Corps Recruitment Guide
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This guide is a comprehensive overview of our recruitment target audiences, monthly recruitment process, and our bank of promotional materials. The guide includes a general timeline for recruitment, but the team should fill in specific dates each year.
The Corps Recruitment Guide includes detailed information about the hiring process, as well as a media kit with assets for recruitment. This manual provides a monthly breakdown of recruitment tasks, easy access to promotional materials, and important insights from past recruitment endeavors.
Recruitment Strategy
Look over the information below to see details about our overall recruitment strategy.
Target Audiences
The Corps Recruitment strategy encompasses three main target audiences: Ball State students, Ball State department heads and advisors, and high school guidance counselors and students. These audiences directly and secondarily influence potential Corps recruits, so we plan to appeal to these groups in unique ways.
Ball State students
Our primary target audience is Ball State students, specifically freshmen and sophomores, so that there’s a higher likelihood of the recruits working at the Corps for multiple years. We hire upperclassmen in special cases, but the Digital Corps focuses hiring efforts on first- and second-year students in hopes of retaining them until graduation.
We also target students in Corps-related departments so that their major interests and skills align with Digital Corps teams. Of course, the Corps doesn’t exclusively hire from technology- and media-related departments, but targeting those groups helps narrow the search. Applicable majors include:
Communication
- Advertising
- Communication Studies
- Creative Writing
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Public Relations
Design
- Animation
- Art (general)
- Graphic Arts Management
- Journalism Graphics
- Photography
- Visual Communication
Development
- Computer Information Systems
- Computer Science
- Cyber Security
- Data Analytics
Project Management
- Business Administration
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Human Resources Management
- Media Promotion and Management
User Experience
- Business Analytics
- Computer Science
- Data Analytics
- Psychology
- Visual Communication
Video
- Audio Production
- Multimedia Production
- Media (general)
- Video Production
Ball State Department Heads and Advisors
Our secondary target audience is Ball State Department Heads and Advisors, specifically those in applicable departments. Targeting faculty and staff can help promote the Corps to students seeking guidance from professors and advisors. Applicable departments include:
General
- Freshmen Advising
- Honors Advising
Communication
- Department of English
- Department of Marketing
- School of Journalism and Strategic Communication
Design
- School of Art
- School of Journalism and Strategic Communication
Development
- Department of Computer Science
Project Management
- Department of Management
- Department of Marketing
User Experience
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Psychological Science
- School of Art
Video
- Department of Media
High School Guidance Counselors and Students
Our tertiary target audience is high school guidance counselors and students, specifically those who have already been admitted to Ball State. We will reach out to a wide array of Indiana high school guidance counselors who can inform graduating seniors attending Ball State about the Digital Corps. See this list of high schools for more information.
Month by Month Outline
The outline below gives a month-by-month overview of tasks and deliverables necessary for a successful recruitment process each semester.
January
If hiring for the Spring semester, the Corps will have applications open during winter break to give applicants more time. Once the semester officially starts, The Corps will ramp up recruitment efforts.
Week 1
General Info
- Students are likely still on Winter Break.
- The deadline for applications should be one week after spring SuperParty.
To Do
- Previously scheduled hiring post goes out on applicable social media platforms.
- Check with CCIM about having a table for SuperParty.
- Contact professors and department heads about class visits for the first two weeks of Spring semester classes.
- Use the appropriate email copy template and professor email list.
- Be mindful of classes predominantly for upperclassmen.
Week 2
General Info
- Likely the students’ first week back on campus. Start ramping up recruitment efforts.
To Do
- Send out any Hire People site “interested applicant” emails.
- Promote open positions on the MUTT and Vertical Boards.
- Start reviewing applications and begin scheduling interviews.
Preparation
- Schedule and prepare for class visits.
- Coordinate with professors and note class times, locations, titles, and professor names.
- Call for volunteers to present based on Corps team and availability.
- Create a spreadsheet of important details and share that, as well as an instructive message about presenting for class visits, with the volunteers.
- Make sure everyone has access to the class visit presentations.
- Begin preparations for Spring SuperParty.
- Call for volunteers to promote the Corps at the event.
- Gather promotional materials (postcards, stickers, brochures, tablecloth) from the cabinet downstairs.
- Charge the iPad to collect email signups.
- Review Digital Corps recruitment talking points.
Week 3
To Do
- Continue reviewing applications and conducting interviews.
- Post another hiring post on applicable social media platforms.
- Post Slack reminders and send students on class visits.
- Present at SuperParty.
- Pass out promotional materials.
- Take email sign-ups.
