. We would sing along with the skit girls and the PNMs definitely got a kick out of it.

I also had a girl come through who fell in love with another house and tried to be polite about it, but it was obvious her heart was not in ADPi. As sad as that was for me, we all know that all 600+ girls rushing are going to fit in one house anyway. It was awkward at first, but we ended up just talking about campus and her new dorm. We were both more comfortable with that and it all worked out... btw, she's happy in her 1st choice. :)

Try to have a few "fall back" questions for those awkward silences. Mine was "do you want to study abroad?" This opens lots of other questions about language studies, travel, etc. and buys you some time before the next sister comes. Make sure it's not weird though, like "if you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?" True story my friend was asked that question!

We always used the expression, "Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who knows the President." It's a great way to remember to watch what you say, and treat everyone well.

If your school does the big formal recruitment, girls aren't going to remember all the info about your philanthropy, socials, chapter facilities, etc that some girls try to squeeze in. They're going to leave at the end of the day and rank houses based on a combination of name recognition and whether or not they can even remember being there.
So ditto what KSUViolet said. Don't sell your sorority so hard; find out about the person you're talking to. Priority #1: Make a friend.

Don't leave a PNM alone in the corner by herself!

Don't walk away from a PNM without another sister there, and don't completely ignore her when another sister comes to talk to you.

So many times on here, and in reality, I have heard/seen this happen. It is disappointing. Put yourself in a room of 10, 20, 50, 100 girls who you've never met.. and pretend that no one is talking to you. That's how they feel when you leave them alone.

This goes with what KSUViolet said about don't focus too much on "selling the sorority" - don't freak out if your conversation segues from philanthropy to something totally unrelated (like, oh, Rock of Love). If you keep forcing the PNM to discuss "sorority" things it'll turn her off. Just go with the mood. Of course, if she keeps asking questions like "which sororities haze/drink/sleep around" just let her know, nicely but firmly, that discussing other sororities is a rush infraction and can get you both in trouble.

If your chapter is large enough that not everyone is on the floor and you KNOW you utterly suck at rush - don't be afraid to say so. It doesn't make you less of a sister or less important - you are simply being self aware enough to realize you could do more harm than good.

Don't bitch about the clothing choices, even if you think they are horrendous. You don't have to wear them that long. Of course if the rush chair has chosen short shorts and tube tops for a chapter filled with D cup women, she needs a talking to.

Be careful what you say. Even the stupidest comments can get taken to heart. A PNM dropped from recruitment this year because a sorority girl called her a dork. In context (we were hearing this as Rho Chi's, after the fact,and without first-hand knowledge) it wasn't really offensive, but the PNM still took it that way.

I was a Rho Chi more than once and one of my pet peeves was for PNM's to badmouth sororities. I always explained that it was ok to say they didn't see themselves in XYZ but that I wasn't going to have them saying things like "XYZ are losers/sluts/drunks/etc.". But then sororities would do it about each other! We have a good Panhellenic atmosphere on our campus, except during formal recruitment. It really undermined our efforts to help the PNM's remain Panhellenic-minded, and it makes the sororities involved look really bad.

Do not have just seniors talk at Preference - pick someone from each class who can share a different perspective.

Don't let Preference Party turn into a big sob fest. It's OK to shed a tear or two, but drama and anything that would make the PNM feel left out uncomfortable should be squashed. Remember that PNMs have not joined the sorority yet and could not possible understand how Jane has come to rely on her sisters in a time of tragedy. You also don't know the background of every PNM and it wouldn't be good for any of their own personal sad feelings to bubble to the surface and distract them.

No inside jokes. The PNMs won't get it and it will only make them feel excluded.