Recruitment Round-Up with Anthony Patrick
What PNMs Need to Know for Recruitment
Featuring Anthony Patrick
By Lidia Marusic
Nothing says welcome back to the Farmer School of Business like the buzzing of upperclassmen in Forsythe Commons at Meet the B-Orgs, trying to pitch their clubs to new prospective members. The start of a fresh semester in FSB means the start of recruitment season for Miami’s business fraternities as well. If you’re looking for an opportunity to learn and showcase new skills, a brotherhood of ambitious and diverse peers, and a business advantage for life, then Pi Sigma Epsilon is the place for you. In this post, learn more about the meaning and process of PSE recruitment in an interview with our very own Vice President of Recruitment, Anthony Patrick.
Q: Good afternoon Anthony. How are you doing today?
A: You know what, I got some good news this afternoon so I’m feeling really good right now.
Q: Ok, awesome! We’re going to get started off nice and easy. Could you tell me a little about yourself and your position in PSE?
A: Yeah, I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland. Pretty much ever since I could practically crawl, I’ve always been really inquisitive, just kind of asking questions and using humor to connect with people. I think more than anything what makes “Anthony Patrick” is really this deep desire to connect with the world and people within it.
That’s what naturally drew me to PSE -- I saw wherever people in this chapter went, they left a piece of themselves. So I thought, “Ooh, I kind of like that.” That’s what really inspired me to join the fraternity and also become director of recruitment. In that position, you are the bridge between people and making sure they have the opportunity to showcase the legacy.
I would say my job is not to sell PSE because the chapter does that well on its own. My job is to make sure that everyone knows their potential and that we as a community can evolve into the next generation of Gamma Gamma.
Q: That’s awesome, and I just love how you summarized that you're not just trying to sell PSE but you are trying to see what everyone can bring to the table. So, how does having a strong recruitment tie into PSE’s values or pillars?
A: Yeah, absolutely. I think one of the things as director of recruitment that I learned early on was that you are kind of the face or the first introduction to potential new members. And so, I realized there was this huge accountability on my end to make sure, “Hey, am I actually doing what I am preaching to these PNMs?” I think recruitment has the ability to really set the tone for this next class and for who we are.
For me, really understanding and embodying the PSE values lets PNMs know this is really who we are and that this isn’t just a nice little marketing strategy to entice you. It's about who we are as a reflection of the community we want to be and we want to attract. I think being very conscious of the values and growing in the values sets the tone for not just the recruitment season but also for this class that will ultimately receive their bid.
Q: Right, right. How does the recruitment process work for PSE, just to kind of give PNMs an idea of how it goes?
A: So, the formal recruitment process is two weeks and it starts with a first round interview. That interview kind of replicates what you would experience in the real business world if you were applying for an internship or position, and the whole point is to kind of develop a nice foundation of who you are.
For students who are selected to progress to our secondary phase, that involves a Meet the Chapter event and our second round interview. Meet the Chapter is just that -- meeting the chapter and an opportunity to be immersed with members of our community. It's a good opportunity to really say, “This is who we are outside of just FSB. This is who we are in a personable and authentic setting.” And then second round interviews are more about exploring the genius you already know you have. It is about seeing how you think, how you embrace creativity, and also how you have a little fun with that as well.
Really, after that, you can sit down, take a deep breath because you’ve done your part. Now, we’re going to make sure on our end to make the decision. On that next Sunday, you may see Bid Day and my smiling face outside your door saying, “Hey! It’s me again. Welcome!” At its core, that's the formal recruitment process.
Q: Are there any changes this semester in how PSE is recruiting?
A: There are also the steps that occur prior to those two weeks, which is the community engagement section. That’s where we have our information sessions, which are an opportunity to learn about the chapter in a more personable setting but also to see us in a semi-informal setting. Info nights are more about introducing who we are.