- Send out “interested applicant” emails from SuperParty.
Week 4
To Do
- Conduct final round interviews.
- Hiring decisions should be made and emails sent out.
February
The bulk of the hiring process is finished for the semester, and new hires begin work at the Corps.
Week 1:
To Do:
- New hires attend Corpsientation and start work at the Corps.
- The Corps Recruitment team should take down hiring posters and make sure we’re no longer advertising positions on the MUTT and Vertical Boards.
March–May
Recruitment efforts are on pause until we pick up for Fall hiring.
Preparation
- Update the hiring website as well as promotional materials with new information.
- Design any new promotional materials, social media graphics, and MUTT/Vertical Board graphics.
June
Begin preparations for Fall hiring.
Week 1
Preparation
- Do an inventory of promotional materials (posters, postcards, stickers, brochures) and order more if necessary.
- Staff and the recruitment team should meet to touch base on hiring date specifics.
- Make sure we have a booth space for the activity fair.
- Review this recruitment guide and make any necessary updates.
July
The Digital Corps should intensify recruitment efforts through the beginning of the Fall semester.
Week 1
General Info
- Most students are still off campus for Summer Break.
To Do
- Hang posters in applicable campus buildings. See the “Posters” section of this guide for distribution information.
- Begin communicating with LLCs to hang posters in applicable dorms.
- Use the appropriate email template and LLC list.
- Staff should meet with the Corps Recruitment Team to finalize deadlines.
Preparation
- Start planning a booth for the Activity Fair.
- Discuss hiring considerations (which teams, how many students, etc).
Week 3
To Do
- Post a hiring graphic on applicable social media platforms.
Preparation
- Begin gathering promotional materials and table decor to promote the Corps at the Activity Fair during Welcome Week.
- In case students don’t work that week, be prepared to shift some hours for students the first week of classes. It may be easiest to have a Master or Specialist do this.
- Review Digital Corps recruitment talking points.
- Finalize which professors and department heads we want to target.
August
The bulk of the hiring process will happen in August and September. The Corps should be using the first few weeks to promote applications via social media and on-campus events.
Week 1
General Info
- Students are likely still on Summer Break.
- The deadline for applications should be one week after Fall SuperParty.
To Do
- The hiring website and career center link should be live and ready for people to apply.
- Contact professors and department heads about class visits the first and second weeks of classes.
- Use the appropriate email copy template and professor email list.
- Be mindful of classes predominantly for upperclassmen.
- Confirm volunteers, promotional materials, and table decorations for the Activity Fair.
- Confirm poster delivery to applicable dorms and LLCs.
Preparation
- Think about hiring expectations and requirements.
Week 2
General Info
- Classes most likely start in one week.
To Do
- Send out any Hire People site “interested applicant” emails
- Team Leads should finalize their hiring questions and expectations.
- Check with CCIM about having a table for SuperParty.
- Promote the Corps at the Activity Fair during Welcome Week.
- Post a hiring graphic on applicable social media platforms.
- Finalize class visits with professors.
- Coordinate with professors and note class times, locations, titles, and professor names.
Week 3
General Info
- Likely the first week of classes.
To Do
- Finalize student presenters for class visits.
- Call for volunteers to present based on Corps team and availability.
- Create a spreadsheet of important details (class times, locations, titles, and professor names) and share that, as well as an instructive message about presenting for class visits, with the volunteers.
- Make sure everyone has access to the appropriate class visit presentations.
- Start conducting first round interviews.
Preparation
- Begin preparations for Spring SuperParty.
- Call for volunteers to promote the Corps at the event.
- Gather promotional materials (postcards, stickers, brochures) from the cabinet downstairs.
- Charge the iPad to collect email signups.
- Review Digital Corps recruitment talking points.
Week 4
To Do
- Continue conducting interviews.
- Present at SuperParty.
- Pass out promotional materials.
- Take email sign-ups.
- Talk about Digital Corps recruitment talking points.
- Send out any Hire People site “interested applicant” emails from SuperParty.
September
The interviewing and hiring process happens during the first half of the month. New hires should be hired and welcomed in the second half.
Week 1
To Do
Continue reviewing applications and conducting first round interviews.
Week 2
To Do
- Conduct final round interviews.
- Hiring decisions should be made and emails sent out.
Week 3
To Do
- New hires attend Corpsientation and start work at the Corps.
- The Corps Recruitment team should take down hiring posters and make sure we’re no longer advertising positions on the MUTT and Vertical boards.
Week 3
- Recruitment is on pause until we pick up hiring efforts for the Spring Semester.
