Sorority recruitment is like applying for a job: you send in your resume and then go through rounds of introductions….mini interviews! You need a Social Resume. An academic/professional resume does not provide the details alumnae and chapters will need when evaluating you for potential sisterhood.
What is a social resume?
While GPA is extremely important during sorority recruitment, chapters want to know what makes you you!
To do this, sorority houses tap into their vast alumnae network. An alumna will write a formal recommendation on behalf of a PNM. (Recommendations are oftentimes called “recs”.) The alumnae use official forms available to alumnae on the sorority’s website or from Panhellenic at your college. This form, once completed, is then sent to the sorority house.
Your Social Resume Contains the Information the Alumna Will Need to Write Your Rec!
Tip: The sorority house will see your social resume. The alumnae send it in as a secondary validation that the information is correct.
OH….and there’s this….
Chapters will use your social resume during recruitment week as a tool to get to know you during party rounds.
Houses will use your social resume during recruitment week to pair you with sisters who have your common interest!
Example: My daughter was on a crew team….she was a rower. When she walked into the Delta Gamma house at the University of Kentucky, one of the sisters she was introduced to during party rounds was a …..rower! Surprised? We weren’t. She knew the weight her social resume carried.
What to Include in Your Social Resume
The items in bold are the dividers in your resume – bold them or make them a different color to differentiate the areas of your social resume.
PRO TIP: The information below are not guidelines…they are necessary for the alumna to write your rec!
- Personal Information: Start here on the header…
Your first, middle and last name. Include nickname, if applicable.
Your home address, cell phone number, and email address.
Oh…and your date of birth. All sorority recs require this! - Education Information: Include….
The name of the college or university you will attend.
The address and phone number of your college.
The name and address of your high school.
Your GPA, class rank, and ACT or SAT score.
(NOTE: If your school does rank students, you must say on your social resume “my school does not rank.” Otherwise, the alumna will have to call you to ask, and you NEVER want the alumna to have to seek you out for information! Smart PNMs get great recs because they know in advance what is needed on their social resumes. - Social and School Involvement: Name every club or extracurricular you participated in during high school!
- Community Outreach: This is where you list your volunteer endeavors. If you tracked your cumulative volunteer hours, add it here! This is also where you would add your religious organization involvement.
- Hobbies & Interest: What do you like to do? Where have you traveled? Example: We live in Florida, and my daughter listed that she loved summers at Camp Greystone in North Carolina. Why? It was an unusual experience for a Florida girl, true. But more importantly, the camp is non-regional in terms of where campers hailed from, so there was a chance one of the girls in one of the houses would be familiar with Greystone.
Always list something you did over the summer between graduation & Recruitment Week. This will launch a topic of conversation during Party Rounds. Did you have an internship or a summer job? List it! Did your family travel to Chicago, Europe or go camping? LIST THIS. You don’t have to go on an expensive European vacation to have an interesting travel topic! Braving the rain in a 3 day camp-out in Tupelo warrants a fun and lively conversation! - Family Information: And….
You will need to list the first and last name of your parent(s)
Note where they attended high school and college
Their military service
Their respective hometowns
Their occupations
NONE of this information should be excluded. Otherwise, the alumna will have to call/text you for the information. Make it easy on the alumna- provide it straight away! - Family Greek Affiliations: Did you have family members who were Greek? List ’em! Make sure you list their full names, the name of the sorority, the college, and whether or not they are actives or alumnae. If your family member was an officer of the chapter, LIST THAT!
Here are examples of how to list
Family Greek Affiliations:
Pro Tip: If you are a sorority legacy, this is where you list that connection! (PS- make sure you check out What is a Sorority Legacy AND Why Sororities Cut Legacies!)
Aunt, Megan Morningdove, Delta Gamma, Florida State University (alumna)
Second Cousin, Kaley Smith, Phi Mu, Mercer University (active)
Grandmother, Joy Bundles, Alpha Xi Delta, President 1967-1968 Auburn University (alumna)
Uncle, Floyd Franston, Sigma Nu, University of Mississippi (alumnus)
Mother’s Cousin, Tricia Patel, Pi Beta Phi, University of Alabama (alumna)
What if your parents weren’t in Greek organizations during college?
Not everyone finds Greek organizations their cup of tea. Not every parent attended college.
That’s ok!
While you are breaking in your Jack Rogers
Are you parents active in church? The PTA? Garden Club? A Supper Club? A golf group? Boy/Girl Scout leader?? List these no matter how ridiculous it seems!
Examples of Non-Greek Parental Activity
Listing activities your family members enjoy demonstrates that your parents/family members understand what it means to give back to others AND/OR maintain friendships. If your parents are still building social foundations, look at your grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.
Mother, Susie Sunshine, Lakesville, AL Garden Club Member – current
Father, John Sunshine, Cub Scout Den Leader – 2016-2017
Mother, Susie Sunshine, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States– current
Grandmother, Lilly Love, Lakesville United Methodist Church Cookbook Committee – 1975-1976
Sister, Sarah Sunshine, Lakesville Wounded Warriors Project 5K Volunteer – 2019
Brother, Sonny Sunshine, Homeless Helpers Board Member, 2017-2018
Grandfather, Daniel , Catholic War Veterans Group Member – current
Here’s why this is IMPORTANT:
Your goal: To demonstrate to chapters that your family values relationships and giving back to others.
PRO TIP: If you parent, grandparent, etc. was in the military…LIST THIS! And, if they are active in veterans groups, by all means put this on paper! Service to this great country is the ultimate “give back”.
Your Header for Non-Greek Family Affiliations
So, you are going to list family member that are not Greek – YES!
Your header should look something like this on your social resume:
Family Social, Civic, Philanthropic and Military Affiliations
Is you parent an HOA board member? List it. Are they part of the Hospitality Team at their workplace? List it.
Was your Grandmother on the church cookbook committee? List it. Was your Uncle head of the Cub Scout troop for your cousin? Yep, list that too!
If you have a question, please comment below!
SHOP FOR RECRUITMENT
Before you start Packing for Sorority Rush, make sure you check out Sorority Party Rounds and Cuts!
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