#ztatlc

[ztafraternity]

The LC Interview Process: After You’ve Clicked “Submit”

By Kaelin Beaty, 2017–2018 Leadership Consultant (@uncczta)

So you finally clicked “submit” on your Leadership Consultant application… now what? It’s time to prepare for interviews! The interview process to become a #ZTALC is dynamic because it includes both a video group interview and an in-person interview. Below, you’ll find my personal experience with the LC interview process and a few tips!

Pictured: Kaelin and Caylee Henderson pose for a photo during their in-person LC interviews before both being hired for the position.

The Video Group Interview

Selected applicants start with a group interview with two or three other candidates via video call in January. The group interview is conducted by the Director of Field Operations, who oversees the Leadership Consultant program. She’ll ask you and the other candidates a few questions each. I felt this was my opportunity to not only elaborate on my application, but to also showcase my personality and excitement for becoming an LC! In my group interview, the interviewer asked me to expand on my resume and application. She asked me about my year as President of my chapter, about my experience at the AFLV Central conference and other general questions that allowed her to get to know me better. (An LOL moment: I had bronchitis during my video interview and had to mute the microphone every time I coughed!)

Pictured: Kaelin was part of the LC team that helped start our chapter at Boise State

The In-Person Interview

After all video group interviews are conducted, selected candidates are invited to in-person interviews at International Office in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. I can easily say, the in-person interview was my absolute favorite part of the process! I was able to visit IO for a weekend, meet other potential LCs, and interact with many IO staff members and volunteers. The in-person interview is a day-long interview that consists of three parts: case studies, a presentation and a one-on-one interview with Executive Director Meghan Vicinus Parker.

Case Studies

Candidates are given case studies to review and complete before the in-person interview weekend. The case studies describe an often-relatable situation that could occur on any chapter visit, and candidates answer questions to help resolve or rectify the situation. At my in-person interview, I discussed my resolution to the situation with two ZTA IO staff members. The case studies are a great opportunity to prove your problem-solving ability, which is an important skill of a ZTA LC!

Presentation

Candidates are paired up at the beginning of the day and have a few hours to develop a presentation on a topic of their choice. The topics are unique to ZTA collegiate life and relate to recruitment, sisterhood, Crown Chapter criteria and more. My partner at my in-person interview is now a #ZTALC, too! (Shout out to Maddie Walling!) We chose to do our presentation on sisterhood and membership retention. It was so fun to use our creativity in making our presentation.

One-on-one Interview with Mrs. Parker

The third part of the in-person interview is an opportunity unlike any other: a one-on-one with the ZTA Executive Director! This interview is your time to express why you chose to apply to be an LC and how you can make a difference in the job. This gives Mrs. Parker a chance to learn more about who you are and what qualities you would bring that would make you a great LC. It’s an opportunity for her to ensure that being an LC is the right move for you and for you to ask questions to learn more about what it’s like to serve the Fraternity on a national level.

Pictured: The 2017–2018 Leadership Consultants are a great team!

Now that I’ve covered the logistics of the interview process, I want to share some of the best advice I can give to prepare you for an LC interview. 

Be yourself. It’s cliché, but this is the most important advice I can give.

Reflect on your ZTA experience. Think back on the reasons you are applying to be an LC.

Get to know the other candidates. They could be your future #ZTALC sisters!

If you haven’t applied to be a ZTA LC yet, you should! Sending in that LC application just might be your next best move….

[thenoblestrawberry]

My Sister, My Responsibility: Sisterhood, Safety and Support

This weekend I spent Friday and Saturday at The Ohio State University being trained as a facilitator for ZTA’s Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP), which focuses on strategies for reducing risks associated with drinking. I was incredibly happy to be trained on this program and for the opportunity to facilitate it in the future. As a consultant, I have seen, firsthand, the impact our educational programs can have within a chapter and amongst individual members. Often, our programs challenge members to think beyond the present, to adopt empathetic methods of working and communicating with each other, and to develop a better understanding of the topic at hand.

That being said, the development and presentation of many ZTA programs wouldn’t be possible without the support of the  Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation, ZTA’s philanthropic branch. In addition to their breast cancer education and awareness efforts, they also fund educational and leadership development programs that enrich chapters across the country. Our programs go beyond supporting each other when times are good; in fact, they focus even more on personal growth and supporting each other when times are tough, a tenet of true friendship and maturity. The impact of the Foundation’s support is incredibly far-reaching, and perhaps the biggest reason I am proud to call myself a Zeta.

