Do you reward users with staff ranks or have applications?

[Scorpio]

So this is which I have seen happen on forms and wondered whether this is truly the best way to hire staff members.

So many sites these days, like ForumPromotion, have an application process where the applicants hand in an application and then it's reviewed by a team leader. However there are also some forums which recruit users as a reward for say posting a lot of high quality content and normally is a decision made by the
Administrative team.

So how do you hire staff members? Via threads or loyalty and who makes the decision: Admins? Team leaders or both!

Share your method of hiring.

 

[Geoffrey]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

If I have multiple teams, I'm more likely to do an application to find the right people for each team based on their interests and experiences.

If the forum is more of a community (niche based or general), I'm more likely to hand pick from active members and offer them staff roles. I want to see them more involved in the community and able to contribute to a general staff role, since I wouldn't need multiple staff teams.

 

[Scorpio]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

If I have multiple teams, I'm more likely to do an application to find the right people for each team based on their interests and experiences.

If the forum is more of a community (niche based or general), I'm more likely to hand pick from active members and offer them staff roles. I want to see them more involved in the community and able to contribute to a general staff role, since I wouldn't need multiple staff teams.

Yeah I agree with you there. Depending on the skill and if there is multiple groups but if there is just Community Team/Global Moderators hand picking alongside other staff is the better approach.

 

[Deleted member 25872]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I would personally have a application process! 🙂

 

[Reverse Flash]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I just pick good users and make them staff.

 

[Ash]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

Rewarding users for the amount of posts is just a bad idea as what could happen is there might be a high posting member but they may not be the ideal candidate to be trusted with the responsibilities of moderator duties.

The best method is an application process or hiring someone that you know closely on your forum

 

[Scorpio]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

Yeah I agree. Hiring people due to there post count or time on the board is a bad idea. Applications and self picking is better.

 

[pandaa]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I like to use a mix of both. I'll open up applications, just to give everyone a shot, but if I have someone in mind, I will definitely contact them and see if they would be interested. 🙂

 

[Scorpio]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

Yes I have used this technique in the past 😉

 

[Reddyash]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

When I am hiring, I will take them through an application process, then look for posts in my forum and other forums and how active are they in my forum.

 

[Mikaya]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

On the community I'm involved with, the admins usually hand-pick dedicated members who have proven themselves to be worthy of the position. Being active, helping new members and other factors are considered. This is for a super mod role only.

We only occasionally have applications for one type of staff and that's the one below super moderators. I guess it's worth a try getting us much info as possible and to find out if they're best suited for the job.

 

[Sharon]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I like the idea of recruiting members with quality post history. This proves to me that they have a genuine interest in the genre/community. They typically tend to have the higher post count since they usually are the ones that log on regularly. I rarely ever seriously consider those that apply for a staff position with very little number of posts under their name. Also, reputation is a critical factor for me. If I find that individual(s) have no or negative reputations in other communities I am very hesitant on get on board as a staff member.

 

[Captured Enigma]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I tend to recruit people from the site, I offer them a position before I open up applications to everyone. That way, the person that I think would be best for the role will get the position and be rewarded. If they decline or I need more people, I will open up to everyone on the forum.

 

[MasterA]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

We have an application process and team leaders decide who to hire.

 

[Allenafaith]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I usually use applications once my forum gets active. Before it is really active I ask a few of my friends that have modded other places if they want to help out and if they do I hire them

 

[Migi]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

I used to be active on a manga/anime forum. The forum had been around for more than 5 years but I'm pretty sure they only had one open application/recruitment process. I myself was recruited personally; apparently rewarded for my activity and positive attitude around the forums. I personally think that is a great system to use; it encourages members to be more active and rewarding those who have been helpful. Of course it doesn't only depend on post counts.

But that may be different for special positions; let's say packagers as an example. It sounds like a job that may not be for everyone; only those who have time and interest will be able to work well. In that case, opening applications acts as a screening tool to see who's interested, instead of contacting one by one. That's too much time wasted.

Also, reputation is a critical factor for me. If I find that individual(s) have no or negative reputations in other communities I am very hesitant on get on board as a staff member.

I personally agree with you, though it may not always be the case. This member may get into 'accident' at another forum due to a mistake or because another member is bashing him, so it's not really his fault. Sometimes people say it's unfair to judge a member of your forum for what he/she does at another community. What do you feel about such situation?

 

[Sharon]

Re: Do you reward users with staff ranks or have application

Also, reputation is a critical factor for me. If I find that individual(s) have no or negative reputations in other communities I am very hesitant on get on board as a staff member.

I personally agree with you, though it may not always be the case. This member may get into 'accident' at another forum due to a mistake or because another member is bashing him, so it's not really his fault. Sometimes people say it's unfair to judge a member of your forum for what he/she does at another community. What do you feel about such situation?

In my opinion, you don't get negative reputation for no reason. If a person is "falsely" accused of wrongdoing in another forum and that information is some how gotten back to me then chances are that person really struck a wrong chord with someone or even several people to gain that reputation. I think if you are not able to keep a general diplomatic attitude particularly in heated conversations then you are not fit to be a staff member. Of course, handling direct insults and responding to general trolling and getting backlash from it...well that's a whole 'nother story.

Staff members represent your community to a greater extent in my opinion so I hold higher expectations from them compared to regular members. I'm not saying that I don't budge from my opinion as far as bad reputation from other communities I do need that individual to prove that they are genuinely interested in our community though and not just looking for a staff title.