Choosing Staff For Your ProBoard

[Cryptic Sparks ..x]

I run several sites of my own. Some not as active as others. BUT. I still only appoint staff I trust and I only appoint those people if they have experiance.

[Headmistress Lexia Malfoy]

I do too

[disaster]

In my opinion, its important to have another person who can at least moderate boards and update a few things, such as headers/footers only because I've seen so many times when one admin disapears and the whole forum falls apart. When there is another admin, or someone who can moderate, the forum is better off.

[Enchant]

Jan 19, 2008 10:13:49 GMT -8 Cryptic Sparks ..x said:

I run several sites of my own. Some not as active as others. BUT. I still only appoint staff I trust and I only appoint those people if they have experiance.

What were some of your experiences ...what have you learned from doing it that way?

Jan 19, 2008 17:50:25 GMT -8 Headmistress Lexia Malfoy said:

I do too

If you are going to post...make it more then three words..a minimum of 4 sentences please.

[rosebud]

Jan 18, 2008 23:59:39 GMT -8 HoudiniDerek said:

I agree that it can be done that way and I think you have some great questions. Unfortunately, most jobs differ in the fact that people HAVE to make time for them. Some people start advertising staff applications and such the first hour the forum is open. If it is a process that has a starting date after a member has been around and such for so long, I think it works fine. Otherwise, the application process can get bogged down and people treat it too seriously or they flaunt what they do get because there was competition, which can lead to more problems. I get the idea and I understand why you use it, but to me, it is too wasteful of resources and a possibly harmonious community.

I failed to mention that the application process is done privately and should be. Therefore, they have no idea what questions I will ask them. I'll go back and edit my post so there will be less confusion.

[HoudiniDerek]

Jan 20, 2008 13:01:40 GMT -8 rosebud said:

Jan 18, 2008 23:59:39 GMT -8 HoudiniDerek said:

I agree that it can be done that way and I think you have some great questions. Unfortunately, most jobs differ in the fact that people HAVE to make time for them. Some people start advertising staff applications and such the first hour the forum is open. If it is a process that has a starting date after a member has been around and such for so long, I think it works fine. Otherwise, the application process can get bogged down and people treat it too seriously or they flaunt what they do get because there was competition, which can lead to more problems. I get the idea and I understand why you use it, but to me, it is too wasteful of resources and a possibly harmonious community.

I failed to mention that the application process is done privately and should be. Therefore, they have no idea what questions I will ask them. I'll go back and edit my post so there will be less confusion.

I see. I have to agree that making the process private is indeed a good idea and it becomes less of a competition and more "for the good of the forum" idea. Sorry to misunderstand...and thank you for clarifying.

[NS]

When I first started my forum, I admit to over staffing it. We had about 8 active members, 6 of which were staff.

However, of those 6, three of them were Administrators (who all helped create the site), and we decided that the staff wasn't doing it's job, so we removed all staff besides us three.

Then, for about 9-10 months, it was just the three Administrators on staff. Just within the last 2 months did we start applying new staff.

While we started off having applications for staff, we decided that it would work out better if we paid attention to the members and personally asked the member who we thought would do best as staff if they would like to be so.

Everyone on staff currently has been a member for over a year.

[Headmistress Lexia Malfoy]

I have to know you for about four years before your staff on my site.

[Enchant]

Jan 23, 2008 8:05:46 GMT -8 Headmistress Lexia Malfoy said:

I have to know you for about four years before your staff on my site.

I appreciate the fact that you are wishing to join in on the discussion , however, please follow the rules, a minimum of 4 sentences. You might mention the reason why you have to know people for about four years...and why you decided 4

[nicole style forum]

May 31, 2006 15:51:31 GMT -8 @myke said:

To give staff positions to anyone else is nothing but foolish, and will do nothing but put your board into jeopardy.

To try and pick up members by offering them a position on the staff is nothing but foolish and will do nothing but put your board into jeopardy.

To have a problem, and make a complete stranger staff to fix your problem is nothing but complete foolishness and will do nothing but put your board into jeopardy.

Um why do you have to say the same thing over and over, man that really just did my head in.

[ƒås†hÉ®†]

i pick active loyal members to be staff.

[HoudiniDerek]

Jan 30, 2008 22:33:09 GMT -8 ƒås†hÉ®† said:

i pick active loyal members to be staff.

You can't rely on just active and loyal members. I could be active everyday and loyal to the forum, but not a good staff member. I might not get along well with the staff already in existence or I might not be the model member. Sometimes, the more entrenched members feel they have a special relationship with the staff and that makes them more likely to be a bad example. Overall, it is a good rule of thumb, but there should be more involved in the decision than JUST their activity and loyalty to the forum.

[ƒås†hÉ®†]

well, that and if i think they are expirenced enough to use the codes wisly. because i have an active and loyal member, well two, i know them personally and i couldnt see them with powers.

[Kami]

Jan 30, 2008 22:50:25 GMT -8 ƒås†hÉ®† said:

well, that and if i think they are expirenced enough to use the codes wisly. because i have an active and loyal member, well two, i know them personally and i couldnt see them with powers.

Staffing doesn't necessarily mean they have to be good with codes. Anyone not in the administrator group on my forum doesn't have access to headers/footers, and therefore doesn't need to be good with coding or even know what coding is in place.

Staff should be decided on how the member treats other people (so that you can be certain the staff member won't be rude, or at least not rude on a regular, purposeful basis), how well that member follows the rules in place, and how the member gets along with the current staff.

Also, as a bit of added bonus, we ask for any references for staff members - if they've ever modded/admined a site before, what sites, and what contact information they can give us about their 'boss' (head admin) or other 'co-workers' so we can contact them. Also, our application has a 'why do you want this position' portion. Another requirement is that they need to be able to get on at least three to four times/week to actively staff the board, barring real-life circumstances. Not that they have to, but they need to be able to in case of a sudden boost in activity.

[Matt [Malfoy250]]

Jan 31, 2008 5:02:32 GMT -8 Kami said:

Jan 30, 2008 22:50:25 GMT -8 ƒås†hÉ®† said:

Staff should be decided on how the member treats other people (so that you can be certain the staff member won't be rude, or at least not rude on a regular, purposeful basis), how well that member follows the rules in place, and how the member gets along with the current staff.

Exactly! You want to choose a staff member that has been a part of your forum for a long period of time. That way, you can have an idea of how they behave, whereas if you just hire someone because you need a position filled, you would not know too much about them. Thinking critically about who you want to be moderating your forum is key to having a successful forum. Members with a bad track record would not be likely to become staff (Or hopefully they wouldn't, that depends on the Admin), for they have a history of rule breaking.