While ASTP may be new to me, the training session made me reflect on another program I presented at chapters during the 2015-2016 school year. And this past summer at Convention, I was given the opportunity to speak about the impact I saw while facilitating said program...

“So, I’m sure that most of you are familiar with what a TLC does: we assist with formal recruitment, rituals, leadership development, general chapter operations; but this past year on the road, we were also given a unique opportunity to present one of ZTA’s newest programs at chapters across the country, titled, “My Sister, My Responsibility: Sisterhood, Safety and Support.” The program, which addresses the topic of sexual assault, teaches chapter members about the importance of being an active bystander in social settings, and creating an inclusive and supportive sisterhood for everyone, and especially those who are survivors of sexual assault.

I presented the program 9 times last year, and from Oregon, to Massachusetts, to Georgia, I met Zetas who said the program completely changed their point of view or opened their eyes to the ­­importance of being a supportive sister. And overall, I think chapters were grateful that the topic was opened up for them, because many of them told me they would be focusing on becoming a more compassionate and understanding chapter, and really push their members to take care of each other when they’re at social events.

Now, to be honest, many of us were a little nervous about presenting this program for the first time; sexual assault can be a hard topic to address, and we weren’t sure what type of reactions we’d receive. But consistently, from chapter to chapter, and coast to coast, we were so proud to see our collegiate ZTAs fully engaged with the topic and the program. Personally, I was really moved by some of the discussions that I heard, and the outpouring of love and support that I saw within chapters, during the program. It really reminded me that we have such an amazing sisterhood within ZTA; one filled with people who truly care about each other.

And for the reason, I am incredibly grateful for the support of the ZTA Foundation; without their dedication to education and membership enrichment, MSMR: Sisterhood, Safety and Support, and programs like it, would not have been possible. Thank you!”

[thenoblestrawberry]

Phi Chapter at Duke University

My first recruitment visit of the spring semester was with the lovely ladies of Phi Chapter at Duke University! I was so excited to visit one of our oldest chapters, see their beautiful campus, and do a bit of traveling, since I was stationed at Seton Hall University with our new Lambda Xi Chapter for most of the fall semester. Four rounds and two weekends of recruitment later, and Phi Chapter finally welcomed home 39 awesome New Members! Click the photos for captions!

The ladies also gave me a personalized tour of their historic campus, introduced me to tenting (school spirit at its finest!), and made sure I got to a Kendra Scott store so I could get my January birthday discount. 😉 All-in-all: a great visit! And now, more than ever, I am pumped up for Lambda Xi’s first recruitment next weekend! Woohoo!

More to come. ZLAM.

[ztafraternity]

Isn’t it funny how things work out?

By Ashley Amoss, former Leadership Consultant (@lsuzetataualpha)

If you would have told my 18-year-old self that I would join a sorority, serve on my chapter’s Executive Committee, and then choose to work for the national organization after graduation, I would have said you were crazy. I was an athlete. A musical theater nerd. “Sorority” wasn’t my thing.

Isn’t it funny how things work out?

Pictured: Ashley (middle) and her fellow Leadership Consultants always made time to laugh

I still remember the day I walked through the doors of the ZTA house at LSU with no clue how it would change my life forever. I think the thing we all underestimate when we join ZTA is that, at the end of the day, it’s about relationships. It is the relationships that push us to be the best versions of ourselves. The relationships change us for the better. The relationships make us stay when times get tough. It was those relationships that pushed me to apply for a job that I didn’t even know existed. A job that would alter the course of my life. The job of a Zeta Tau Alpha Leadership Consultant.

Pictured: Ashley (middle) poses on the front lawn of the LSU ZTA house with friends.

During my time as a Leadership Consultant, I visited more than 30 chapters in 29 states. I learned to work with people from all different backgrounds and how to think on my feet to solve a problem. I learned the importance of goal setting and communication. I helped recruit members, market and sell our brand, develop leaders and, most importantly, form relationships.

Those relationships with future and current doctors, lawyers, higher education professionals, broadcast personalities, and marketing and PR gurus helped me land my current job as a Digital Media Videographer and Photographer for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans.

Pictured: Ashley doing her thing at the NBA Draft

You might ask, “How do the two correlate?” Well, the skills I learned from being a consultant are not specific to any career. They are life skills that apply to every facet of life. Being a consultant prepared me for leading a task force to improve morale and retention in the workplace, presenting an idea to my company, and having the confidence to work with superstars like Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins and Drew Brees.

