Recruiting
Content
Ideas for Publications BY ROB MELTON
Recruiting
Why publications staffs are like a box of chocolates (and other things you wish your mama had told you)
Publication staffs are like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you get to choose the chocolates that go into the box, and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you’re surprised by what you find in the box of chocolates, and sometimes you’re not. Some boxes are small with just a few basic types of chocolates, while other boxes are big with many different types of chocolates. Despite all of this, the good ones share some similarities: A box of chocolates is food A box of chocolates is fun A box of chocolates is shared by friends Just like a good box of chocolates, a good staff should have fun, they should have plenty of food, and they should have a spirit of teamwork and the opportunity to become friends with others. It’s known as the 3F’s: food, fun, fellowship. Recently, several successful advisers were asked to share the recruiting secrets; you know, the ones they learned the hard way. (Their students, by the way, consistently publish some of the top newspapers and yearbooks in the country.) Not surprisingly, what they say sounds a lot like the advice your mama gave to you when you were growing up. They all agree that building a successful program takes time. As with any small, start-up business, they suggest you start with a small, quality program and build it from there. Along the way, people will notice what’s going on with you, your students and their publication. And by all means, make sure you all have fun! Word gets around, and that’s what generates a recruit’s interest. tion you cover at your school. Your coverage informs others about what you do and how you do it. Do you go to conventions? workshops? Have fun staff parties? Go on field trips to ball games? Celebrate birthdays? Let the whole world know what great work you do — and what a great time you all have. Make a poster and hang it up all over the building. Judy Babb, yearbook adviser at Highland Park H.S., in Dallas, Tex., has staff members make signs and post them all over school. The sign announce that staff applications are being accepted for the next year. You could also use them to announce an informational meeting. Hold an informational meeting. Prepare information and hold a question and answer session for prospective staff members. Invite them to a paste-up or other staff function. Editors as well as you should present information and answer questions. Offer plenty of food and drink after the meeting so you all have a chance to meet and talk with each person who came to the meeting.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU DON’T PLAY, YOU CAN’T WIN.”
Enter your publication and students in local, state, regional and national contests and evaluation services. If you don’t win, learn from the experience and try it again. After all, mama said “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” When you do win, report it in your publication and to the local media. Write a press release, inviting news photographers to an upcoming work session. You’ve worked hard for these honors. Take a break and enjoy the spotlight for once.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU DON’T BLOW YOUR OWN HORN, NOBODY ELSE WILL.”
Cover yourself as a beat in the newspaper or on a spread in the yearbook just like every other organiza-
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “FLATTERY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE.”
Recruiting also applies to your ongoing effort to keep your good students. Essentially, you are constantly “re-recruiting” them. They are your known
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
talent pool for next year. If you promise more than you can deliver, or are slow in granting promotions to talented people, they may jump ship. It is important, therefore, to give staff members lots of praise when they are doing good work. (Review The One Minute Manager and The One Minute Leader if you have not read them in the last year.) How you handle their daily achievements and failures is the most important and consistent day-to-day message you give them about their value and worth. of announcing the new staff. While not everybody is an H.L. Hall-style cheerleader, you can talk up your program, your students and your publications so people know what is good about them. Build enthusiasm and pride into everything you do. Praise publicly; criticize privately. Instead of that nasty critique after the paper comes out, why not do it the morning of the day your publication goes to press so you can fix the mistakes before the paper comes out? Let everyone know that your staff is a highly trained elite team. Make sure your administration agrees that not just anyone can be dumped into this class. Require all prospective staff members to fill out a staff application, then have your editorial board review them all with you and select staff members. The staff is “elite” because of the selection process (even if you do accept all for the staff). Make it clear that being on staff is a privilege, not a right, which can be revoked at any time. Then do it, if necessary.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES ITS DECISIONS BY COMMITTEE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE COMMITTEE.”
Budget cuts, school reform, and college admission requirements are placing increasing demands on the school day schedule. One way to keep journalism in the picture is lobbying for an 8- or 9-period day, or a 4-period-per-day block schedule. Another possibility is offering more, but shorter, journalism classes. H.L. Hall, adviser of the newspaper and yearbook at Kirkwood (Mo.) H.S. near St. Louis, used to have three year-long journalism classes. After several years of teaching the usual yearlong beginning journalism class, he decided to offer two semester classes instead. One was beginning newspaper and the other was beginning newsmagazine. Now his school also offers radio and television journalism classes.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “ONE BAD APPLE CAN SPOIL THE WHOLE BUNCH.”
Keeping the wrong people off staff is just as important as keeping the right people motivated. You just can’t make the right choice 100 percent of the time, said Babb. On her staff, a student gets one warning, and then they are removed from staff at the end of the semester. “Some are not invited back,” she said. H.L. Hall has the same policy. He said if a staff member is not working out, they are removed, and the next person on the waiting list moves in.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE.”
