Mentor recruiting help needed

[DonRotolo]

I've been wildly unsuccessful at recruiting, but maybe this will help with what didn't work.

Direct 1on1 appeals. Most colleagues expressed some interest, but couldn't commit to time after working hours - family commitments and such

Indirect appeals, via the company newsletter/website. Got some calls from people, but it always seemed they were interested until I asked them to visit the school. There was some reason they couldn't.

One thing that almost worked was a casual conversation with a General Manager (3rd level of management in our company, just under VP), and engineer I knew for years when we were colleagues. He was interested, and wanted to visit the school...a week after build season. I arranged for him to get a plum volunteer job at a regional, but he was traveling for business then. He did ask some of his engineering staff to consider it, but again the season was over by then. (I'll hit him up in November)

Direct guilt trips. Colleagues nervously laughed these off.

So, for my situation, these did not work.

My helpful suggestion? Contact the senior mentor in the area and get their advice. Invite them too, if possible. Get a FIRST video to show.