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**Night** · **Nov 10, 2018, 11:57 PM**

So, what's the deal with becoming a staff member?

With the recent changes to the way our moderation system works, which I'm sure you guys have noticed by the implementation of the new trial moderator rank (and of course by extension of this, trialmod-dev too) we felt that it would be best to rewrite the popular "So You Want To Be A Staff Member?" thread by @Safira so that the new changes to the system aren't confused about how it was previously managed, and to help clear up any potential confusion to the player base. Some parts of that thread have been taken and compiled into this, so credit to her for that.

As previously mentioned, Limelight is one of the seemingly few communities nowadays that do not accept applications directly into the staff team. We took this approach as we felt that anyone is able to write up an application and make themselves look amazing on paper when for all we know it could be the complete opposite after seeing how a person behaves in-game.

"If you don't accept applications, then how do the staff team choose new staff?!"

If an administrator feels that a player is demonstrating staff qualities and behaviours then a thread is made in the Admin Lounge to discuss the player and how suitable they'd be in the position. This is also the stage where other admins can observe the player, see how they act and see if they notice the same qualities. Who knows, they may only just be like that when we're around, which isn't what we're after. In the thread created about the player, other admins are welcomed to post their own opinions on the player (such as personal experiences, other behaviours, things to point out or reference, that sort of stuff) and eventually cast a vote.

If the vote passes, then the player is approved for the position of a trial moderator (or if the player is a developer-only, then they'll be promoted to trialmod-dev) and the promotion is scheduled in to happen, as well as a feedback thread being made internally in the Admin Lounge. If the vote doesn't pass, then the player's promotion is rejected.

"What happens during a person's placement in trial mod?"

When a player is promoted to trial mod, they're assigned a member of the admin team to mentor them. The point of having a mentor assigned to each trial mod is to ensure that we can highlight any behaviours (both good and bad) and bring them up, as well as ensuring progression.

Admins are also free to comment on the trial mod's "feedback" thread, which is how concerns are raised and also where good conduct and behaviour is highlighted for the person's mentor to pass down the chain.

"What happens next?"

After a few weeks, the admin team votes again on whether the trial was successful or not. This takes into mind everything posted in the trial mod's feedback thread, as well as any other points that an admin raises. When it's deemed that enough people have voted, a conclusion is reached and it's then decided whether the trial mod should proceed to Stage 1 to continue their progression or whether they'll be placed back to their old position. If it's decided that the trial mod will go through to Stage 1, their mentor will remain the same and stay with them until they reach Stage 2.

"So what's the difference between a trial moderator and a stage 1 moderator?"

Trial moderators have access to fewer tools and commands, less internal information, and shorter punishment lengths compared to S1 moderators.

"But how does one go from stage 1 moderator to stage 2, then onward from that?"

Similar to a trial moderator's vote to reach stage 1, another vote is made for a stage 1 moderator to progress into stage 2. There's no timeframe for this or any set time as to when this vote is made, but it's done whenever the team feels that person is ready. Since it's a fairly steep move considering that a stage 2 moderator has all the same in-game powers as an admin, enforcing a timeframe for when a vote would need to be made would be a bit silly as not everyone is ready at the same time. If the vote fails, feedback is shared.

Onward from S2 -> Admin, an internal application is made for progression up, and if it's felt that the stage 2 moderator is deserving of the role, then they'd be welcomed to join the admin team. If not, feedback is given again.

"What do I need to do if I want to be suggested? If I can't apply, then how do staff know?!"

If you'd like to be suggested, then it's generally recommended that you follow the points below:

Wear the [L²:RP] community tags.

This really goes without saying, however, by wearing community tags, it shows that you support the community which is awesome stuff and helpful in the long run. It also shows us that you're dedicated.

Don't ask for a staff position.

We don't exactly need 10 different @ calls explaining why you'd be a great fit for a staff position - we can come to that conclusion ourselves. By asking for it, it shows us that your desperate which isn't a trait that we look for. Not only this, but you should be in it for the roleplay, rather than a position.

Have a good knowledge of the rules.

We can't be having staff members who aren't aware of the rules themselves. Not only would it be a challenge for them to enforce what they don't know, how can they know what to punish for if they aren't aware of them?

Maintain a good level of activity.

Having a steady level of activity, both on and off the forums, shows us that you really do care for the community and want to hang around - the more familiar with the community you are, the better!

Engage with the community in a positive manner.

If you work up a reputation for being a community member who engages with the community in a positive light, then not only does it help us out by getting a good word out there, but it also strengthens your own image!

Do note that these are recommendations, not must-dos. By doing them, you may increase your odds but it's never an absolute certainty that you'll get staff by following these. It's very dependent on the individual.

"Okay, but what if I was brought up and I fail the vote?"

With candidates that show real potential, if it's felt that their behaviour is slightly bit off from our expectations for staff when the vote fails, then HR reach out to the candidate to share feedback with them as to what they can improve on if they'd like to better their chances for the future. This isn't to encourage "faking it till you make it", but instead to help a candidate build character and to give them a better chance of becoming a member of staff in the future.

"What has a candidate been denied for in the past?"

With so many candidates raised since Limelight's inception, there's a lot of reasons, but we'll cover across some common ones. These include:

Inability to keep calm.

If a candidate struggles to keep their calm in a situation, then we would struggle to trust that person in handling staff situations where a player might not be as co-operative as we'd like. Not every situation a staff member encounters is straightforward, even if it seems that way on the surface.

Lack of professionalism.

Obviously, we don't expect everyone to behave like robots and consistently follow suit, but it's knowing where to draw the line that counts. Knowing where the line is and how to stay within appropriate boundaries is especially important.

Activity.

This is a big one. Sometimes when a candidate is brought up for voting, their activity can plummet which puts us in an awkward position. Similarly, if the candidate is not known to have the best activity (ie dropping in and out for a week, then completely disappearing) then this can delay the process and progression too.

Attitude.

How a candidate interacts with their peers is key to seeing how they'd react with the wider player base. If a candidate was to go around and constantly be an asshole to everyone they come across, that doesn't put them in a very good light for a staff position.

Lack of motivation, dedication or both.

If a candidate's behaviour shows us that they aren't willing to give us their best shot, then why should we give them an opportunity in which they'll only underperform? We like to see people working to the best of their ability. Dedication to the community is also key. This is shown by contributing and engaging with the community to name a couple things, but there's plenty more you can do to show this as well.

Time for some closing notes!

This thread was brought forward to help you guys out and provide some transparency in our promotion processes. With the information being shared, we hope that it helps to increase the number of candidates we see and hopefully have some more people joining us! If you have any questions that answered above, feel free to contact one of the HR Superadmins, who are currently myself and @Overlewd. Please do note that whilst we've provided a lot of detail into our processes, following what we've said in this thread to the letter won't give you a guaranteed chance at a staff position. Sadly, not everyone is a perfect fit for a staff position. The thread was written by @Night with input from other admins and HR.