She should also have said, “Train, train, train.” Constantly expose staff members to new ideas and keep them up to date by having them attend conventions and summer workshops. Require a summer workshop for students who will be new to a staff. Going to conventions and workshops is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Plan to go, and make sure recruits know it is a part of being on staff. Subsidize their way to conventions and workshops, if possible.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.”
Recruit for balance. Bob Greenman, who advises publications in Brooklyn, New York, encourages staff diversity. The key, he says, is to “Go get ’em.” Recruit all types of people for your staff: boys and girls, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, sophomores, juniors, seniors, athletes, cheerleaders, scholars, leaders, etc. When Babb taught at an inner-city high school in Dallas, Tex., she personally visited every English class. Students filled out an application and submitted a letter of recommendation from a teacher. She put these students on the fast track by requiring them to attend a summer workshop. Hall goes to the Black Awareness and Culture
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “YOU CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY THAN YOU DO WITH VINEGAR.”
Be a cheerleader for your team. (Mama always said—oh, never mind.) Be positive. Build staff morale. (Remember: Food, Fun, Friendship.) Make a big deal
PAGE 2
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
Club to recruit. Kirkwood H.S. has a magnet communications program from which he and the staff also recruit heavily. Recruit athletes. Not only are they team players, but they are a great asset to the sports staff. Make sure girls are included, too. A big sports department made up of jocks is really a lot of fun! Recruit early and often. H.L. Hall and Judy Babb both recruit from their middle schools. The one rule Judy Babb has is “no first-year seniors on yearbook staff.” Judy teaches three yearbook classes with about 35 students in each class. Each class consists of first, second and third-year students, who help each other learn. staff vacancies that occur every year. Hall, on the other hand, recruits at the middle schools for the beginning journalism classes. Journalism students go to English classes to recruit staff members for both newspaper and yearbook.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “MAKE IT PERSONAL.”
Once you have a list of names, write personal letters to each recruit. “Personal letters encourage them to get involved,” said Hall. Also use notes and letters as a way to give a student a pat on the back and acknowledge their contributions. Secret Pals is a natural extension of this activity. Buy a box of social stationery and envelopes and write personal notes whenever you get a chance. Order several boxes of the senior graduation thank you notes early in the school year, the ones with the school seal. They are really impressive.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “YOU JUST CAN’T BEAT TALENT.”
Actively recruits students for specialty areas such as computer graphics, photography, and art illustration, says Jack Kennedy, who advises publications at Iowa City (Iowa) H.S. “Go to your colleagues,” he said. “English teachers recognize talent. Find your strongest writers.” Talking with teachers of English, Art, Computers and Business is the best way to find top talent. Also ask teachers to recommend students who are dependable, reliable and trustworthy. These students can quickly be trained. Kennedy believes it is important to build relationships with other teachers in the building. Whenever there is an academic planning day, Kennedy said, remind teachers that journalism is the ultimate transactional writing experience. Ask them to encourage their students to take journalism. Remind them that journalism is hands-on learning at its best.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS.”
Have a positive, successful outlook, and it will follow you wherever you go. Successful advisers admit it is easier to recruit once you have established a good program. “Journalism is the ‘in’ thing to do at Kirkwood,” said Hall. They have three full-time journalism teachers to handle the student demand for a variety of print and electronic journalism classes. Judy Babb has three yearbook classes and 105 students on yearbook. Each year, a third of her staff graduates, and of the more than 150 who apply to be on the yearbook staff, only 35 make it. Recruit athletes. Not only are they team players, but they are a great asset to the sports staff. Make sure girls are included, too. A big sports department made up of jocks is really a lot of fun! You can bet that Kennedy, Hall and Babb worked very hard to make journalism the “in” thing to do at their schools. A lot of energy is spent getting a program started, but once it is well on its way to success, it became self-perpetuating. There are some recruiting activities that must be done every year, but they take relatively little time once the publication has become the “in” place to be. Rob Melton would like to hear your ideas about recruiting, as well as ideas for future articles. He can be reached by mail at Benson Polytechnic High School, 546 N.E. 12th, Portland, OR 97232, or by e-mail at [email protected].
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “NOTHING BEATS SHEER BRAIN POWER.”
Recruit students who are on the honor roll. “Nothing beats sheer brain power,” said Jack Kennedy. They have already demonstrated they are capable of working hard to achieve a goal.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY.”