As a videographer for the Saints and Pelicans, I have been given the opportunity to do amazing things. I have visited the Great Wall in China, produced a full-length documentary, covered the NBA All-Star Game and the ESPYs, and traveled all over the country for games. My coworkers always joke with me when we visit different cities because I always know someone there. My job gives me the opportunity to visit with Zetas all over that I developed relationships with when I was a consultant.

Isn’t it funny how things work out?

Pictured: Ashley takes a break from working to pose at the Great Wall

I always think back to something my mentor Dianne Rube told me and my friends when I was in college. She said, “ZTA is a funny thing. The more you give it, the more it gives you. It’s so much more than four years. Your collegiate ZTA journey is just the beginning. Stay involved after you graduate. The relationships that you make will stay with you for the rest of your life.”

My first visit as a consultant was to The University of Alabama. As a proud @lsuzetataualpha graduate, I remember thinking, “This has to be a joke.” But you see, again I underestimated the power of relationships. Five years later, I happily serve as the Membership Advisor for @alabamazta.

Pictured: Ashley and the Nu Chapter delegates pose with their awards at Convention 2016

Here’s the thing: life is unpredictable. I have tried to plan it out multiple times and I always come up short. But I think that’s the point. I would have never guessed in a million years that being an LC would help land and prepare me for my dream job. I would have never predicted that after I left my collegiate chapter and best friends at LSU that I would go on to meet more amazing people and love other chapters just as much as my own. Joining ZTA might have changed my life, but being a consultant and forming relationships during that time shaped my life.

Are you skeptical of what this job will do for you or questioning if this is the right choice in your career path? Don’t. Take it from me. This experience is invaluable. It will give you a leg up on your competition in the workforce. It will make you a more attractive graduate, medical or law school student. It will give you friends and connections that will last a lifetime. It will be the most rewarding experience of your life.

Knowing where I am today and thinking back, I can’t help but smile and think, “Wow, isn’t it funny how things work out?”

LC applications are due Dec. 1, 2017. Learn more and apply by clicking here.

[thenoblestrawberry]

I don't know if I could ever really, truly capture all of the fun, the challenges, the personal growth, and the friendships that come from a year (or two) spent traveling for Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, but I tried.

Here's a glimpse into my second year as a Traveling Leadership Consultant! 👑

For my non-sorority/non-ZTA friends and family, I've included a small key below, in case you're wondering what certain words or acronyms mean throughout the video. Cheers!

Zeta Tau Alpha - My sorority! :-) Zeta Tau Alpha, also know as "ZTA" or "Zeta," is an international women's fraternity, with 169 active chapters at colleges and universities across the country.

TLC - What's a TLC? I am! TLC stands for "Traveling Leadership Consultant." A TLC is a recent graduate who devotes full time to ZTA responsibilities, traveling throughout the school year, and visiting collegiate chapters.

DNCH ("This is what a DNCH looks like!") - This stands for "Director of New Chapters." A DNCH is a ZTA alumna who volunteers her time to oversee and supervise a new colony/chapter of ZTA.

Chapter - The local group of ZTA on a campus, with designated Greek letters in their name to differentiate between groups (i.e. Lambda Lambda, Lambda Xi, and Phi).

Colony - When a new ZTA group is formed, they are first called a "colony," until they've met the requirements to become an official chapter. Before they are installed as a chapter, they are simply referred to as the " *Insert School Name* Colony" (i.e. "Seton Hall Colony"). Once the "Seton Hall Colony" met all the requirements to be initiated and installed, they became the "Lambda Xi Chapter."

[thenoblestrawberry]

I'll keep this short, sweet, and to the point: becoming a #ztatlc 2 years ago was, hands down, the greatest adventure I've ever agreed to. I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to serve my fraternity, and I wouldn't change a single thing. Now it's time to head home, air out the suitcases, and look to the future. ☀️👑 Cheers!

[thenoblestrawberry]

Today was filled with hugs (lots and lots of hugs), funnel cake, Polaroid pics, beautiful weather, well wishes, and of course, good byes. It was a perfect last day here in South Orange, NJ. 🍊☀️ Lambda Xi - Thank you for an amazing year, for your sisterhood, and for making New Jersey feel like home. I love you with all my heart and can easily say, "because I knew you, I have been changed for good." 💙

[thenoblestrawberry]

As the semester winds down, there are few other places I'd rather {B}e! 😉 Boise State, you have officially won my heart, and I'm so happy you'll be home to a brand new ZTA chapter this fall. Go Broncos! Go Zeta! 💙