Check out iCIMS' latest blog post from iCIMS blogger Dan Seaman.

Effective recruiting is what turns an average company into a great company, and HR professionals can turn not only to other professional organizations for best practices, but also to other institutions that seek to recruit top talent.

Fraternities and sororities, for example, have to be proactive recruiters in order to support their goals and make their organization well-known, successful, and effective on college campuses. The question is, what can HR learn from Greek organizations?  In many ways, recruitment for Greek Life illustrates a number of best practice techniques that are similar to how the most effective companies source for new talent. 

Rush Week/Sourcing

Rush week is the single most important time for Greek Life.  Every single Greek organization presents their events and activities for the week to the entire student body in hopes those interested will come.  Knowing how to effectively market and get the word out about the events is crucial to getting potential candidates to “apply” for a fraternity or sorority.   Many promote their events through social media, word of mouth, and guerilla marketing tactics.  This ensures the greatest reach to potential new members.

Professional organizations can look to how Greek organizations approach sourcing to develop some of their own sourcing techniques.

• Make it Easy for Applicants to Find You: By utilizing a recruitment software, you can automatically post your jobs to your career sites and job boards so potential candidates view them. 
• Keep Applicants Interested on Social Media: You can announce new positions on social media in order to identify and engage pools of talent who might be interested in working for you.  Social media is the latest trend, and having the technology to post jobs automatically to multiple social media outlets puts you one step ahead of the competition.

Recruitment Chair Acts as Fraternity/Sorority HR Department

The recruitment chair is a potential new member’s main Point of Contact when rushing a fraternity or sorority.  They are also the person who determines which potential member will receive a bid, similar to how a hiring manager decides which candidate will get the official job offer.  The fraternity/sorority recruitment chair is responsible for making potential candidates feel comfortable and introducing them to the fraternity/sorority culture and values.
 
Sound familiar?  This responsibility is very similar to what the best recruiters do on the job every day in their respective human resources departments.

• You Are the Face of Your Organization: The recruiter is often the first point of contact for a potential hire, as well as the first person to communicate and their organizations’ values.
• Accurate Record-Keeping is Key: Recruiters might interact with dozens of candidates each day. It is important for recruiters to keep careful notes on candidate impressions as well as stages within the hiring process in order to make sure that the best potential employees are identified efficiently. 

Integrating New Candidates into Your Organization/Onboarding

Bringing a new person into your organization, and introducing them to “the way you do things” can seem like a daunting task, but in reality it’s fairly simple.  In Greek Life, new members go through an onboarding process that introduces them to the ideals and history behind their respective organization.  Therefore, upon completion of the process, they are ready to be full-fledged members of their fraternity or sorority.
 
In reference to hiring candidates into a company, the full onboarding process can be automated.

• Make Sure Your New Hires Get up and Running Quickly: With an online onboarding portal, you can easily display information on company culture and mission, host electronic paperwork, and give new hires an introduction to the values of your organization.  Transition your new hire into a prepared employee by educating them about your organization before they even walk in on their first day. A strong onboarding program will ensure your new employees are confident and ready to be productive from day one!
It’s amazing to see how recruiting best practices within the Greek community can also serve as guidance for professional recruiters. By taking advantage of these tactics, you can effectively recruit the best candidates, whether that be for membership in a Greek organization, or the best candidates for a job at your organization.

Originally published  from iCIMS blogger Daniel Seaman.