Recruiting Guidelines

The following guidelines are suggestions from which you can develop your own approach. Your objective is to stimulate environmental engineers and students to apply for one of the three membership categories: BCEE/BCEEM, Member, or Student. For BCEEs and BCEEMs, the application process is on a one-year cycle because of the testing process. Applications for these categories are due by March 31 each year. For Members and Students, applications can be submitted all year. For 2010, there is a Membership Drive Stimulus Package that will reward you depending on how many people you can stimulate to apply before March 31, 2010. See the Stimulus Package link on the AAEE website for more information. Here are several things you can do to help the Academy:

1. You can spread the word in your Sponsoring Organization. Almost every member of AAEE is also a member of an AAEE Sponsoring Organization. There are twelve Sponsoring Organizations, the largest of which are ASCE, APWA, WEF and AWWA. You can help spread the word about the Academy in your local and regional chapter meetings and through their websites and e-mail systems. The Academy can provide you with handouts for local/regional meetings you attend and give you a script for making a brief announcement about joining the Academy. Please email jcava@aaee.net with any e-mail lists you are able to secure and to request handouts.

2. You can encourage colleagues individually. Take 5 minutes a week to place a call to a colleague between now and early March. Set a time on your calendar as a reminder. Emphasize that there are membership categories designed to serve environmental engineers at all stages of their careers. Point them to http://www.aaee.net/ and use the Make a Difference announcement (located here) and About the Academy (located here) to give them information about what the Academy does and membership categories. Urge them to also invite their colleagues. Over the years personal contact has been found to be the most effective recruiting approach.

3. You can encourage groups of people by using e-mail. Construct an e-mail that has your own touch and distribute it to people in your workplace and your professional organization who you think would be good candidates. Attach some of the recruiting materials attached to this e-mail. Offer to help them understand the membership categories and how to apply. For example, if you are e-mailing potential BCEEs or BCEEMs, attach the Member Benefits for BCEEs and BCEEMs file (located here) available from the AAEE website. Try to do several of these types of e-mails before March 1. Send a reminder in February as the time draws near to get applications in (Due March 31, 2010). A sample e-mail (located here) is available for you to personalize.

4. You can request your CEO to send a letter to staff. A sample letter (located here) is available on the AAEE website for you to personalize.