Work during rush week

[ambitiouschick]

So, I'm getting a new job (my first job, actually), and I am so afraid that I'll have to work during recruitment and have to either miss days or leave early! Any advice on this?

[Titchou]

Let the Greek Life Office know as soon as you get your work schedule. They can usually adjust your party schedule.

[FSUZeta]

Are you a PNM or a sorority member?

[NYCMS]

Can you delay starting your job until after recruitment or can you adjust your shifts to accommodate parties? If you're an active, I would think missing a few parties would not be an issue as I've known girls who had to missing a round or two due to family obligations (specifically a destination wedding of her brother).

If you're a PNM, then definitely contact Greek Life office to see how they can help.

[33girl]

I saw that you are rushing at a small school with 4 sororities, so each round may only have one party slot for each group, depending on the number of rushees. If at all possible, try and delay the start of your job.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by NYCMS

Can you delay starting your job until after recruitment or can you adjust your shifts to accommodate parties? If you're an active, I would think missing a few parties would not be an issue as I've known girls who had to missing a round or two due to family obligations (specifically a destination wedding of her brother).

If you're a PNM, then definitely contact Greek Life office to see how they can help.

In response to the part I put in bold, for several chapters I've worked with an active missing a few parties can be a VERY big deal. There are bump groups or pairs lined up ahead of time that might be difficult to adjust. Or maybe there are a record number of women coming through (or there was more attrition than expected over the summer) and they need every last recruiter.

Of course exceptions are made for special events (like a destination wedding), but I haven't seen many chapters consider work a "special event".

As to the OP, I would agree that it's best to try and delay starting your job until after recruitment is over, if at all possible.

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi_Husky

In response to the part I put in bold, for several chapters I've worked with an active missing a few parties can be a VERY big deal. There are bump groups or pairs lined up ahead of time that might be difficult to adjust. Or maybe there are a record number of women coming through (or there was more attrition than expected over the summer) and they need every last recruiter.

Of course exceptions are made for special events (like a destination wedding), but I haven't seen many chapters consider work a "special event".

As to the OP, I would agree that it's best to try and delay starting your job until after recruitment is over, if at all possible.

AlphaXi_Husky, very good point. This particular sorority chapter has over 350 members so a few girls away for something special like a family wedding would not seem to affect bump groups.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by NYCMS

AlphaXi_Husky, very good point. This particular sorority chapter has over 350 members so a few girls away for something special like a family wedding would not seem to affect bump groups.

Actually it does matter, regardless of chapter size. It may not affect bump groups but see others' responses about recruitment being a mandatory event. It all depends on the chapter bylaws, as well.

For some chapters (probably most, actually) recruitment dates are set by the college/university as much as a year in advance. No excuse for not knowing when you have to be back on campus for "work week" or "polish week" as well as the week of recruitment.

NYCMS, please don't get huffy - I'm just curious if you have been an advisor or involved since your college days? I don't recall seeing you post your affiliation or your involvement. Things have really changed over the years! And sometimes your posts suggest that you're operating on "old information." Again, not picking on you - just seeking clarification. I got an email a while back that you'd tried to PM me here on GC, and I am sorry that my message box is still full. I let my "membership" lapse and I let messages build up over the past five years. Gah! I still have to dump a mess of messages. Sigh.

[Kevin]

One of my biggest regrets about my undergrad career was that I put my stupid retail job ahead of my college experience way too much. If this is a job which pays $9-$10/hour and has nothing to do with what you want to do in your post-grad career, you'll probably be able to find a different job paying around the same thing if they don't accommodate your schedule needs.

[FSUZeta]

Often actives who miss rush events will face fines for each party and/or day missed. Plans are made and practices done in the spring. Unexpected events that happen during the summer or during work week or rush are handled differently because sometimes unexpected things happen. But it is an obligation of membership to participate in rush as a member, because unlike some life events, recruitment doesn't just unexpectedly pop up. It is planned for ahead of time. My experience is with large chapters.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Often actives who miss rush events will face fines for each party and/or day missed. Plans are made and practices done in the spring. Unexpected events that happen during the summer or during work week or rush are handled differently because sometimes unexpected things happen. But it is an obligation of membership to participate in rush as a member, because unlike some life events, recruitment doesn't just unexpectedly pop up. It is planned for ahead of time. My experience is with large chapters.

I wish I could put a clapping meme here. It is a pet peeve of mine when members act surprised that they need to be available for both prep/polish/work/perfection days and recruitment.

OP - something to keep in mind in regards to having a job and being in greek life: it sounds like you are preparing to go through recruitment so I'm going to assume that's true. As an active, you will have to take even more time off from work as there will be prep time as well as the days of recruitment.

This doesn't mean you can't have a job and be greek, it just means you will need to find a way to accommodate both.

[KSUViolet06]

If the poster is a sorority member:

We had the schedule in April so the expectation was that we'd plan around it if we had jobs. Most on-campus jobs (or places that employed lots of students) were cool with it as long as you gave them dates in advance.

In 99% of the chapters I've worked with, they have dates/schedules by March/April of the previous semester.

Emergencies happen (ex: one of my sister's bio sister was in a serious accident which caused her to need to leave recruitment ASAP) but work is not one of those. No fines here but missing had consequences.

[KSUViolet06]

As far as PNMs missing recruitment parties:

I know that some schools I've worked with will allow you to tell your Recruitment Counselor in advance if there were dates you couldn't be present and she'd let the sororities know, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT they can do whatever they choose and that it does not guarantee that they won't drop you.

Ex: Suzie has band camp on Day 1 which is the first day to meet all the chapters and cuts are made for Day 2. She will miss all chapters that day. She tells her RC. The RC lets all the VPs of Recruitment know. The chapters decide "well we have room with RFM, she seems cool on paper, we'll go ahead and bring her back." or they choose to cut her. Up to the chapter entirely.

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by ambitiouschick

So, I'm getting a new job (my first job, actually), and I am so afraid that I'll have to work during recruitment and have to either miss days or leave early! Any advice on this?

As much as you have been posting about looking forward to rushing and hope to get a bid and join a sorority, I cannot understand why in the world you would let something like a job possibly jeopardize that. If your schedule can be tweaked to accommodate job requirements, I guess ok. I would very strongly discourage you from missing ANY rush activities. You don't have many chapters on your campus. Even an excused absence could mean the difference between getting a bid and nothing.

Understand that if you do get that precious bid, you may be in the same predicament. Are you constantly going to be required to choose between sorority participation and work? You are getting to be an adult and forced to make choices in your life. Choices have consequences. Be sure you consider what your priorities are. Time to put on the big girl panties!!

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by thetalady

As much as you have been posting about looking forward to rushing and hope to get a bid and join a sorority, I cannot understand why in the world you would let something like a job possibly jeopardize that. If your schedule can be tweaked to accommodate job requirements, I guess ok. I would very strongly discourage you from missing ANY rush activities. You don't have many chapters on your campus. Even an excused absence could mean the difference between getting a bid and nothing.

Understand that if you do get that precious bid, you may be in the same predicament. Are you constantly going to be required to choose between sorority participation and work? You are getting to be an adult and forced to make choices in your life. Choices have consequences. Be sure you consider what your priorities are. Time to put on the big girl panties!!

I wish there were "like" buttons on here because this is so on point. My first thought with the original post was "will she have time for membership and all it requires?".

I had sisters who had part-time jobs but somehow they always managed to arrange their hours to work so they didn't conflict with required activities. That's why I thought this PNM should see if she could delay starting the job (and of course then there's the question raised about whether the job will prevent her participation).