Do you have a daughter going through sorority recruitment this fall or perhaps next year? Today Leighton Newberry, founder of Recruitment Ready, is sharing tips for moms and girls to prepare thoughtfully and smartly for sorority recruitment.
Recruitment Ready is a sorority recruitment consulting company that helps young women prepare for sorority recruitment at universities across the country. Recruitment Ready’s mission is to celebrate happy bid days and help girls grow as confident young women. Their goal is to teach life skills useful for sorority recruitment and beyond, such as for internship interviews and job applications.
Hi y’all! My name is Leighton Newberry and I am the founder of Recruitment Ready, a sorority recruitment consulting company that services young women preparing for “rush” at Universities across the country!
Here are 5 things girls need to do the summer before recruitment and scroll down for 5 ways moms can best help their daughters during recruitment!
5 Things Girls Need to Do the Summer Before Recruitment
1. Clean up your social media accounts.
At Recruitment Ready, we call this a social media edit. Take a moment to go through your Instagram and TikTok to remove any images that may misrepresent you in any way. If you wouldn’t want your future sorority president or future employer to see it, don’t post it, and remove it from your account.
2. Create a social resume.
Every single girl going through recruitment needs a social resume. This resume should include a headshot, academic achievements, Greek affiliations, community service, leadership roles, sports involvement, employment history, and contact information. This resume does not need to be scented like the resumes in “Legally Blonde,” but it does need to be cute and classy!
3. Ask for recommendation letters.
Ask women to write recommendation letters on your behalf for each chapter that accepts them. We recommend you get started on this sooner rather than later to avoid missing necessary due dates. Do note that many aspects of recommendation letters have changed over the years, and submitting the recs in the correct format is imperative. Bonus tip: quickly submit a hand-written thank you note in the mail to the women writing your rec letters. We believe in the power of thank you note writing here at Recruitment Ready and promise this skill will help you for years to come. Note: DoSayGive has a free note writing guide here!)
4. Film your Potential New Member (PNM) video, if applicable.
Many universities now require a 60-90 second video submission to register for recruitment. This video is an introduction to the chapters, and you want to put your best foot forward from the beginning. We encourage you to write thoughtful replies to the prompt questions, talk slowly on camera, relax, and get comfortable stepping out of your comfort zone with this online video submission.
5. Plan and style outfits.
At Recruitment Ready, we help girls pick outfits they feel “cute, classy, and confident” in! Take time to review your Panhellenic website to understand the necessary outfit requirements for each day. Be on the lookout for unspoken rules of styling, colors to wear/avoid, and all the little things that add up when it comes to preparing your outfits. Most importantly, be yourself and don’t spend $500 on a dress just because you think you should! Be you!
Now for a nod and note to the moms helping their daughters have a successful recruitment:
5 Ways Moms Can Help Their Daughters Through Recruitment
1. Encourage independence.
The biggest encouragement I would share is to let your daughter find her people. The best way you can support her is by allowing her not to feel any pressure to join a certain chapter, including your sorority if you were in one. She will find her place and her people. We encourage moms to help and equip their daughters, but at the end of the day, let them go their own way.
2. Assist with Letters of Recommendations.
One of the most overwhelming parts of preparing for recruitment, in my opinion, is asking for LORs (letters of recommendations). We suggest you help your daughter think through your network of women who can write her letters of recommendation. We suggest you let her do the asking (to build this life skill), but we encourage you to help her obtain the necessary contact information.
3. Purchase stationery.
Purchase your daughter stationery so she can send hand-written thank you notes to all of the women writing her letters. Some girls choose to coordinate their stationery with their resumé.
4. Help with logistics.
Your daughter is likely very excited and a bit nervous about recruitment. Help her think ahead by taking tasks off her plate that she may not be considering. Go ahead and book that last haircut before she leaves for college, schedule a nail appointment for the two of you to go together, book her first doctor’s appointment in her new college town, and take care of the “tasks” moms do best. Note: A Mom’s Companion Guide to Senior Year will help you remember all of these to do’s!
5. Pray for her!
Lift your daughter up in prayer in advance. James 5:16 reminds us that “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Pray that she feels calm during recruitment, that she handles the emotions with grace, and pray for her future friends and the four years she has ahead, whether she decides to pledge or not. Recruitment can be quite competitive these days, but she will find her place and her people!
Thank you so much, Leighton! Exciting news, Leighton is joining us in A Mom’s Companion Guide to Senior Year as an expert to help moms of high school seniors know what they need to do the spring before rush to help their daughters prepare for recruitment. You can register for A Mom’s Companion Guide here and use code LEIGHTON for 25% off!
About Leighton Newberry
Leighton grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended Auburn University. Without an older sister to guide her through the recruitment process, she successfully navigated it on her own, ultimately joining Chi Omega and enjoying a wonderful four years at Auburn. With a passion for mentoring, an appreciation for southern style, and a love for etiquette, Leighton founded Recruitment Ready to share these values and skills with others. Read more about Recruitment Ready’s services here.
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