Membership Officer - First Steps: Difference between revisions
m BethWeiss moved page Membership Officer - First Steps to Membership Officer - First Steps: Make it less obligatory |
m Reworked to make more actionable, less wordy, less repetitive. Renamed to "First Steps" |
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== Purpose == | == Purpose == | ||
Your first | Your first days are about understanding how things work — not fixing everything. | ||
The goal is to get oriented, build connections, and | == Focus == | ||
The initial goal is to get oriented, build connections, and identify essential tasks. | |||
Success in this phase means you feel oriented, not overwhelmed. | Success in this phase means you feel oriented, not overwhelmed. | ||
== | == First Steps == | ||
=== Understand Your Role === | |||
* Review your role page (e.g., [[Membership Officer]]) and its [[Membership Officer - Role Overview|Role Overview]] | |||
=== Connect with Key People === | === Connect with Key People === | ||
* Schedule a [[Membership Officer - Handoff]], if the previous Membership Office is available | * Schedule a [[Membership Officer - Handoff]], if the previous Membership Office is available | ||
** If there isn't a handoff, find out if and how new members are initially contacted | |||
* [[Membership Officer - Working with Local Leadership]] | * [[Membership Officer - Working with Local Leadership]] | ||
| Line 40: | Line 38: | ||
* Ensure you can search the [[Member Directory]] | * Ensure you can search the [[Member Directory]] | ||
=== | === Access Chapter Tools === | ||
* Chapter communication channels (e.g., Facebook, Meetup, Discord) | * Chapter communication channels (e.g., Facebook, Meetup, Discord) | ||
* How to access the Local Group file repository, if the Local Group uses one | * How to access the Local Group file repository, if the Local Group uses one | ||
== By Day 30, You Should Have Clarity == | == By Day 30, You Should Have Clarity == | ||
You should have a basic understanding of: | You should have a basic understanding of: | ||
* How members are [[Welcoming New Members|welcomed]] and communicated with | * How new members are [[Welcoming New Members|welcomed]] and communicated with | ||
* Who is responsible for what locally | * Who is responsible for what locally | ||
* What tools and systems are used | * What tools and systems are used | ||
| Line 82: | Line 52: | ||
* Who your key points of contact are | * Who your key points of contact are | ||
== What | == What is Not Part of First Steps == | ||
* | * Redesigning systems | ||
* | * Launching new programs | ||
* | * Fixing long-standing issues | ||
== Common Pitfalls == | == Common Pitfalls == | ||
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Once you feel oriented, move to: | Once you feel oriented, move to: | ||
* [[Membership Officer - Next | * [[Membership Officer - Next Steps]] | ||
== Related == | == Related == | ||
Revision as of 15:15, 12 April 2026
New to the role? Start here. You don’t need to do everything at once.
Purpose
Your first days are about understanding how things work — not fixing everything.
Focus
The initial goal is to get oriented, build connections, and identify essential tasks.
Success in this phase means you feel oriented, not overwhelmed.
First Steps
Understand Your Role
- Review your role page (e.g., Membership Officer) and its Role Overview
Connect with Key People
- Schedule a Membership Officer - Handoff, if the previous Membership Office is available
- If there isn't a handoff, find out if and how new members are initially contacted
- Membership Officer - Working with Local Leadership
- Ask the LocSec to have membership@localgroup.us.mensa.org redirected to your email address
- Understand the geographic area of your Local Group
- Attend your first ExComm meeting
- Ask how what type and how often local leadership would like new member events to occur
- Ask if local leadership reaches out to new members as well as the Membership Officer doing so
- Membership Officer - Working with Area Coordinators
- If your Local Group has Area Coordinators, send an email introducing yourself to each one
- Membership Officer - Working with the Editor
- Contact the Newsletter Editor to clarify submission deadlines and the preferred method and format for content submission
Access the Membership Tools Available on the National Website
- Ensure your credentials allow you to access:
- Local Group Reports
- Email My Members Tool
- Mensa Connect Membership Officer Community
- Ensure you can search the Member Directory
Access Chapter Tools
- Chapter communication channels (e.g., Facebook, Meetup, Discord)
- How to access the Local Group file repository, if the Local Group uses one
By Day 30, You Should Have Clarity
You should have a basic understanding of:
- How new members are welcomed and communicated with
- Who is responsible for what locally
- What tools and systems are used
- What recurring tasks exist
- Who your key points of contact are
What is Not Part of First Steps
- Redesigning systems
- Launching new programs
- Fixing long-standing issues
Common Pitfalls
- Trying to fix everything immediately
- Assuming previous volunteers did things “wrong”
- Overcommitting early
- Not asking questions
If You Feel Overwhelmed
That’s normal.
Focus on:
- One task at a time
- Asking for help
- Keeping things simple
Next Step
Once you feel oriented, move to: