Trial Moderator Criteria

[Skull132]

Here are the basic things that we evaluate all of our Trial Moderators upon. Obviously, we cannot put everything down into writing, as that would that too much time, but these are the keynotes, if you will. The most important ones. Also included are the reasoning and explanations as to why we consider them important. These also happened to end up in order of importance, hah!

 

Ability to communicate

Communication, and the ability to communicate, is key for a moderator. We are primarily looking for someone who can make his point clear, in a concise manner. Someone who can also listen and understand what is being told to them. As necessary, direct a conversation to figure out what's going on. Another thing that helps with communication, greatly, is the ability to obtain outside/alternate perspective. The more viewpoints you have and can find on any given issue, the more informed your decision will be.

The ability to remain courteous

While we do not expect anyone to be preppy and flash a nice smile to every adminhelp they tend to, we do expect our staff to act respectful towards the players, and each other, within reasonable bounds. Through this, you are also expected to set a bit of an example for the players.

Good judgement

Next to communication, judgement is the second most important aspect of a moderator. Judgement is your capacity to make a decision, and then follow it up. This does not simply mean deciding between a warning and a ban: this can also mean taking a step back and asking for help, or reviewing your conducting and identifying, owning mistakes made.

Knowing your limits

Call for help and take a step back as necessary, be aware of situations that you are unable to manage on your own. Important for not burning yourself out, and thus not making as many mistakes.

Identifying bias

Similarly, when you yourself are involved, you need to be able to identify and deal with this. Sometimes this means calling for backup and giving someone else the reigns. Other times, you simply must put your own self away and deal with the issue from a neutral perspective. Having the capacity to do the latter is a great quality.

Knowledge of the rules

Having a knowledge of the rules is vital, as you are required to enforce them. It is very beneficial if said knowledge extends past the simple letter of them, and you are able to understand the reasons why certain rules are in place, and where they can and should be levied, and where not. We are able to help with gaining a better understanding of them, but we still need you to be familiar with them.

Initiative

We are a loose organization. There is no big, massive hierarchy nor point-by-point dissolution of duties. We are able to maintain this light model only through the initiative of individual members taking up the initiative and joining in on resolving issues that need to be resolved. This also means the ability and willingness, if not the want, to learn. The more knowledge of ingame mechanics you have, the more valuable you'll be to the team.

Activity

What we mean by this is activity on the server, and having some sort of understanding of what's going on. A moderator who doesn't play, and simply ghosts or lobby-sits isn't necessarily someone who's in touch with how things feel IC. And a moderator who doesn't touch the server/forums is even more out of touch.

 

There are also some things that help, but aren't required right off the bat and can be learned. Any game knowledge, like of gamemodes or mechanics in general, will help greatly. There's also the ability to ask questions when needed, which is actually a relatively underrated, but very important skill. That's all I have for now. Best of luck, folks! And remember, if you have questions, PM me or any other staff member, and we'll get you sorted!