A Calmer Recruitment Week for a Small Council

The Challenge

A small private university with a 4-chapter Panhellenic community had been running recruitment the same way for years. It worked—until it didn't. Their fall recruitment saw registration numbers 20% higher than projected, and by the end of the first round, the council was overwhelmed.

Chapter advisors were texting each other trying to figure out what the numbers meant. The Panhellenic advisor was fielding panicked calls. And the recruitment counselors felt caught in the middle, unsure how to support PNMs when they themselves didn't understand what was happening.

The council reached out mid-week, looking for someone who could help them make sense of the data and get through the rest of recruitment without losing their minds.

The Approach

I provided Recruitment Week Coaching—real-time support from the middle of the week through Bid Day.

Day 1 (Wednesday): Assessment & Stabilization

We started with a 90-minute virtual session where I reviewed their current data: registration numbers, first-round preferences, chapter capacity, and quota projections. The good news? The numbers weren't as scary as they felt. The challenge was communication—no one had a shared understanding of what the data meant.

I created a simple dashboard they could update throughout the week, showing each chapter's position relative to quota in plain language.

Day 2-3 (Thursday-Friday): Nightly Debriefs

Each evening, I joined the council for a 45-minute debrief. We reviewed the day's numbers, identified any chapters that needed attention, and prepped talking points for the next day's events. Most importantly, we practiced responding to the questions PNMs and chapter members were asking:

• "Why are some rounds shorter than others?"
• "What if I don't get invited back to my top choice?"
• "How do you decide who gets a bid?"

Having clear, consistent language made the whole team feel more confident.

Day 4 (Saturday - Preference): Decision Support

Preference day is when the pressure peaks. I was available via text and phone throughout the day as the council worked through their matching process. When a curveball came—one chapter had significantly more preference-night attendees than expected—we walked through options together in real-time.

Day 5 (Sunday - Bid Day): Debrief & Celebration

After bids were distributed, we held a final session to review outcomes, capture lessons learned, and celebrate what went well. The council advisor later said it was the first time she'd ever felt "done" on Bid Day instead of just exhausted.

The Results

Every chapter reached quota. More importantly, the process felt manageable.

The VP of Recruitment later shared: "I went into the week terrified and came out feeling like I actually know what I'm doing. That's never happened before."

What Made the Difference

Three things stood out:

1. Real-time availability. Knowing someone was a text away made it easier to ask questions before they became problems. Small clarifications prevented big misunderstandings.

2. Nightly debriefs. Taking 45 minutes each evening to review data and prep for the next day created a rhythm. The council stopped reacting and started anticipating.

3. Shared language. When everyone—from the Panhellenic president to chapter advisors to recruitment counselors—uses the same words to describe what's happening, communication flows. Confusion drops.

Looking Ahead

The council is planning a Strategy Sprint for next fall to address what they learned: they need better pre-recruitment chapter training on RFM basics, and they want to build a stronger support system for recruitment counselors. This year's challenge became next year's opportunity.

This case study is based on a real engagement. Campus details have been generalized to protect client confidentiality.