How to be Accepted for Any Staff Application, and How to Make an Application, too! [Revamp!]

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Hey Guys! Chron here, and for my almost 3-year anniversary, I've decided to go through my old blogs and give 'em a sort of "revamp", see if I can breathe new life into the same (and still very relevant) messages. Here's my first attempt, one of my first popular blogs! Hope y'all enjoy!

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Introduction
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If you know me, you’ll know that in the past I used to run a few servers, simple little Towny joints with a tight-knit community and a laid-back survival experience. Back when I wrote this blog the first time, I had never laid my eyes on a server console, but I did have a bit of experience as both Moderators and Admins. However, now I have owned my fair share of servers, and can write from the perspective of not only the hopeful applicant, but of the creator of the application. And so, with this updated version of a classic blog, I hope to inform you of not only how to fill out an application, but how to form one that helps you find exactly what you need.

Part 1: How to Fill Out an Application
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This first step here not only applies to filling out the application, but whether or not you even should. What is this first step, you ask? Honesty. Doesn’t get any simpler than that. Before you even touch the home row (oh wait no one does that), ask yourself a few simple questions:

1. Based on the server description*, is the owner capable of managing a server/team of staff? (This one isn’t always an indicator, but if it is, it’s self-explanatory.)
   
2. If I wasn’t staff on this server, would I want to play on it? i.e. Is the server well-built? (It wouldn’t hurt to hop on the server and check, or have a discussion with the owner about it if the server isn’t built.)
   
3. Do I really have time in my schedule to dedicate to being a staff member here? (Different server types require different amounts of maintenance, especially those in the embryonic stage)
   

*see Fantasymaster's forum post about how to properly describe your server and such


If you can’t answer yes to all 3 questions, then I suggest, for the good of both yourself and the server, that you do not take the time to apply, because either you’ll be wasting your time putting band-aids on a train wreck, you’re not applying for the right reasons, or you won’t be of any use to the server.


And now, for the second part of the whole honesty thing, fill out an application with true information. I shouldn’t have to explain this one, but lying is, and always will be, a thing. Basically, being honest in what you tell the owner of a server not only shows your integrity, but they don’t have to try and guess at what you really are capable of, and feel the consequences if they mispredict. Even if you’re not the most skilled, most servers will take someone that’s honest and willing to learn over someone who may know more, but could stab you in the back at any moment.


Alrighty, we’re finally on to Step 2, folks.


Once again, you would expect this one to be understood, but really, it’s less common than you would think. Grammar. Need I say more? While it’s not nearly as big of an issue as it has been, thanks to advances in AutoCorrect and a flipping Fourth Reich dedicated to correcting everyone in the most rude ways possible (seriously, people, if you feel the need to correct anyone and everyone, be kind about it. Don’t be a rude, smug, sarcastic idiot about it. /rant), it’s still a very prominent issue. And while there are a multitude of methods to correcting this, here is one that I have found to be the most efficient.


Read what you’re saying. Does it get across the message that you’re trying to convey in the way that you’re trying to convey it? If so, then there’s no need to worry about tiny little details. If not, you may want to work on adjusting your application to better convey your message.


There you have it. Simple and to the point. If English isn’t your first language, and even if it is, you don’t have to speak it perfectly, as long as others can understand what you’re trying to say, and how you’re trying to say it.


To be completely honest with you guys, that about wraps it up for filling out an application. However, there were some things that I mentioned in my previous incarnation of this that were left out here. Why is that? Because they can be summarized with this: Use Common Sense. Do they give you a form? Use it. Do you really think the server owners care if you graduated with a doctorate in Law from Harvard? Just think about what you’re saying before you say it. Trust me, it’s incredibly helpful, especially with women. ANYWAYS

Part 2: How to Create an Application
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So, you’re a server owner with aspirations to recruit members through the use of our lovely forums (sigh). How does one craft the perfect application that allows me to obtain the necessary amount of information about an applicant without being invasive or asking stupid questions? Well, I’ve formulated a little something, and it goes like this:

IGN:

What makes this server different from the rest?:

What makes you different from the rest?:

What experience do you have with [insert server type here]?:

References:


There you have it, Chron’s server application form. (If you do use it, credit would be appreciated.) Now, it does seem a little unconventional, so I’ll break it down for you.


IGN: In-game name. Pretty obvious. However, it’s the only form of identification on this list, and that may come as a surprise to many people. What, no real name? No maturity? No… Age? Are those things really necessary for running a Minecraft server? Your real name is pointless in the context of a video game, maturity is as subjective as Mega Rayquaza is broken, and age… I shouldn’t have to go into that.


What makes this server different from the rest?: In other words, why are you applying for this server and not someone else’s? This not only tests how well the applicant knows the server, but it also tells the owner about their server. If the applicant can’t seem to find anything special about the server, then maybe the owner needs to check into that. Also, it lets the owner know how passionate the applicant is for the server. You don’t want someone that barely knows or cares about the server, even if they are a skilled member. Which brings us to our next qualification…


What makes you different from the rest?: The whole point of hiring real people to do a job, rather than a bot, is so that you have a unique set of skills in a conscious being. What makes the applicant unique? Is there any special skills that they have that might help open new doors for the server, or are they just a run-of-the-mill average joe? This also tests the applicant’s ability to speak about themselves, which is an incredibly rare and hard to develop skill that, as odd as it seems, is incredibly essential in the business world. Definitely an important aspect of the application process, and one that speaks volumes about the “maturity” of an applicant.


What experience do you have with [insert server type here]?: Sure, possessing certain talents and skills may be great, but there’s nothing quite like good ol’ fashioned experience. And not just experience as a staff member, but experience with the specific server type that you, the owner, have implemented on your server. Sure, they may have owned 4 Towny servers, been Admin on two more as well as a Pixelmon server, and been Moderator of both a Creative and KitPvP server, but you might not have a clue what they’re doing on a FTB server. (yes, I described myself, how original) Basically, what I’m trying to say is make sure that your applicants have experience in the relevant field, not just “staff experience”.


References: This one may be the most strange, but if you’ve ever applied for a job, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. For those of you that don’t know, a reference is a former employer (in this case, a server owner) that you, the server owner, can contact and ask about the applicant. They can generally inform you about how well the applicant actually performs, as compared to how they say they perform. This gives you information about the applicant from not just an alternate perspective, but an alternate perspective that’s been in the same place you have. Generally, for convenience, request about 2-3 references, so that you can have the opinion of multiple individuals.



And that about sums up my application format. Not too many questions, but it gets the point across. Any other information that you absolutely need to know for whatever reason (i.e. Skype, gender, etc.) should be requested through PM after acceptance.



There you have it, everyone. I understand that this revamp was a bit on the long side, but I hope someone is able to get something out of it. As always, feedback is appreciated.

Thanks for Reading!

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