How to be a mod.

Started by Nihilego June 16th, 2012 11:14 AM
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  • 21 replies

Nihilego

[color=#95b4d4]ユービーゼロイチ パラサイト[/color]

Male
scotland
Seen September 28th, 2018
Posted March 16th, 2018
8,874 posts
12.1 Years
Imagine a new member has asked you how they can become a moderator. Describe, in detail, what you would tell them.
s͎̭̚ ̪ͭͩy͔͚̰̻̗̩̺ͣ́ͨ̌͡ ̩̳̙̖̖̺͡m̷̱̘͎̝̘̣͒͌͒̚ ͇͖̔̐̔b̝̪͚̞̦ͬ ̢͔̱̟̞̝͙̮͌̅̈̓̿̿i͐̈̃͊ͯ̎҉̟̠͓ ͕̥̣̪̠̃͑͞ỏ̵͕̠̱̬̬̞͛̋ ̨͈̻̱̟̱͓̪n͒̒͂͊̀ ̻̰̰̜̅̃͒̂͞tͭ̍̈́ ͙͇̘͕͍̜̖ͫ̌̊̿ͫ̂̀:̵̾͒̔͂ ̟͉̜̽͒͌͜p͎͇͎̦̺̙͒͆͋́ͅ ̨̠̠̘͚͖̺ͫ͛̎̉a̲͍̫͖͗̄ ͓͖͍̯̤̼͙̿̆̂̂̄r̬̟̮͖̥̼̆̓͑̃̾ͬ̉͟ͅ ̬̼̗͊͛a̛̯̮ ̮̬͍̙̮̤́ͪŝ͊ͬ̒̎̃ ̧̝̮͎͙͆̓ì͈̹̻̱̾͝ ̘͉͕̭̊ͤ̉̓tͩͯ̉̐ͨͬ̚͏̻̺̖̮ ̞̘͂̋̋ͯ͑ͦ͗e̞͔̎̇ͫ͊͗

Sydian

fake your death.

Age 30
they/them
Georgia
Seen May 22nd, 2022
Posted November 29th, 2021
33,354 posts
15.2 Years
I would tell you to read Nick's blog! Not really. I have new members and experienced members ask me this sometimes though actually. And my best advice honestly is to not try. Because, in my experience, when you try too hard, it's probably not gonna come your way. That's not to say you should post around and be stupid and not give a crap though. What I really mean is don't show that you want it. Report things you see that are obviously breaking rules, make nice coherent posts and/or threads, and just enjoy the site. And who knows? You might get it. I personally was modded without really expecting it (though the hstaff profile visits made me wary, lol) and as I've talked to other mods, some of them said they used to try really hard before, but after mellowing out and just enjoying the site and giving it some TLC, they got it without really expecting it. So yeah!
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Sammi

Age 33
she/her
The States
Seen 5 Days Ago
Posted November 8th, 2021
14,085 posts
18.3 Years
For the actual "becoming a mod" part, I'd give them the same advice given already and probably done far better: post quality posts, report rule-breaking, stay active, try to help the forum when you can.

This below might only be tangentially related to the question but I think it's something that should be considered.

If you really want to be a mod, make sure you're ready for the responsibility before trying to pursue it. When I was first made a mod back in the ice ages of PC I was hardly ready for it. I don't know how I survived.
You've got to make sure you can stay as unbiased as you can and be prepared to make some tough decisions if it comes down to it. Or if you can't or if it's too much for you, don't be afraid to ask other people for help. You can't play favorites, so be prepared to infract friends or people you like if they start trouble in your forum. And you've got to be consistent; it's not good if you flip-flop on important issues.

Also, make sure you actually want to do the work and you aren't just in it for "popularity" or the perks. While the perks are sweet, popularity is certainly not guaranteed (does anyone know who I am anymore? :p), and you actually have to do stuff. Being a member, you've got no responsibility besides following the rules. It's really nice. As a mod, you have to stay active and take care of rule-breaking posts/members. It might not be for you.

I'll make a proper signature when Pokecommunity gets a proper slogan

Hikamaru

Age 30
Female
Australia
Seen January 24th, 2019
Posted September 4th, 2018
50,214 posts
12.2 Years
To be a mod you need to contribute well to the forum, make quality posts and report as many rule-breaking posts as you can.

