Don't forget that the incentive for the current group members is to 'recruit' someone who they get on with, will pull their weight and will take care of the main asset (or if you are lucky assets). So it is a two way street. We are delighted, in our group, to take someone up who is expressing genuine interest in joining, it is pretty simple to weed out time wasters and I have to say we don't get many (any).
It is also not a bad idea as a group to have a list of those who have expressed an interest and are genuinely qualified as you never know when things are going to change.