Recruitment and Placement

• Develop a Recruitment Plan
• Identify Your Recruitment Needs
• Advertise and Market Your Position
  • Recruiting for Retention
  • Recruiting for Diversity
  • Choosing Outreach Channels
  • Creating Marketing Materials
  • Helping Partner Sites Recruit
• Screen and Place New Members
• Prepare for New Members

Home > Recruitment and Placement > Advertise and Market Your Position > Choosing Outreach Channels

Choosing Outreach Channels

Cast a wide net to reach the most qualified and diverse applicants

Reaching the most qualified and diverse applicant pool leads to more successful placements. You'll want to get the word out in a number of different ways to reach many different audiences.

In addition to traditional job boards, consider these outreach channels:

• Your existing network. Identify community leaders who can help you spread the word about your service positions to different constituencies. This could include members of professional associations, religious leaders, local politicians, and community activists.
• Partner organizations and networks. Identify individuals and groups that can help you reach out to specific populations. Inform similar programs about your program's position and look for opportunities to post the opening on free listservs and job boards. Make sure you provide clear and concise information on how to use "My AmeriCorps" for prospective members. Click here for tips on tips and instructions on using My AmeriCorps.
• AmeriCorps/VISTA alumni. Tap your alumni network for recruiting ideas and testimonials to use in outreach. One way to find AmeriCorps alumni is through the AmeriCorps Alums Web site. Interested in connecting with Peace Corps alums? Click here.
• Current VISTA and AmeriCorps members. Your current members can be some of your best recruiters. They can help you identify program needs, refine recruiting materials and tactics, and even recruit their own friends and acquaintances for open positions.

Click the following topics to learn more about specific outreach channels and strategies, and download helpful examples and resources:

• Brainstorming with Current Members is a worksheet to help you develop new recruiting ideas with a group of members
• Using My AmeriCorps to Recruit Applicants includes links to tips and a video about how to recruit through the AmeriCorps member Web site
• Using Members to Help with Recruiting is a list of tasks, goals, and deadlines for members who are recruiting on college campuses
• Refer-a-Friend Postcards are sample postcards that members can send to peers who they believe would make great members
• Recruiting Online is a tip sheet of tried-and-true online marketing strategies
• Using Local Media is a tip sheet for gaining free publicity through the media
• Recruiting at Community Events is a tip sheet for finding and making best use of community events
• College Recruitment Tracking is a sample spreadsheet that can be adapted to help you track your recruiting activities
• VISTA Recruitment Guide is a guide developed by a sponsor organization to help affiliates recruit members

Go on to Creating Marketing Materials

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