I hold an Admin position on a forum outside of PC. I started off there as a mod but I was then upgraded to Admin after posting a banner for the forum.

To be a future mod, you just have to go with the flow and report a lot of rule-breakers.

You can even get your mod position out of nowhere, it will happen.

When you first get modded, it may be a little different for you and you need to know how to use your moderation tools like stickying, closing threads, giving infractions to rule-breakers etc. but once you practice, you can do it. I remember when I got my mod position on that said forum I had to learn how to close threads, report rule-breakers and all that stuff and now I have totally nailed the basics of modding.

Remember, practice makes perfect!
Gone forever for personal reasons.
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Shining Raichu

Expect me like you expect Jesus.

Age 32
Male
Australia
Seen October 17th, 2020
Posted December 21st, 2017
8,958 posts
12.3 Years
Firstly I'd have to echo Sydian's sentiment of "do your best without making it obvious that you want it." I think that notion began with the "do not ask to be a mod" rule, which is fair enough because asking to be a mod is annoying as hell, but over the years it has evolved into "in order to become a mod, you must first prove that you don't care about becoming one". I don't see tremendous amounts of logic in that myself because I would think a show of enthusiasm would be better than detached aloofness, but I guess it does help to separate the genuine quality posters who care about the section from the people who are trying to get modded just for the sake of being a mod.

Another thing I would say though, in addition to the obvious reporting and being active, would be to - as the kids say these days - "be yourself." And by that, I mean show personality in your posts. Don't be a robotic poster that answers the question strictly and coldly with no personal touch - because you're not going to be noticed that way. Find a certain style and rhythm to your posts and let that become your sort of 'brand', if that makes sense. Basically what I mean to say is make your posts interesting to read. If people remember you, you have a better shot.
Moderator of General Chat
Age 32
Female
Washington
Seen February 27th, 2013
Posted July 16th, 2012
104 posts
11 Years
I've had many years of moderating experience on several different message boards, and there are a couple different things that always stand out (for both people wanting to be a mod and people looking for mods).

Not asking to be a mod is usually a pretty big one (unless there are specific applications, of course). The reasoning I have behind this is that people who know they are being looked at to moderate will often act better than they normally would. As an admin, you want to know what kind of members these potential mods are going to be. If someone is asking to be a mod, you'll know they'll be on their best behavior. They end up being less likely to be chosen than someone who never says anything.

I would also mention to not backseat mod or report every single post that is remotely against the rules. Backseat moderating is just annoying - you're not a moderator and it often isn't taken well by other posters. Reporting every post is similar in annoyance. In my experience, overzealous mods usually A) don't last very long, or B) have conflict with members. What you need is a good balance - keeping the peace while making sure the rules don't get broken. The people who report every single thing they see are often not the best choices for moderators.

Another big one - be active, but not overly so. People who post once or twice a week? Probably won't get chosen. People who post 10 new threads and reply to 100 others every day? Probably won't get chosen. Visit daily and post in a variety of threads and forums, all over the board. Show yourself as someone who is interested in more than just the Trivia section. ;)

Show and share your knowledge. This is a Pokémon board, so, it would make sense to be knowledgeable about Pokémon. It is also a vBulletin board. You should make the attempt to learn at least the basics of how the forums worked. Share this knowledge with others too. After all, in the end, mods are serving the members of the board. Old and new members alike are very likely to come to you with questions, from how to set an avatar to how to learn scripting. If you are able to answer the question or direct them to someone who does, you're starting strong.

Have a personal touch, and be kind. I've seen many members snip at each others or simply write rude, disrespectful posts. Look at it this way. PC is a business. As a mod, you would represent this business. If you go to Sears or JCPenneys and a staff member is rude to you - you leave. Be respectful, even if it is someone asking the same question for the millionth time or breaking rules that often gets broken. If further discussion is needed, keep it to PMs, but just remember - if you become a mod, you are representing PC. I'm one of the first to admit that this can be difficult, but this is how it works at any business. Just because you are trying to get a volunteer position, doesn't mean that you don't have to put as much effort in. One of the most important takeaways from my business classes is that the customer is your most valuable asset - without customers/posters/readers/even lurkers, you don't have anything.

