For student clubs/organizations to thrive their membership must continue to grow through recruiting efforts. As student leaders continue recruitment efforts there are many factors they should consider:
Why are new members important?
- To generate new ideas.
- To prevent burnout.
- To provide additional manpower.
Understanding Your Organization
- Know your goals and objectives.
- Choose a theme or direction for recruitment.
- Think about who you want/need to join.
Set Recruitment Goals
- How many new members can your organization reasonably assimilate into the group?
- Will you allow people to join at any time or only during the designated recruitment period?
- Will you hold a mass meeting or is membership by invitation only?
Get Everyone Involved
- Have current members identify potential new members.
- Explain how your organization could be beneficial to a potential new member.
Advertising
- Visual elements can include but are not limited to social media, posters, flyers, banners, bulletin boards, etc.
- Advertise often and early.
New Member Orientation
- Teach new members about the goals, objectives, structure, norms, and taboos of your organization.
- Other things to cover: rights and responsibilities of members, organization governance and policies, organization history, traditions, and programs.
Recruitment Tips
- Personal contact is the most effective and cost-efficient means of recruiting new members.
- Co-sponsor campus events so that your organization becomes more well-known.
- Ask key people to recommend members for your organization.
- When someone expresses an interest in getting involved, give them a meaningful task to do.
- Make a list of the advantages of being a new member.
- Create a display that you can set up during the Activities Fair.
- Hold an information meeting.