Transcript for Member Recruitment Training 19/20

Hello and welcome to the Member Recruitment Training. This training is designed to give you the tools you need to create a great applicant pool from which to select your AmeriCorps member. There are many links and resources that I review in this training. These hyperlinks are available on this training’s webpage. Just look for the Recruitment Resources and Hyperlinks document.

So, let’s dive in. The time you spend on recruitment is worth the effort. It’s the difference from having a great member that can create positive change in your organization to a member that leaves early or engages in misconduct. Member placement fees are also not refundable, so it’s important to create a great applicant pool of candidates from which to choose.

Let’s Talk a little bit about How Recruitment Works:

For New Sites: • Please complete the eGrants/My AmeriCorps Listing Worksheet as soon as possible found at

the hyperlink on our website here. Complete this entire form. Then email this completed form to wscip@esd.wa.gov Once this information is received WSC and WRC personnel will place a recruitment posting for you on the My AmeriCorps website. This is the website where interested AmeriCorps applicants will go to create a login and apply for open AmeriCorps postings across the country.

• Once your My AmeriCorps link is live our office will email it to you. You will also be able to find your listing on our website about a week after your link goes live on the WSC Open Positions page here. Once on this web page go to the search box and enter your organizations name such as “red cross.” Your listing should appear. Click on the hyperlink and your listing on the national My AmeriCorps site will appear. It contains all the information on your listing and allows members to apply. You will use your unique URL in recruiting efforts such as: classified ads, posters and public service announcements.

•For Returning Sites from last year intent to continue:

• WSC/WRC has already posted your listing on My AmeriCoprs and you will find your postings’ on this same WSC Open Position’s web page here.

As far as returning Sites from last year that are teams:• You will continue to post your own listing on eGrants and will have access to your own URL.

Having your listing on the My AmeirCorps website and our WSC/WRC website will get some applicants, but on a national listing, you will be a little fish in a big pond. You will need to recruit locally too in order to get a sufficient applicant pool.

• It is also highly recommended that your site sets aside some funds for recruitment ads if you want to get a good pool of applicants and it’s a great idea to partner with your site’s HR department to help recruit quality members.

When it comes to recruitment sooner is always better than late, so start recruiting right away, if you haven’t already. Use the advertising and outreach tool links found on the next 2 slides to start amassing your pool of applicantsIf you have any questions along the way, or are having trouble getting an adequate applicant pool after utilizing these training resources, don’t delay and contact us.

First Action is to Advertise Locally• Let’s look at the blue column and you’ll see that there are 3 steps we recommend for you to

take when advertising. The first step is to run ads in your local online papers, newsletters, online job sites, parent portals and periodicals. If you need a link to your local paper it is provided.

• Step 2. You can also run public service announcements on local radio stations. This is usually free of charge, as all radio stations are required to run a percentage of these. We’ve provided links to your local radio stations, so you can give them a call to set up a public service announcement.

• The 3rd step is to Put Up Posters At Local Gathering Spots-including the Library, Post Office, Colleges, Coffee Shops, or any place you can think of.

• If you currently have AmeriCorps members they can help with this they are great with

outreach and can help spread the word. They may even be able to give you names of people who would be a good fit for your organization.

Also you notice this slide has column in yellow and pink. The yellow column contains template links for WSC and the columns in pink are templates for WRC. These templates will help you with you with all the advertising steps just mentioned, as you can cut and paste these templates and only minor changes are needed to tailor make the advertisement to fit your site.

Next action step- Direct outreach in the communityLet’s look at the blue columns, as there are a few suggested actions:

• You could register to table at places such as local nonprofits, libraries, high schools and colleges. Spring is the time of year when career fairs are going on and you may be able to find a local one from which you can recruit members. Also, if you have current members they can table at events also, as we have had members successfully table and find interested people in the community.

• You can also reach out and set up an appointments to present at local high schools, colleges and nonprofits. It’s a good way to spread the word about your site’s opportunity. Again if you have an AmeriCorps member they can help with this step.

• In the yellow and pink columns are resource links to help with these opportunities and include posters and PowerPoints for your use.

• We also have links to our logos to use if you choose to make your own advertisements.

Finally, we’ve provided a Recruitment Plan Checklist to help keep your recruitment plan on track.All the links and resources I just provided are on this training’s webpage. Just look for the Recruitment Resources and Hyperlinks document.

If you have any questions along the way please call us toll free: 1-888-713-6080 and we will help. We are looking forward to a great year serving with you! Thank you and have a great day.