We’re always looking for the perfect digital fraternity and sorority recruitment tools. However, we’re now living in extraordinary times when, unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus forces us to make massive adjustments to our lifestyles.
In these challenging times of social distancing and sheltering in place, the digital world has become a lifeline.
Many campuses have transferred to online learning or likely soon will. Public places are closing, gatherings are dwindling, and we’re keeping in touch on the phone and computer screens more and more.
Being Apart during a Crisis Is a Major Challenge for Chapters
We naturally want to be social and spend time together, give hugs and kisses and high fives.
This is especially true for Greek chapters accustomed to working and living with large groups of brothers and sisters in close quarters. As campuses tell you to lock the doors to your chapter house, being apart will be hard.
After all, you’re family.
However, in the meantime . . .
You May Be Wondering How to Manage Your Chapter Long-Distance
Recruitment is all about people meeting face to face. It’s a task that requires a lot of planning—typically done in person.
If you’re the recruitment chairman, under normal circumstances you’d hold a spring recruitment workshop for members during the semester.
Obviously, that’s going to be a challenge.
But digital recruitment tools can help your fraternity or sorority chapter stay on task, hold a digital spring recruitment workshop, and give yourselves a needed distraction from the news and social media.
Here’s how.
Watch the Video of this Blog:
First Off, You’re Probably Going to Be Video Conferencing.
Like everyone else, if you’re going to see someone’s face, it’ll probably be on a computer screen.
Teachers. Students. Employees. Supervisors. Relatives. Friends. It seems like everyone’s been using video conferencing programs that are usually mainly frequented by employees for out-of-office meetings.
Now they’ve become a lifeline and a stand-in for keeping in much needed contact.
These video conferencing programs are also great fraternity and sorority recruitment tools. They can help chapters stay connected and meet to plan and achieve goals together.
Here are a few popular programs you could consider for your recruitment workshops:
Software: Zoom
Cost: Free, with Paid Options starting at $14.99/mo.
Services include video conferencing, web conferencing, group collaboration, and more. The free version allows up to 100 participants and a 40-minute limit per meeting. However, if you want more flexibility for your spring recruitment workshop or other chapter meetings, paid plans start at $14.99 per month.
Software: Jitsi Meet
Cost: Free
Jitsi Meet gives you flexibility for smaller groups. Jitsi Meet is an open-source platform, but for most people their pre-built internet version works just fine. They host up to 75 people, but closer to 35 people is recommended, so it’s a better tool for small to medium sized chapters.
Software: Skype
Cost: Free
Remember Skype? It’s still around, and plenty useful. It allows video conferencing of up to 50 people, with useful features like recording meetings and screen sharing. If you have 50 or fewer members, it’s a great fraternity or sorority recruitment tool for both your spring workshop and keeping in touch with family and friends.
You’ll have to do your own research on security concerns, features, and prices, but a video conferencing program can be a great first step in running your recruitment workshop.
Yet, Chapters Need More. They Need Recruitment Software.
Video conferencing only gets you so far. It’s the same when you meet in person. Other chapter software tools are needed to bridge the gaps and keep things running smoothly.
The right recruitment software, used alongside a video conference app, will help you better prepare.
OmegaRecruit Prepares You for Recruitment Like Nothing Else
OmegaRecruit is a premium chapter recruitment software tool designed to track Potential New Member (PNM) data, for members to cast votes digitally, and for chapters to place their bids all from one central hub.
While you may not be voting on which PNMs you want to extend bids to tomorrow, OmegaRecruit will prepare you for the process.
Here’s how.
Mock Voting Gets You Ready for the Real Thing
While we collectively hold our breaths awaiting some return to normalcy and safety, mock voting is a great way to prepare for the real recruitment experience.
Mock voting with OmegaRecruit can be an important part of your spring workshop experience, and a great learning tool.
This software offers the ability to create fictional PNMs that just happen to be adorable grizzly bears.
Mock voting online can:
- prepare you for streamlining the real voting and bidding process
- familiarize members with OmegaRecruit software functions
- explore potential discussions and disagreements about PNMs
- integrate central chapter values and expectations of voting and bidding
- examine results and plan improvements with executive officers and chapter advisors
Recruitment Software Gives You the Flexibility to Stay Safe
Crucially, this software is mobile friendly and allows chapters to collaborate from a distance.
This allows chapters to put their members’ safety first without bringing their recruitment preparation to a complete halt.
The software is available as a mobile app for iOS users, and our website works great on a mobile browser for any Android users.
If anyone needs help understanding specifics like how to set up practice rounds in OmegaRecruit, help finding the practice PNM and party files, or any other questions about using the software, our recruitment team would be happy to go over the specific details.
These services are available to any chapter once you sign up for an OmegaRecruit account.
Communication Software Is the Fraternity or Sorority Recruitment Tool You Need
Strong chapter communication is needed during this time. And you need the right software designed specifically for your chapter management needs.
Without chapter meetings, exec board meetings, and being able to quickly access your peers in the chapter house, you need a system in place to let officers guide members and get feedback from them quickly.
OmegaOne Chapter Communication Software Is a Lifeline
When you’re video conferencing for your digital spring recruitment workshop, you want to spend the time prioritizing important topics and use your time efficiently.
You need chapter communication software designed to optimize chapter management tasks. Separate single-use programs like chat and calendar apps won’t cut it. Especially now, when everything’s remote.
Communication software should mirror the way officers normally connect with members, to keep things in order.
OmegaOne is a premium all-in-one chapter software tool that connects you and keeps chapter management at the forefront, even when you can’t be together.
OmegaOne Will Make Your Digital Spring Recruitment Workshop a Success
Aside from being a great communication tool under normal circumstances, OmegaOne will help you set the agenda when it comes to your digital spring recruitment workshop.
Here are some of the features that will make your workshop a success.
Keep everyone on schedule with a shared calendar, with features including . . .- scheduling meetings, mock recruitment rounds, and other workshop deadlines
- make members informed and accountable to attend the digital workshop
- use a coded check-in option and points system to enforce attendance
- an appeals system lets members opt out for extenuating circumstances
- instruction documents for how everything will be organized
- video chat information including any meeting IDs or access codes
- songs so that everyone can practice memorizing the songs on their own
- lists of which practice PNMs each member will vote on
- slideshow of the practice PNMs (downloaded from OmegaRecruit)
- recruitment outfits for each day, and a list of who still needs their outfits approved
- keep members and officers on the same page
- discuss ideas they think would be beneficial for the workshop
- post questions for different recruitment scenarios to see how members would handle them
- quiz members about recruitment training and instructions
The Biggest Fraternity and Sorority Recruitment Tool Is Your Safety
OmegaOne can be a great tool for spreading safety tips, CDC guidelines, and other crucial updates on the national, local, chapter, and personal levels.
Some common safety tips include:
Social distancing. Try to keep at least 6 feet away from others and stay in your home as much as possible. If you have to go out, the CDC now recommends wearing a mask.
Wash your hands. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. The CDC explains how and why.
Don’t touch your face. Nose, eyes, and mouth are especially areas to avoid touching with unwashed hands, the CDC warns.
Clean shared and high-touch surfaces frequently, including your phone.
If you’re sick, stay home and cover your nose and mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze.
Here’s a list of other CDC recommendations.
OmegaFi provides software tools to fraternity chapters for recruitment, budgeting, communication, and more. See what we have to offer here or call us direct at 800.276.6342.