Most importantly - make sure you really want to be a mod. As some have said, it's a lot of responsibility, and the only perks you get, really, is some recognition. You are expected to do a job, for, in reality, little benefits.

Let me give you a quick run down of what I did at the last board I moderated on (about 5 years as a community staff moderator and team manager, about 300k members). My duties involved:
- Making sure rules were followed.
- Writing and updating rules.
- Starting and continuing discussions, if needed, ending them.
- Reading new posts and replying as needed (to answer questions, facilitate discussions, etc)
- Moving threads to proper forums, closing, splitting, and pinning threads when needed.
- Welcoming new members.
- Banning, warning or suspending members.
- Answering questions sent by PM.
- Being aware of what is happening in other forums, and making appearances there.
- Help plan for the next stage of the boards - I wrote essays about changes that needed to be made, things that were going well and that weren't going well, etc.

If this doesn't sound like something you can handle, don't try to be a mod. :P

Wow! Essay! This stuff is pretty interesting to me though, and surprisingly, has become more interesting since I left my moderating positions at other boards. Those would be my basic notes to someone who wanted to become a moderator, though. And yes, they would be that lengthy because if you want to be a mod, you better be good at reading! ;)
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Sheep

She/Her
Australia
Seen 13 Hours Ago
Posted 15 Hours Ago
39,266 posts
16.6 Years
Wasn't going to post here but....

Haha, I have quite a different view on reporting than the user above me. I personally think sending in a hefty bit of reports is completely fine (so long as it's not obvious abuse of the reporting system). Every thread/post I report isn't necessarily one I would take action against if I were the mod of that section; threads and posts that are obviously against the rules would be taken care of, of course, but those that are more borderline and could, in the end, go either way, might be left untouched. On top of things that are clearly against the rules, I also think it's good to report the things that make me go, "hm, maybe this is against the rules..." and let the current mods (if any) or h-staff interpret the rules and make a decision. Doesn't mean I'd make the same decision much less do anything with the thread at all, as borderline threads like that are up to interpretation a lot of the time. So yeah; I think it's fine to report when you're unsure, even if it's decently often, and I definitely 100% do not think it means you'd be too strict a mod. Buuut that's just me rambling now, wouldn't want this to turn into an OCD thread. XD;;

I'm in agreement with a lot of posts here, but I think Shining really hit the nail on the head. On top of personality, I'd honestly prefer mods post in sections outside the one they mod; that way, people can get to know them better. In the end, mods represent the whole forum rather than just the section they moderate, so it's nice for members to recognize you from name and not see a bold blue name and go, "who is this mod?"

Her

Age 29
Seen 5 Hours Ago
Posted 4 Days Ago
I suppose the first thing I would tell the young, naive member who has mistaken me for someone of any importance on this forum is to not be like me. Yes, me, the member whose time on this forum is filled with unnecessary drama, complaining and terrible posting. I would tell said member to emulate BeachBoy, who rose to power in how long? Three months? Six? About that time. I don't imagine the member would get much help coming from me, they'd be far better off simply emulating those who they wish to join in the staff forums.

marcc5m

what

Age 27
Male
Scotland
Seen 4 Weeks Ago
Posted February 17th, 2023
1,116 posts
12.3 Years
Don't. Stay in school. Get good grades. Go to university. Become a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher. Get lots of money. Piss off your boss. Get fired. Get drunk every night. Lose your home. Spend all your hard earned money on drink, drugs and prostitutes. Get in a drunken fight. End up in a hospital bed with no one around you. Reflect on all the mistakes you made as you make your final breath.

No but seriously don't, I wanted to be a mod and spent so much time here that I lost my irl life.

droomph

weeb

Age 26
Male
nowhere spectacular
Seen February 1st, 2017
Posted January 3rd, 2017
4,282 posts
11.7 Years
Lurk around and stalk the S-mods - they all have been mods at one time or another, and they're the best of the best; emulate them. And look for any of the mods who have joined less than a year or two ago (eg AlexOzzyCake, Razor Leaf, Shining Raichu, Toujours) - their behavior and level of activity has gotten them recognized!