This year, I am also introducing workshops as an opportunity to showcase what a typical opportunity led by students in PSE looks like for our current members and for our prospective members. So, that involves one for professional development interviewing skills, conveniently placed right before interviews. Coincidence? We also have one for DE&I. What makes our community our community is that no two people are just alike, and so I think diversity is not simply how many people with differences you can spot but also how well you actually foster those differences to create a very unique impact.
Q: Yeah, thank you for highlighting those changes that are new this semester with the workshops because I am excited for the PNMs and even our current members to get to experience that. Now let’s shift over a little bit to the PNMS. Why should anyone want to join PSE?
A: Yeah, so I got asked this question for two days back to back, so I’ve got my answer down! You know, I mentioned early that my job is not to sell you PSE but my job is to let you know how amazing you are. The truth of the matter is, I’ve learned, going on almost a year being Director of Recruitment, that our PNMs are extremely impressive and extremely capable. And so, I always tell PNMs, “You want to join a community that makes sure you not only can meet that potential but also redefine that potential.” I see business fraternities and communities like them asking ways to really redefine what it means to be you, explore your inner greatness, but also create an impact that’s far beyond just simply our everyday scope of life. Create an impact that lasts even when you leave.
So what I think specifically about PSE, I think number one, we are very legacy oriented in the sense that we want to create an impact and instill a sense of value, so that even when we’re gone, this exponential impact keeps growing and growing. I think number two is that when you look at us for “marketing and sales,” I don’t see that as our official title but as what we specialized and pursued early on. The recognition of value and the ability to instill value and keep the values growing is now our very unique PSE attribute. We are the ones who know their values and want to explore their values while also instilling value in others. That’s the power of the business fraternity community and PSE as a whole.
Q: Yes, I love how you described that. So, what does PSE look for in potential candidates? What are the main things we look for?
A: We don’t look for perfection. I think people have the conception that you’ve got to have everything down. You don’t. The reality is, we in a sense are looking for imperfection. I want to see someone who’s extremely curious, doesn’t even need to know what they want to do necessarily. We want to see the value that someone is very self-aware in the sense that they have the choice of what they want to do or what they don’t want to do yet, but they also know that they want to be and achieve something great. That kind of goes to ambition as well.
But I think also, more than anything, authenticity. We can teach you every skill you need or that you want to know, I like to say, but only you can tell your story and tell us who you are. In a sense, we are looking for stories, and those stories are going to carry on the PSE legacy.
Q: Yeah, I have definitely experienced that because I joined sophomore year instead of our freshman year. Going through the process was great for me at that time because at that point I was ready to take that step and explore what I could do. So next, obviously there are interview questions that PNMs must answer during recruitment. Do you have a favorite question from a past recruitment season? Just to give a little sneak peek to our PNMs out there.
A: Yeah I would say, I have two - one from a first and second-round interview. My first question that I didn’t get asked but we asked this last year was, “What are the leadership qualities that define you as a leader?” And, I love the emphasis on “you” versus what you think are leadership qualities in general, because I’ve learned that leadership looks very different and embodies itself in someone in many different ways. That first-round question is about knowing your story because I already know what leadership qualities are in a nutshell but I want to know what makes you a very unique leader.
The second question for the second round interview was, “Would you rather have infinite knowledge, wisdom or patience? And I love that there was no right answer to that. That’s the essence of the second-round interview. We are not looking for the right answer but for your extremely authentic answer and how you would answer, while having a little fun with it too.
Q: And finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for potential new members who are looking to join PSE?
A: I think the biggest advice I would give is, simply, there is no one more you than you. Own that and showcase that. Don’t try to give the answers you think I want to hear and don’t try to be me or anyone else. Be you and showcase that. Show your imperfections, not for us to judge you, but to say, “Here are the areas I am ready to redefine myself in.” I think if you do all that, I will see you at your New Member GBM!
The entire Gamma Gamma chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon can’t wait to see PNMs come out to our recruitment events and showcase what they can bring to our community. Be sure to check out our website and social media for all updates on the recruitment schedule!