E- Magazine: Sparking The Future: Tips for Recruiting Members
Sparking The Future: Tips for Recruiting Members
By Srika Yalagapalli
Members interacting and keeping the energy high at SLC 25!
19,000+ people. 19,000+ young leaders. 19,000+ individuals driven to learn, lead, serve, and innovate. 19,000+ students spearheading tomorrow’s face of healthcare. 19,000+ members of Georgia HOSA. As Georgia HOSA expands, this reality blossoms. Behind the mere number, there is a driving force. An incentive. A purpose. A purpose authentic and unique to each and every member. Every member has someone to credit for introducing them to HOSA, albeit an advisor, an officer, or a friend. Now, it’s your turn! You can be that catalyst, the one who encourages members to further spark their futures, ultimately inspiring them to pursue their love for healthcare.
What can you do to execute this? Here are a couple things your chapter can do increase recruitment:
1. Reach out through social media!
Social media has become one of the most prominent communication platforms, and it's a great way to spread the word about HOSA! Creating posts and stories that are engaging will help pull a crowd, therefore encouraging your school’s students to join HOSA! Be sure to incorporate interactive elements to appeal to your audience and repost posts/stories to reach a larger group of viewers. Make members feel involved by providing a space where they can voice their thoughts and pose questions!
2. Host an interest meeting!
Kick off the year with an interest meeting! Chapter officers and advisors can meet to plan an engaging meeting that is filled with both important information and fun games. Take this opportunity to host an officer meet-n-greet, share important dates, introduce conferences and competitive events, and discuss other information that is relevant to your members. To ensure that the meeting is interactive, have games to start or end (or even both) the meeting and pass out prizes. Having snacks is an excellent way to attract students and boost your membership. New and returning members will be excited and feel more integrated within the chapter, helping to erase any feelings of nervousness and intimidation.
3. Share during school announcements!
There are many ways you can spread the word about HOSA within your school! For one, you can start off every morning by participating in school announcements! Reach out to the person in charge of school announcements for permission to speak in the morning and create a simple, engaging script to hook your audience. You want to make sure your message doesn’t get lost within all the other information being shared!
4. Post flyers!
Create intriguing flyers to capture your audience! Use bold colors and unique fonts to keep them interested while providing important information in a concise manner. Be sure to post your flyers all around your school to maximize your presence. Unquestionably, vibrant, appealing flyers will consistently pique the interest of your members, so be sure to play around with the visuals!
5. Plan a social!
Plan a beginning-of-the-year social with good food and activities to get the student body feeling hype! Doing so can get your HOSA community excited and provide an opportunity to foster communication and for individuals to connect with current and incoming members. Additionally, collaborative socials with other HOSA chapters in your area is an exceptional way to expand outreach and networking, allowing members to get familiar with the culture of HOSA and hold a deeper understanding of what the HOSA experience entails.
Pro Tip: Recruit and Regroup! After the recruiting season has concluded, be sure to keep the energy going! Keep members captivated through interactive meetings, an appealing social media presence, entertaining socials, and more! Regroup by providing opportunities throughout the year for your chapter to get together and build healthy relationships. Create a collaborative and open environment for members to feel involved and thrilled about what HOSA has to offer!
Chapter excitement at SLC 25 Opening Session!
Now, these are just some tips to foster recruitment within your chapter, but there are a multitude of ways you can do this. Make sure that you discuss important information in an efficient manner and keep the atmosphere fun and engaging. Show — don’t just tell — members what HOSA is and be open to conversations, questions, thoughts, and concerns that people may discuss with you. Be a resource for others throughout the year! Let’s be champions of change and make this HOSA year one for the books!