Also something that's nice to do is to ask a mod or experienced user (like an ex-staff) how mature you are - it's always nice to know that you could be chosen, and even if dem H-staff hate your guts it helps boost your morale while you try. Though don't do it like every day, because that just shows how immature you are.
did u no there r 21 letters in the alphabet
o i forgot 5
uraqt


champagnepapi

exile

Male
new england
Seen September 4th, 2016
Posted June 25th, 2016
1,795 posts
12.5 Years


Okay professor Karpman of the kanto academy is here to teach u young mod chasers how to get ur mods. Alright so one thing that you immediately want to establish is to become a prevalent member who is friends with other 'cool' and reputable members, even mods themselves! This obviously isn't required but it will probably make things easier if you're a popular guy. Anyhow this is done by making friends with all the cool cats; just vm whichever ones seem interesting exchange msns whatever. Getting Mod here isnt really worth all this work but from the outside it looks like a bonanza at first so yeah go wild with this if u want lol. Alright so it's p inevitable that if you become friends with a prevalent member that you'll probably enter their circle and become part of one of the cooler crowds here at pcomm. At this point everyone and their mother wants to be like you with your slammin avatar sig css combo. Wow you must be cool but you're far from MOD. You can be the greatest user in the world but it doesnt matter if you never post. Mods are picked on a need basis in specific sections, so pick out the section you want mods in and post up a storm but I stress quality>quantity, make good posts in threads consistently in that forum and post a hot and unique discussion thread every few days. Despite your radical posting prowess, you gotta do this casually and not agressively because if it is found out that ur trying hard for mods then it will just delay it as there will be qualms about whether ur ready for the job. Alternatively, if you dont have a specific forum and have a cold hard lust for these moderators then just find a forum that lacks a mod and has a considerable dearth of candidates for the vacant position and do the above. In addition to this, u gotta report like a mofo; it doesnt look like youre trying hard if you do this apparently because from what staff members ive heard from reports help them more or less as long as they are coherent so quantity shouldnt really be an issue whooooo. Coming to #tpc is another biggie, you can chat in real time with the guys who will set you up with some nice mods and make friends with even more prevalent members. Finally you gotta be a monster in CQ+F and NU/W. Welcoming members shows you have dat concern from the newer members of the userbase and will be helpful and kind when they come to ask u dumb questions n stuff when youre mod. CQ+F will show that you have maturity and a capacity to help others if you can consistently make good and helpful posts within it, both 2 big moderator qualities imo ;). Remember though you gotta do all this without being pegged as a try hard; its basically like a stealth recon mission and those who succeed in it often get hooked up wit the bold blue$$$$

YEA SO DAS THE END OF THE TUTORIAL HOPE U ALL ENJOYED PEACE OUT YOLO

Also something that's nice to do is to ask a mod or experienced user (like an ex-staff) how mature you are - it's always nice to know that you could be chosen, and even if dem H-staff hate your guts it helps boost your morale while you try. Though don't do it like every day, because that just shows how immature you are.
This doesnt work; its the same as begging for mod for the most part and is just awkward/weird in general. No one cares about your maturity level really as its a pokemon forum on the internet and everyone has a shot to get mods if they play their cards right

paired to kaori & vrai

mikey

Age 30
Male
Seen 9 Hours Ago
Posted 4 Days Ago
6,229 posts
14.1 Years
I'd say just be a good, active, friendly member. I mean, if your all those things, becoming a mod shouldnt be hard for them. You also need to be active in the community, meaning to post, create threads, report threads, be social, etc.

And I'd tell them to read Nicks blog also.

Moderator
of Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
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droomph

weeb

Age 26
Male
nowhere spectacular
Seen February 1st, 2017
Posted January 3rd, 2017
4,282 posts
11.7 Years
This doesnt work; its the same as begging for mod for the most part and is just awkward/weird in general. No one cares about your maturity level really as its a pokemon forum on the internet and everyone has a shot to get mods if they play their cards right
I dun mean going up to Nick out of the blue and asking "D00D AM I MATURE?" but rather like "am I annoying?" with an online friend (who preferably is older than you) or something. Because it's always nice to know that people can handle you being around them. And that's almost a prerequisite to being a mod person anywhere, much less a Pokémon forum staff position.
did u no there r 21 letters in the alphabet
o i forgot 5
uraqt


Star-Lord

withdrawl .