Another way to recruit is to ask current staff members for recommendations. This can include friends, brothers and sisters. Judy Babb has staff members get two people they know to apply for staff. With 105 yearbook staff members, that generates a list of more than 150 excellent prospects to fill the 35
PAGE 3
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
NOTES FROM THIS SESSION:
PAGE 4
Recruiting
Why publications staffs are like a box of chocolates (and other things you wish your mama had told you)
Publication staffs are like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you get to choose the chocolates that go into the box, and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you’re surprised by what you find in the box of chocolates, and sometimes you’re not. Some boxes are small with just a few basic types of chocolates, while other boxes are big with many different types of chocolates. Despite all of this, the good ones share some similarities: A box of chocolates is food A box of chocolates is fun A box of chocolates is shared by friends Just like a good box of chocolates, a good staff should have fun, they should have plenty of food, and they should have a spirit of teamwork and the opportunity to become friends with others. It’s known as the 3F’s: food, fun, fellowship. Recently, several successful advisers were asked to share the recruiting secrets; you know, the ones they learned the hard way. (Their students, by the way, consistently publish some of the top newspapers and yearbooks in the country.) Not surprisingly, what they say sounds a lot like the advice your mama gave to you when you were growing up. They all agree that building a successful program takes time. As with any small, start-up business, they suggest you start with a small, quality program and build it from there. Along the way, people will notice what’s going on with you, your students and their publication. And by all means, make sure you all have fun! Word gets around, and that’s what generates a recruit’s interest. tion you cover at your school. Your coverage informs others about what you do and how you do it. Do you go to conventions? workshops? Have fun staff parties? Go on field trips to ball games? Celebrate birthdays? Let the whole world know what great work you do — and what a great time you all have. Make a poster and hang it up all over the building. Judy Babb, yearbook adviser at Highland Park H.S., in Dallas, Tex., has staff members make signs and post them all over school. The sign announce that staff applications are being accepted for the next year. You could also use them to announce an informational meeting. Hold an informational meeting. Prepare information and hold a question and answer session for prospective staff members. Invite them to a paste-up or other staff function. Editors as well as you should present information and answer questions. Offer plenty of food and drink after the meeting so you all have a chance to meet and talk with each person who came to the meeting.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU DON’T PLAY, YOU CAN’T WIN.”
Enter your publication and students in local, state, regional and national contests and evaluation services. If you don’t win, learn from the experience and try it again. After all, mama said “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” When you do win, report it in your publication and to the local media. Write a press release, inviting news photographers to an upcoming work session. You’ve worked hard for these honors. Take a break and enjoy the spotlight for once.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU DON’T BLOW YOUR OWN HORN, NOBODY ELSE WILL.”
Cover yourself as a beat in the newspaper or on a spread in the yearbook just like every other organiza-
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “FLATTERY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE.”
Recruiting also applies to your ongoing effort to keep your good students. Essentially, you are constantly “re-recruiting” them. They are your known
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
talent pool for next year. If you promise more than you can deliver, or are slow in granting promotions to talented people, they may jump ship. It is important, therefore, to give staff members lots of praise when they are doing good work. (Review The One Minute Manager and The One Minute Leader if you have not read them in the last year.) How you handle their daily achievements and failures is the most important and consistent day-to-day message you give them about their value and worth. of announcing the new staff. While not everybody is an H.L. Hall-style cheerleader, you can talk up your program, your students and your publications so people know what is good about them. Build enthusiasm and pride into everything you do. Praise publicly; criticize privately. Instead of that nasty critique after the paper comes out, why not do it the morning of the day your publication goes to press so you can fix the mistakes before the paper comes out? Let everyone know that your staff is a highly trained elite team. Make sure your administration agrees that not just anyone can be dumped into this class. Require all prospective staff members to fill out a staff application, then have your editorial board review them all with you and select staff members. The staff is “elite” because of the selection process (even if you do accept all for the staff). Make it clear that being on staff is a privilege, not a right, which can be revoked at any time. Then do it, if necessary.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “IF YOU WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES ITS DECISIONS BY COMMITTEE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE COMMITTEE.”
Budget cuts, school reform, and college admission requirements are placing increasing demands on the school day schedule. One way to keep journalism in the picture is lobbying for an 8- or 9-period day, or a 4-period-per-day block schedule. Another possibility is offering more, but shorter, journalism classes. H.L. Hall, adviser of the newspaper and yearbook at Kirkwood (Mo.) H.S. near St. Louis, used to have three year-long journalism classes. After several years of teaching the usual yearlong beginning journalism class, he decided to offer two semester classes instead. One was beginning newspaper and the other was beginning newsmagazine. Now his school also offers radio and television journalism classes.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “ONE BAD APPLE CAN SPOIL THE WHOLE BUNCH.”
Keeping the wrong people off staff is just as important as keeping the right people motivated. You just can’t make the right choice 100 percent of the time, said Babb. On her staff, a student gets one warning, and then they are removed from staff at the end of the semester. “Some are not invited back,” she said. H.L. Hall has the same policy. He said if a staff member is not working out, they are removed, and the next person on the waiting list moves in.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE.”