October
Recruitment is on pause until we pick up hiring efforts for the Spring Semester.
General Tasks
- Update the hiring website as well as promotional materials with new information.
- Design any new promotional materials, social media graphics, and MUTT/Vertical Board graphics.
November
If hiring for the Spring semester, recruitment efforts should start mid-November to plan outreach campaigns and develop promotional materials.
Week 1
To Do
- Contact professors and department heads requesting class visits for the last weeks of Fall semester classes.
- Use the appropriate email copy template and professor email list.
- Note: Be mindful of classes predominantly for upperclassmen.
Preparation
- Do an inventory of promotional materials (posters, postcards, stickers, brochures) and order more if necessary.
- Staff and the Corps Recruitment team should meet to touch base on hiring date specifics.
- Discuss hiring considerations (which teams, how many students, etc).
Week 2
To Do
- Finalize class visits with professors and student presenters.
- Coordinate with professors and note class times, locations, titles, and professor names.
- Call for volunteers to present based on Corps team and availability.
- Create a spreadsheet of important details (class times, locations, titles, and professor names) and share that, as well as an instructive message about presenting for class visits, with the volunteers.
- Make sure everyone has access to the applicable class visit presentations.
Preparation
- Check with CCIM about having a table for Spring SuperParty.
Week 3
General Info
- This is likely Thanksgiving Break week, so students will have fewer hours.
To Do
- Conduct class visits.
- Hang posters (see the “Posters” section of this guide for more information).
Week 4
To Do
- Conduct class visits.
December
If hiring for the Spring semester, the Corps will have applications open during winter break to give applicants more time.
Week 1
To Do
- The hiring website and career center link should be live and ready for people to apply.
- Post hiring graphics on applicable social media platforms and schedule the remaining recruitment content to be posted over Winter Break.
Week 2
General Info
Likely the last week of classes or finals for the semester.
To Do
- Post hiring graphics on applicable social media platforms.
Week 3
To Do
- Team Leads finalize their hiring requirements and interview questions.
Preparation
- Recruitment will continue at the beginning of the Spring Semester.
Promotional Materials
We have a variety of promotional materials for Corps recruitment. This section provides key information about ordering, distributing, and using these materials, as well as links to the designs.
Posters
The Digital Corps has a general poster design and a design for each team, all with different options for the main figure on the poster. We hang posters all over campus and send them to relevant dorms and LLCs to recruit applicants.
See our bank of poster designs.
Printing
Be sure to leave ample time for poster printing before the desired hanging deadline. We typically order from the BSU Print Center in Robert Bell. Talk to a Design Team Lead about the printing process.
Distribution Notes
Public Campus Buildings
Follow this list of applicable campus buildings and their corresponding teams to hang posters.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Extras kept on the “Comm Team” shelf of the storage cabinet downstairs.
- Some buildings, like Ball Communications, don’t have as many bulletin boards.
- Be mindful of bulletin boards designated for specific offices or departments. Only hang posters on public boards in applicable locations.
- There are only 3 public bulletin boards in the Student Center, but we cannot hang them ourselves. Visit Room 224 to deliver them to the appropriate person for approval and distribution.
- It may be useful to have students taking team-related classes distribute posters for their team since they know the most-trafficked classrooms and areas of a building.
Dorms and LLCs
The Corps should contact LLCs and asked for permission to send them Corps hiring posters. The LLCs will respond with the numbers of posters they want, then we send them off. We do not physically hang the dorm posters.
Follow this list of dorms and LLCs and their corresponding teams.
Additional Print Materials
We also have post cards, stickers, brochures, a vertical display, and a tablecloth on the “Comm Team shelf” in the storage cabinet downstairs.
See our bank of additional promotional material designs.
Printing
Be sure to leave ample time to order and print new promotional materials before the desired distribution deadline. Talk to a Design Team Lead about the printing process.
Email Messaging
Part of our recruitment efforts involve reaching out to professors, department heads, and interested students via email. Follow the monthly guide to see which people to message and when.
See our bank of email messaging resources:
- Professors and Departments:
- Student Email Copy
- Comm Center Email Copy
Social Media Graphics
We have a variety of designed social media content to promote open jobs at the Corps during recruitment seasons.
See our bank of social media recruitment graphics.
Class Visit Presentations
Visiting Corps-related classes helps recruit students interested in media and technology. We have a general class visit presentation and presentations specific to each Corps team.
See our bank of class visit presentations.
The Digital Corps recruitment and hiring process may change a bit year-to-year. We can adapt our timelines and strategies to meet our hiring needs. Good luck, and happy hiring!
