Guild Recruitment

[vaynen]

There are quite some guilds out there on Atys, and it's nice to see more and more coming around. Every guild needs members, that seems quite obvious. Sometimes people come knocking on your door, and that can be one of the greatest joys you can have as a guild. But of course, there are also moments where the initiave lies with the guild, instead of the individual. Yes, recruitment is an art.

Now, I've always seen the new players, the Homins fresh out of Starters' Island, as potential recruits. Any guild may approach them, and in any way a guild wants to approach them I guess (as long as you stay within CoC of course). Even guildless people are "neutral territory"; they have their own opinion and will decide for themselves what they want to do. It is not unlikely that more than one guild have interest in a certain guildless player, and whatever the outcome, things go the way they go and there are of course no hard feelings.

But, recruitment doesn't seem to be confined to guildless players. Even guilded players get approached sometimes by other guilds. And I'd love to hear some opinions about this one. I for one, see it as an aggressive move towards a guild, if you try to get one of their members in your own guild. A guild consists of it's members. If an other guild would succeed in luring someone away, it's not about losing a member with a bunch of levels, it's about losing a person, someone with a point of view and a sense of humour.
If you have the right kind of atmosphere in your guild, the chance of members leaving for an other guild aren't that likely, but still, I see it a s a sneaky move, a hit under the belt...
But as I said, and as I read in a different thread, communities create their own standards, I'd love to see how we all stand on this one.

[sprite]

I think that as long as it the "approach" to ask someone to join your guild isn't pushy, and it stops if the person says no, then there is no problem. But if someone is constantly pushy or just keeps bugging them, then its one of the worst things you can do in a community like this and shuold be dealt with immediately.

[grimjim]

I think its wrong, I also think that a lot of the zerging and newbie pouncing going on is a bit one sided and people aren't being given the space or time to actually find a guild that suits them. Leaving a guild you're already in, even if it doesn't suit your style of play, is a difficult thing to do and can be felt to be betrayal to both the person leaving and the guild they leave.

That said, we've had people previously in other guilds join up with us, of their own accord I hasten to add. I worry about their previous guild's reaction but thus far it has been reasonably amiable in the cases where it's happened.

I have felt pushed by the heavy-handed recruitment tactics of other guilds into sending tells to any unguilded newbies I see, probably pissing them off but its the only way to get to new people before they get assimilated.

I feel dirty for perpetuating that pressure and would much rather new players took their time to find people who suit them.

[hans1976]

I think its wrong, <snip the interesting part>

From a person who spams every region with his recruitment




A guilded person can be asked subtile, a non guilded can be asked directly. One no should be enough, made the mistake once to be pushy (the one who reads this knows he is the one, trust me, the only one).

Over time I have seen a lot of guilds pass a critical mass and implode due to overactive recruitement. The situation where the higher lvl'ers feel like with a small group they have to support a large group of newer, lower lvl players can make the higher lvl ones leave. Sometimes they come to us, sometimes they dont.

I think that in the end, every guild will find a group that *is* the guild, every guild gets the player and personalities they deserve best, either for good or for worse. Never will anyone will stay in a guild that they feel ashamed off, you have a shield over your head and if you cannot wear it with pride then do the smart thing and either change your guild or find a group that suits you better.

One guildmember of ours (Crythos I think) said it best when we were discussing a new recruit: "I want to feel I can stand up for anyone that has the broccoli over his head." Oh, yes, we discuss applications at length because of this. We are so democratic it is scary sometimes. It did got us a group of which I can say for every member: "I can support you in all actions, for you have a broccoli too!"

[sx4rlet]

One guildmember of ours (Crythos I think) said it best when we were discussing a new recruit: "I want to feel I can stand up for anyone that has the broccoli over his head." Oh, yes, we discuss applications at length because of this. We are so democratic it is scary sometimes. It did got us a group of which I can say for every member: "I can support you in all actions, for you have a broccoli too!"

For people who dont understand last part...
Evolution has a green tree as symbol, which we call 'the brocdoli' among ourselves

[fiach]

If i team with somebody and we have a good time, I will often say:

"if you ever become unhappy with your current guild, we would be delighted to have you in DCP".

1. It's not an outright guildnapping (tm), but it lets the person know that there is another guild if things go pearshaped in their current guild (maybe even if it breaks up).
2. If the person is happy in their original guild....well they wont consider the offer, will they?
3. Would their original guild really want to keep somebody that wants to leave?

So whats the problem?

Some people guild-hop, which I find annoying and we try to be certain of the calibre of people we try to recruit, but sometims it happens, we hardly cry with their departure, but I guess that's a discussion for another day.


Valda.

[magick1]

It really depends on several things, but to boil it down a lot:

- Friendly
Someone you spend a lot of time with, get along with greatly, is glad to see even if not often, is always kind and helpful, is in good standing etc.

- Aggressive
Or headhunting, this is where they want you to join, the sooner the better.
If they have to make comments about your guild, tell you how much better they are, how much better you will be with them, bribes, random invites with a conversation at all etc. (you get the picture).

In the first case (friendly), I have no problem with them asking or mentioning that they would be happy to have you in the guild.
Usually the asker will also know how the person is doing in the guild, so the answer should not surprise them.
I will even go so far as to say that in some circumstances it can be taken as an compliment to be asked.

As for the second, a big no-no. If they can't respect a simpel "no" or have to ask in those ways, you really have to think about how the guild is run or what state it is in.

EDIT. Removed some thoughts about previous guild/clan experience, didn't really fit in...
It was late when I wrote this (random excuse #14)

[micrix]

Here comes the "neutral" guildless comment

I remember times where new player only got interessting for guilds when hit lvl100 in any tree. Maybe this was cause of the "free express trial" and the upcomming WoW release. Dunno for sure, was a lvl 12 that time.

On the one side some of older players want to help the newcomers a lot to make their start more comfortable to keep them on Atys. On the other side it could make things too easy. I like to help too but i also realize (on my own person too) that new players need some "free space" to experience the game in their own way. We all should keep this in mind ! (Thank god i never met a yeah-look-at-me-what-i-am-a-cool-uberchar like i met in other games)

About headhunting between guilds. I see two cases. The "average" and the "HQ" case.

With an average you might loose (or win) a person. With an HQ you might loose or win not only a person but also an high or even unmatched skill.

In any case it takes two. An headhunter and one who is considering changing guild. I can not belief that anyone can be pushed to change guild. With what ? Dappers ? . Harassment ? Oh, there is a nice arena in Matis for such cases. And with outposts guilds even dont need the arena then.

In my opinion guilds should solve such in a mature way. Just talk about it. After hearing all arguments it should not that problem to live with any decision made.
No one will loose a friend, only a guildmember. Cause it is possible to have fun with people of other guilds.

----------------------
I like the "neutral" thing above. Maybe one day, when outposts are there someone needs a neutral person ?!
Edit: Think i should raise my nuker skills to 250 for that case

[blacky88]

Its okay,

to do that is a part of the game. It's the decision of the Homins and realy no problem.

But generel.. i was guildless.. and got around 10invites, to join a guild... i think thats wrong.. before a Guild invite anybody, they have to know him good, and select their Members good.
I think a Guild need a good Team.. a Team, where they are sure, that no Members would want to leave this Guild.. can happens what want... A nice Community is one of the most important things..

My opinion.

[grimjim]

We now run new members through a bootcamp before they get full member priveledges. That means we can bring people in, but they prove they will stick around.