What Sorority Recruitment and Corporate Recruitment Have in Common
I was in a sorority in college (Alpha Phi), and it was one of the best decisions I've made even though I wasn't a "typical sorority girl" but any means. Now I'm the House Corporation Board president for one of our chapters and this is the time of year where we get the house ready for all of the new potential new members (PNMs) who are touring. The memories and excitement come flooding back to me like it was yesterday, and I always reflect on how sorority recruitment isn't all that different from corporate recruitment. Whether you also have memories of sorority recruitment, you're getting ready to go through sorority recruitment (yay!) or you'd just like a peek into what it was like, this article is for you. Keep in mind I was an active member of my sorority back in the early 2000s, so I'm sure there have been vast improvements since then - this is just based on my experience.
There's a need for better interview questions: I can't tell you how many times I had to answer the same questions over and over during recruitment, predominantly- "Where are you from?" to which I would say, "Seattle" and they would always say "Seattle Seattle?". I understand this is an icebreaker question, but come on, you have my application. You know where I'm from. I would've loved to speak more about my extracurricular activities or what I was most excited to focus on in college. Thankfully, my sorority didn't focus on financial information, but "What does your dad do for work?" and "How many times have you been to Europe?" were certainly cringeworthy questions asked by other chapters. This is just like corporate recruitment where hiring managers or recruiters don't have the time to level up their skills and rely on "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" or "Tell me a little bit about yourself." It's just not interesting. We all deserve better conversations!
Training during "polish week" before recruitment can be immensely helpful for future interview skills: Once I was a member of the sorority, the portion of our training that I remember well and use to this day was about body language- staying open, leaning forward, smiling, nodding, conveying friendliness. This is huge in both sorority and recruitment interviews where the power dynamic is looming over the PNM or candidate - it makes them feel comfortable, have a better feeling about the sorority or company, and more likely to open up.
Context is important when recruiting: When you're looking at hundreds of applicants, context can certainly get lost in the process. After recruitment I realized that someone with a 4.0 (and no AP classes) from a small high school in a small town was going to look better than me, even though I had a 3.4 (all AP classes) at one of the top high schools in the state. Throughout the process, I definitely wished there was more time to take aspects like this into consideration. Now that so many large companies are using AI to look for certain keywords, this problem exists in the corporate world. In both application processes, it's important to include keywords that are going to set you apart from other candidates and on the recruiting side, make sure you are focusing on the keywords that will truly help you find your star candidate.
It's important to ask the interviewer questions: It may not seem like it from the outside, but the PNM/Candidate is ultimately going to be the "decider" in the interview process and should remember their power. In what can feel like a rushed process, it can be tough to make sure you ask the interviewer questions as well, but if you don't, how do you know it will be a good fit? At the end of the day, the PNM or candidate can choose to not join a sorority or company that they don't align with. Remember that you are a sought after candidate, and act like it!
The interviewer may be just as nervous as the interviewee: You may think that once you're in a sorority, recruitment feels less high stakes, but that isn't always the case. Sorority members feel pressure to make sure they recruit enough members, as the sorority can't be successful without them. They also want to find the members that most match their ideals, and they're taking to hundreds of potential new members over the course of several days. They may not be matched with the members they're excited about, they may be concerned they aren't representing the chapter the way they want to, or other members of the sorority might be commenting on their recruiting skills. It can be tough! If a member can relax and just enjoy the conversation, both they and the PNM are going to have the best experience, just like in a corporate interview setting.
If anyone ever asks me if they should rush, my answer is always a resounding YES! The sorority gave me a home away from home, meaningful friendships, amazing mentors, a philanthropy close to my heart, the opportunity to learn and hone my leadership skills. It's not about partying, or being popular or conforming - it's so much more and I wish more people were aware of that.
At the end of the day, the biggest lesson when you go through either type of recruiting process is to truly be yourself - you only want to end up matching with a company, sorority, candidate or PNM that values you and is the right fit.
If you ever want to connect with me and talk more about this, I'm here! And since you read the whole article, here's some early 2000s sorority member picture proof as a reward. :)
