Recruiting and application forms

recruit - a recently enlisted soldier

Application forms is the tool many guilds in the world use to get talented people to join them. It is some kind of filter that will allow you to recruit the people you want (the ones you actually need). I've been thinking of some questions that are really important, and i noticed are missing in many application forms.

Keys for recruiting people:
* ATTITUDE over GEAR or EXP
* Their understanding of the guild as a whole
* Their priorities in the game. Guild objectives should be first than personals.
* What websites or method they use to keep themselves updated (both the game and their class)
* Their understanding of looting: loot proccess goal is providing the raid with +DPS and +HEALING.
* Their position on critics. What they think about it. Do they take recommendations from other players into consideration. What is his/her position regarding this
* What players they model (if any).

Creating my own application form
Before listing the questions, it is important to mention important information the applicant NEEDS to know, for instance:

- It is good to state that the more time the applicant dedicates to the application, the more time we'll take to review it
- Also, they need to be awared that the raid spot will always be competitive and that they should never take it for granted.

What to ask

1. Name, age and timezone: Basic information about the player.
2. What raiding role you want to fill up and why: Asking why will reveal important information about the player, such as the knowledge they have about their class and the current content patch. "Id like to fill up the role of raid healing, Holy is at the moment the best spec for it and allows me to produce a high amount of HPS which is more important now than ever since the raid damage has been increased dramatically"
3. What are your in-game goals: Player's in-game goals should be the same as the guild's. If the applicant has the same vision of the game and is looking forward to the same objectives you probably can stop reading the rest of the application, this is really all you need to know to recruit someone. When both the player and the guild have the same goal, player's performance and motivation will always be at its best. This feeling is what enables people to achieve important things in the game.
4. Why would you like to join us: This question reveals honesty. This question is related to #3. Player has X goal and thinks joining the guild will allow him to achieve it. We need to know what motivated him to spent 20 or more mins filling up this form. We'll know what the player wants from us.
5. Explain how you can benefit the guild: It is very common to see "Id like to join the best guild in the server!", but very often they explain HOW they plan to do so. You want them to impress you, you want them to answer something you didnt expect. "I will benefit the guild because:". This question is key. Player is most likely explaining why we should pick him/her and not any of the rest. Let the player impress you. They can't lie in this: you know what will be good for your guild. you know what you need.
6. Explain how you keep yourself updated about both the game and your class: Unless you're in the top guilds around the world, you probably NEED to read some guides and some theorycraft in order to keep yourself awared on what is best to do your job (items,enchants,gems,stats). This questions will help the player even if at the end we never recruit him: he will probably start reviewing sites and reading more about the class and the game.
   
7. In five words, describe yourself both as a person and as a player: What qualities does this player has that helps him as a player: "Responsible, honest,.." etc. Remember we want reliable players, people we can trust, not just a well geared character to throw out some heals.
8. Armory Link: If the player is really interested in joining, you'll most likely get him in the right spec and gear. Useful to check gemming and some other tecnical stuff.
9. UI Screenshot: "One image is worth a thousand words". No, really, the UI screenshot tells you a LOT about the player, most of the times it reveals if the player is reliable or not.
10. Any recent combatlog: Anything such as WWS, WoWmeter, any parsed combatlog where we can see your skills in action.
11. Any additional information the player wants to add: Gives them a second chance to impress the guild!

In my opinion, this questions are attitude-related. This means we want to know more about the person, the player, and not much about that 8.5 warlock that is standing in Dalaran. If you have the right attitude, you will probably achieve wathever you want. You set your own limit, my recommendation is to listen to everyone, even when they are wrong, its a reminder that you're MORE than the average player, and probably deserve to be in a very good guild :)

Happy raiding!
And pardon my english :))