Can you answer the question, "Why me?" when recruiting?

The kinds of individuals who you really want to invite onto your advisory council or your board are likely to ask you, "Why me?" The best candidates know that you must want something more than their good looks and great personalties. They also want to be assured that they aren't just "warm bodies" who you are recruiting to fill empty seats.

We urge the organizations we work with to get very clear about the skills, abilities, and the kind of experience they need on their advisory councils or their boards. If you are working on a housing initiative, perhaps you've identified the need for someone who has experience in providing financing to low-income individuals. Or maybe you are looking to enter a capital campaign and are hoping to find individuals who have a breadth of relationships in the community. On an ACO advisory council you might be looking for someone who has strong connections in a particular neighborhood or part of the community. The important things is to get clear about the skills, abilities, and experience you are seeking and then be ready to articulate during the recruitment discussion what you need and why they are a good match.

Think how much more professional it sounds to tell the person being recruited that you are hoping that he or she will play an important role in shaping the organization's future and that you've identified the need to recruit someone with exactly the skills, abilities and experience he or she posesses. You want to send the message that, "We given this a lot of thought, and you bring the assets we need as we look to the future." And you might go so far as to say, "And we are hoping that if you join us that you'll sit on the committee charged with doing this..."

They will not only be flattered, but they'll also see that you've done your homework, and they will be more likely to make their decisions based upon the specifics of your request rather than just a hunch. Our experience tells us that when you approach recruitment this way you are more likely to get a "yes," as well as a new board or advisory member who is clear about his or her role,.

If you aren't ready to answer the "why me?" question, you aren't ready to recruit.

Look at our Starboard Blog for more information on recruitment strategies for advisory councils, advisory commitees, and boards of directors.