“Crack My Back” – Know What members You Want This Fall & How to Evaluate Them
A good friend of mine had just completed chiropractic school and went to his first interview. He was well prepared and ready to ace the interview. He arrived early to the office and immediately met with the owner of the practice. Before saying a word, the owner stood up, walked over to his chiropractic table and said loudly “CRACK MY BACK!” My friend didn’t know to react and simply said, “Excuse me?” The owner responded, “If you cannot crack my back properly, why would I waste an hour interviewing you?”
The lesson here is simple: if you are considering someone new for your organization, you need to determine the key characteristics you are looking for and know how to evaluate them.
Most of the fraternity and sorority chapters I work with either don’t know what they are looking for or how to properly evaluate potential members. This fall, you will be looking to add high-quality new members to your organization. By doing the following three things, you will significantly improve your odds at picking the best possible members to join your chapter.
Step 1: Make a List of Key Characteristics You Are Looking For
What characteristics are you looking for in potential members? Items to consider: a minimum GPA, leadership experience, philanthropic experience, letter(s) of recommendation, alignment to your values and strong communication skills. If you are stuck, think of your top five members, make a list of their key characteristics and see what common themes you can find.
Step 2: Pick an Evaluation Method
Once you know what you are looking for, figure out the best way to determine if the potential member has those characteristics. Two simple methods: a written application or an in-person interview with chapter members. Make sure that whatever you choose, you are consistent in your evaluation of each potential member to ensure a fair process.
Step 3: Market Your Standards Everywhere
Now that you have the specific standards that you are looking for from potential members, list them everywhere you can! These standards show that you are looking for high-quality new members and take your evaluation process very seriously. The right members, ones that are the future leaders of your organization, will look more favorably at your chapter and realize this is probably a good indication you can offer them a valuable experience.
Tom has helped numerous Fraternity and Sorority Life chapters, campus communities and national organizations recruit great members with his straight-forward approach, engaging message and practical tips that translate to immediate action and results. His keynote, Getting Great in the Door: Creating a Legacy of Excellence, will help members to clarify their organization’s values, value quality growth and leave a lasting legacy of great members.
Visit campuspeak.com/healy to learn more about Tom and his keynote.