Age 28
Male
Toronto
Seen November 28th, 2018
Posted April 14th, 2018
715 posts
14.3 Years
Give sexual favors to the current staff. I'm sure that would leave a good impression :)

In seriousness, I'd tell them that it's not a big deal and you should enjoy the site for what you truly enjoy it for. If they just continue to show enthusiasm I'm sure it'll show, and they'll get modded.

Mr Cat Dog

Frasier says it best

Age 32
Male
London, UK
Seen September 29th, 2017
Posted July 12th, 2017
11,344 posts
19.1 Years
Genuine enthusiasm is a really rare thing to have with regards to sections of PC. And by that, I don't mean a genuine enthusiasm to become a mod - lots and lots and lots of people have that - but a genuine enthusiasm to help out a place, whether it be Other Chat or Pixel Projects or Spin-off Games or any other section. And to do it irrespective of any reward at the end. So, if you really want to be a mod - help out! Suggest stuff to help boost activity; report posts/threads that you feel go against the spirit of the forum; contribute to flagging discussion. Act like you would if you were a mod, basically.

Oh, and read Nick's blog.

Jellicent♀

Age 30
Male
Seen July 11th, 2022
Posted March 8th, 2021
2,614 posts
11.3 Years
Like Cirno, I wasn't gonna post, but I will;

Basically, act like one. I don't mean go to threads and tell people what they've done wrong with it, nor do I mean tot ell them via VM/PM that they're breaking rules, I mean to report posts/threads you would take action against if you were a mod. Follow the rules, as everyone, even mods, must follow them. Like Mr Cat Dog said, have a genuine enthusiasm about which section you're most interested in, and try to help out. Post when the area is inactive to keep it going (while following the rules, of course), keep yourself friendly to those posting in that section and welcome their visitation to your conversations by replying to theirs, try to connect with those in that section! If you're fond of a certain section, try befriending the other users who post there as well. Be positive; don't nag and hate every trivial detail in the subject matter, because someone may absolutely love that little part, and that someone may have been hoping to have a good discussion with you on that subject!

What I've noticed from the moderators is their genuine interest and love for the section they moderate as well as for the people that come into it. I have yet to see a moderator who absolutely hates their section, nor have I seen one thread without them going into serious discussion to those who also post in that thread.

Also, a little love can go a long way. What I mean by that is, if you see a new user who is interested in that section, yet doesn't really know how to go about chatting in that particular area, discuss with them via VM/PM about it! I remember I was almost scared to join any clubs, but then I got to be great friends with AlexOzzyCake, and I'm no longer afraid of the Pokemon Clubs anymore! Him chatting with me via VM really helped my confidence, knowing that the moderator of that section was more than happy to discuss about the section with me, as well as wanting to get to know me.

tl;dr: Be kind, post with a liking for the section, and follow the rules. You can do it!

droomph

weeb

Age 26
Male
nowhere spectacular
Seen February 1st, 2017
Posted January 3rd, 2017
4,282 posts
11.7 Years
Adding to the last two - don't think now that you can't show your desire to be a mod completely. It's always nice to show your desire to be a mod - in fact, sometimes it can show that you really do want to help. Just everything in moderation, though. You still have to have a genuine desire to help out, and it's a great distracting tool, to see who gets picked as a mod for the five forums that are mod-less ^^

Also, talk to everyone. Like Hikari-type everyone. However don't talk to them unless you feel like you really want to say hi, not a contractual obligation to talk to everyone.

Ha, why am I still talking? I'm not a mod - however, looking at the mods I'm friends with (Razor Leaf & AlexOzzyCake, probably even Toujours if she doesn't mind dealing with me), that's what I can tell that got them picked. Enthusiasm, desire to help, and sociability. There's not one mod that you can say "hi!" to and get rejected and humiliated (well, of course, unless you're mean to them) - that's why they got chosen by the staff.
did u no there r 21 letters in the alphabet
o i forgot 5
uraqt