She should also have said, “Train, train, train.” Constantly expose staff members to new ideas and keep them up to date by having them attend conventions and summer workshops. Require a summer workshop for students who will be new to a staff. Going to conventions and workshops is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Plan to go, and make sure recruits know it is a part of being on staff. Subsidize their way to conventions and workshops, if possible.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.”
Recruit for balance. Bob Greenman, who advises publications in Brooklyn, New York, encourages staff diversity. The key, he says, is to “Go get ’em.” Recruit all types of people for your staff: boys and girls, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, sophomores, juniors, seniors, athletes, cheerleaders, scholars, leaders, etc. When Babb taught at an inner-city high school in Dallas, Tex., she personally visited every English class. Students filled out an application and submitted a letter of recommendation from a teacher. She put these students on the fast track by requiring them to attend a summer workshop. Hall goes to the Black Awareness and Culture
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “YOU CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY THAN YOU DO WITH VINEGAR.”
Be a cheerleader for your team. (Mama always said—oh, never mind.) Be positive. Build staff morale. (Remember: Food, Fun, Friendship.) Make a big deal
PAGE 2
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
Club to recruit. Kirkwood H.S. has a magnet communications program from which he and the staff also recruit heavily. Recruit athletes. Not only are they team players, but they are a great asset to the sports staff. Make sure girls are included, too. A big sports department made up of jocks is really a lot of fun! Recruit early and often. H.L. Hall and Judy Babb both recruit from their middle schools. The one rule Judy Babb has is “no first-year seniors on yearbook staff.” Judy teaches three yearbook classes with about 35 students in each class. Each class consists of first, second and third-year students, who help each other learn. staff vacancies that occur every year. Hall, on the other hand, recruits at the middle schools for the beginning journalism classes. Journalism students go to English classes to recruit staff members for both newspaper and yearbook.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “MAKE IT PERSONAL.”
Once you have a list of names, write personal letters to each recruit. “Personal letters encourage them to get involved,” said Hall. Also use notes and letters as a way to give a student a pat on the back and acknowledge their contributions. Secret Pals is a natural extension of this activity. Buy a box of social stationery and envelopes and write personal notes whenever you get a chance. Order several boxes of the senior graduation thank you notes early in the school year, the ones with the school seal. They are really impressive.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “YOU JUST CAN’T BEAT TALENT.”
Actively recruits students for specialty areas such as computer graphics, photography, and art illustration, says Jack Kennedy, who advises publications at Iowa City (Iowa) H.S. “Go to your colleagues,” he said. “English teachers recognize talent. Find your strongest writers.” Talking with teachers of English, Art, Computers and Business is the best way to find top talent. Also ask teachers to recommend students who are dependable, reliable and trustworthy. These students can quickly be trained. Kennedy believes it is important to build relationships with other teachers in the building. Whenever there is an academic planning day, Kennedy said, remind teachers that journalism is the ultimate transactional writing experience. Ask them to encourage their students to take journalism. Remind them that journalism is hands-on learning at its best.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS.”
Have a positive, successful outlook, and it will follow you wherever you go. Successful advisers admit it is easier to recruit once you have established a good program. “Journalism is the ‘in’ thing to do at Kirkwood,” said Hall. They have three full-time journalism teachers to handle the student demand for a variety of print and electronic journalism classes. Judy Babb has three yearbook classes and 105 students on yearbook. Each year, a third of her staff graduates, and of the more than 150 who apply to be on the yearbook staff, only 35 make it. Recruit athletes. Not only are they team players, but they are a great asset to the sports staff. Make sure girls are included, too. A big sports department made up of jocks is really a lot of fun! You can bet that Kennedy, Hall and Babb worked very hard to make journalism the “in” thing to do at their schools. A lot of energy is spent getting a program started, but once it is well on its way to success, it became self-perpetuating. There are some recruiting activities that must be done every year, but they take relatively little time once the publication has become the “in” place to be. Rob Melton would like to hear your ideas about recruiting, as well as ideas for future articles. He can be reached by mail at Benson Polytechnic High School, 546 N.E. 12th, Portland, OR 97232, or by e-mail at [email protected].
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “NOTHING BEATS SHEER BRAIN POWER.”
Recruit students who are on the honor roll. “Nothing beats sheer brain power,” said Jack Kennedy. They have already demonstrated they are capable of working hard to achieve a goal.
MAMA ALWAYS SAID, “KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY.”
Another way to recruit is to ask current staff members for recommendations. This can include friends, brothers and sisters. Judy Babb has staff members get two people they know to apply for staff. With 105 yearbook staff members, that generates a list of more than 150 excellent prospects to fill the 35
PAGE 3
Ideas for Publications RECRUITING
NOTES FROM THIS SESSION:
PAGE 4
