Helping Bzp And Becoming Staff
Entry posted by Spoony Bard
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BZPower is one of the few fansites that has a membership with everyone respecting one another. Members would go all the way to helping other members, the staff, and even the site itself. In a way, everyone is family.
Now you must be thinking, "Wow Omi, is that how you feel about BZP?". No. It was what I felt a few years ago. BZP was like that, with selfless members just helping everyone out, most of them you see as staff already. Now it has degraded into various cliques that just compete in a popularity contest to become staff. I some times wonder if members are just trying to be on staff just to be staff, cuz staff are higher in rank and "cool". Some members are even at the point of predicting and betting that they, or their friends, will become staff.
Becoming staff is not a popularity contest at all. It is a responsibility that is given to you because the admins feel that your dedication to BZP is worth having on the team. And the popular folk certainly are not promoted to staff. If they were, I would know who they are when I see the promotion topics (meaning I still don't even know half of the staff).
And then there is the select group of people who think they are the iconic member, and that they present themselves on the same level as staff, saying they already do what the staff do even though they are a regular member. These members qualify themselves as mediators in topics, and pretty much do what the staff should be doing. Yanno what this is called? Backseat moderating. While helping staff out is appreciated, and notifying members of what they did wrong is okay, there just so happens to be a fine line to where your authority, if any, falls on. These members need to know their place on BZP and let the staff do their job.
Recently I recieved a PM from a member asking "Do you think that a member such as myself would be able to work as a responsible, and expectation filling Forum Assistant?" My answer? Well with full knowledge of the member's reputation and all the work they put into the site so far, I said that the member in the the correct path. Why? Because the member is not placing bets on their reputation nor are they backseat moderators.
Usually when help is needed, and is noticed by members, they jump for the ball and be like "who is gonna be next?", and at times, a former staff member will be re-promoted to fill the gap instead of some new guy. This has happened on a few occasions in the past. The Admins are more inclined to re-promote former staff members because they already know that these persons have the strong work ethic necessary for a staff position here. Promoting someone to staff isn't about giving some lucky fellow a shiny new title and powers, it's about filling a need for help keeping the forum safe and clean
I also noticed that people are not recognizing the people who have put their dedication into this site, and instead focus it on people who have not yet reached their peak. Instead of recongizing such hard workers like Ninjo, Shizo, Than, Kex, Screenguy, and even Smeag; people who have put lots of hard work into BZP before they were staff. And for what? So that some new guy can take credit for all of it?
Anyways, here is some advice for those who aim to become staff. Take it from me, someone who has 4 years experiance and knows what the admins look for.
1. Be selfless. When helping others, don't even think about the rewards.
2. Keep in mind where your place is. If you are a member, then you are a member. Nothing more, nothing less.
3. Being staff doesn't make you popular nor is it all about fun and games. It is a serious position. The people on the staff here, especially those at the higher levels, do a tremendous amount of work on a daily basis. And just because your buddy is staff and you are not doesn't give you special exceptions to the rules.
4. Don't make bets or predictions on when you become staff. That is just telling the admins not to promote you.
-Omi
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