Using nine guidelines to develop a recruitment process for advisory councils
Abstract
This effective practice offers nine guidelines for enlisting advisory council members. These materials were developed by Carter McNamara PhD, consultant with the Free Management Library, and modified by Campaign Consultation, Inc., the training and technical assistance provider on issues of sustainability for programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service.Issue
How do program managers successfully recruit members to an advisory council?Action
According to Campaign Consultation, Inc., a well-defined recruitment process should include the following nine guidelines developed by Carter McNamara PhD:
1. Maintain an up-to-date list of potential advisory council candidates, including the particular skills they can bring to the organization. This list is often generated by the Nominating Committee or the Advisory Council Development Committee.
2. Develop a Sample Advisory Council Application Form for prospective new advisory council members. The form should solicit information about the potential new member, including biographical information, why they want to join this advisory council, what they hope to bring to the advisory council, what they would like to get from their advisory council membership, as well as any questions they might have.
3. Per any scheduling in the By-laws and/or after strategic planning, reference major strategic goals for the organization to identify what skills would be highly useful to the advisory council, e.g., if new people will be hired, the advisory council may desire people with human resource, financial or fundraising skills.
4. Reference the list of potential candidates to recruit for advisory council membership and ask to meet with them.
5. Prospective advisory council members should meet with the council chair and the project director, hear an overview of the organization and receive relevant organizational materials describing the Senior Corps program, receive an advisory council member job description and council member application form. The prospective new member should hear about how the organization orients new members. Provide names of several advisory council members whom the prospective new member might contact with any questions.
6. Identify if there are any potential conflicts of interest with the candidate, e.g., is he or she on the advisory council of another organization, or a vendor of the organization.
7. Invite the prospective new member to an advisory council meeting. Notify current advisory council members that a potential new member will be attending. Consider name tags to help the potential new member become acquainted with council members. Introduce the new member right away in the meeting, ask the potential new member if they have any questions and thank them for coming.
8. Shortly after the meeting, call the prospective new member to determine if they will want to apply for the advisory council. If they do want to apply, solicit their completed advisory council member application and provide all applications to the full council for their review and election.
9. Notify new members (those who have been elected) and invite them to subsequent advisory council meetings and the advisory council orientation.
Context
An advisory council is an important component of National Senior Service Corps programs. The concept of an impartial, objective group separate from the sponsor and project director giving input to the operation of National Senior Corps programs is integral to RSVP, Foster Grandparen, and Senior Companion Programs. Recruitment may need to take place during program startup or as members resign for various reasons.Outcome
Having a recruitment plan in place can make finding and nominating potential members easier and cause less of an interruption to normal work flow.Posted On
February 4, 2003For More Information
Resources
From The Resource Center library:
Programming for Impact: National Toolkit
Item number: R1940