4 common mistakes to avoid during recruitment  

By Chris Buck | Associate Director of Expansion

Why change something if it isn’t broken? This is often a mindset we take when planning recruitment or when it comes to the approach we are taking to find the guys to join. Some of these approaches are outdated and some lead us to miss out on amazing opportunities to get more and higher quality men. Here are 4 mistakes many of our chapters/colonies make when recruiting.

You are putting up a façade

For some reason many of us feel that we have to tell potential members what we think they want to hear. This means selling a Lambda Chi Alpha experience that doesn’t exist. We tell them dues are less than they are by hiding fees, embellish our social stature, or are misleading about what expectations we have for our members. This creates a chapter of men who joined one thing with it really being something entirely different. The reality is, the more genuine you are about what Lambda Chi Alpha is all about, the better men you will attract and recruit. Not to mention your retention rate will soar. So when talking with guys, bring them around the chapter to show them what it really means to be a member and what they can truly expect.

You are not having one-on-one meetings

A one-on-one or two-on-one meeting can be the most valuable activity you can infuse into your recruitment plan. This allows members of your chapter to get to know potential members on a deeper level and to learn how Lambda Chi Alpha can help them and how they can contribute to the organization. This also creates a less intimidating environment for them to ask you questions and get their concerns answered. I will be sharing an article later this week about how to tackle one of these meetings.

You think the High Delta is solely responsible for recruitment

This may be one of my biggest pet peeves, but despite the common belief, it is not the High Delta’s job to be the best recruiter or be in charge of all things recruitment. It is everyone’s job to recruit and the High Delta should be responsible for the coordination and organization of recruitment efforts. If you are relying solely on your High Delta to recruit you are not going to get the results you are hoping for.

You think recruitment should cost a ton of money

So you got a yacht for recruitment this year which may be cool but is it a wise use of the chapter’s funds? The simple answer is no. Recruitment shouldn’t be about having the most lavish event, but about getting to know potential members. I don’t know how one expects to talk and get to know a potential member during a chapter hosted concert. Whether it’s a service project, brotherhood event, or a business meeting, the best recruitment events are inexpensive and give a realistic perspective of Lambda Chi Alpha

This article is part of a fall series to share recruitment ideas, best practices, and to highlight the success our members see this term. If your chapter is succeeding at recruiting or doing something unique, let us know so that we can share it with our entire brotherhood.

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