Volunteer Positions and Required Rank?

[Seryse ni Cousland]

I couldn't immediately find a place where this information is compiled, and I am not familiar enough with site structure to compile it myself. If I had the time, I wouldn't pester y'all with it. But inquiring minds and limited resources, etc.

What is the cutoff for site roles / volunteer positions / jobs / whatever you'd like to call it where one must be Tower Sworn? My instinct says that officers must be Tower Sworn and that most everything else is opened up to Resident Citizens and TIs, but my instincts have been very wrong before. Where could I find this information if it exists, and if this information is not in one place, how can I pitch in to make it available in one place?

 

[Jaryd Kosari]

The requirements are typically on the Library page for each role. I don't believe there is a page that lists them all in one place, so...I compiled one. :P

Where you must currently be TS:

Amyrlin
Cordamora
Keeper
Archivist
Director of Membership
Director of Research and Records
Director of Technology
Heads of Ajah / Company Commanders / Sitters / Councilors / Hearts / Honor Guards
MoNR
MoAS
Head Moderator
Tower Gatekeeper

Where you must have prior experience as TS but don't necessarily need to be one right now:

Director of Events and Conferences
Shatayan
Director of Marketing

Where you don't need prior experience as TS:

Director of Outreach
Mayor (must be a Citizen or TS)
Master/Mistress of Revels NA
Marketing Project Manager
Social Media Manager
TVT Editor
Marketing Project Manager
Guild Coordinator
Online Events Coordinator
Servant of All Coordinator (TS not required, but is beneficial)
Headmaster / Headmistress (TS not required, but is preferred)
Master of the Watch (IT experience required)
Reports Manager
Mediator

No requirements listed / no job description:

Digital Producer
Audio Engineer


I don't believe there are any formal, site wide (as opposed to group-specific) staff positions that require TS status. However, I didn't check them all out because there are many and I am out of time. :


Edit: whoops, I lied. Added Tower Gatekeeper. Also added the Ajah and Company-specific staff positions because why not.

 

[Arella Mathara]

I started compiling a list too, lol. Both the library and the latest hiring post states that Gatekeepers need to be TS. Not sure if this is actually current practice tho, I don't pay as much attention to things as I used to

 

[Boreas Silverfir]

Thanks for the list guys. Now that leaving TS status doesn't really happen, unaffiliated is no longer a demotion, can we revisit the membership requirements for some of these positions?

Additionally, is there something about the following positions that make being a TS preferred?
Archivist
Head Moderator
Director of Technology
Tower Gatekeeper

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

In the past, Archivist (CRO) and DoT had access to all the forums, so having them be TS made sense. Additionally, since Archivist is part of our C-suite, them being TS means they’re very familiar with the community.

 

[Erin al'Denael]

Thanks for the list guys. Now that leaving TS status doesn't really happen, unaffiliated is no longer a demotion, can we revisit the membership requirements for some of these positions?

Additionally, is there something about the following positions that make being a TS preferred?
Archivist
Head Moderator
Director of Technology
Tower Gatekeeper

Tower Gatekeeper requires access to our sites' admin panel. That's not something we give access to lightly. We decided that we wanted a certain level of time within the community to establish trust for that.

Head Moderator needs to be intimately familiar with the site structure, rules, Code of Conduct. They also weigh in on deciding when such things have been followed, or not, by our membership. In the past, we had a Director of Moderation. While the role is no longer Director-level, some of the responsibilities definitely are. Because of all of this, a TS is preferred.

Whenever we hire, we tend to look at what was needed last time and revamp it. Many, many positions that were limited to TS before are now open to other levels of site membership as a result of this.

Edit: Wanted to clarify that I'm not trying to say Citizens and Resident Citizens aren't trustworthy. I hope y'all didn't take my words in a way I did not intend them. Time helps build trust. The most honest, meticulous person in the world could join, become a Citizen, and apply for Gatekeeper in two weeks and we'd turn them down because trust cannot be established in that period of time and we wouldn't know them well enough to trust that they wouldn't log into our backend and give everyone access to, for example, Green Ajah Chambers and start a riot because they think it's funny. If a long-term Resident Citizen wanted to do more within the community and applied for a preferred TS job, they wouldn't be rejected out of hand for not meeting that requirement. Other factors would be considered.

 

[Boreas Silverfir]

Thanks for the clarity Erin.
I wonder if updating language that new posts can use to include something to the effect of " member in good standing for X years" is something that could be reviewed. Since the access level is about trust built and not the inherent site rank a person has had would this perhaps encourage more applicants from more areas?

 

[Ruslan Rynar]

Thanks for the clarity Erin.
I wonder if updating language that new posts can use to include something to the effect of " member in good standing for X years" is something that could be reviewed. Since the access level is about trust built and not the inherent site rank a person has had would this perhaps encourage more applicants from more areas?

The other thing about being a Tower Sworn is that you have to become real to become one. That said, the language could be amended to read "member in good standing for X years who has been made real."

 

[Jaryd Kosari]

When someone has been around long enough to have a good chance at being chosen for a position, regardless of their site rank, they typically also know when it is appropriate to either a) apply straight up and specify in their application that they know they don't meet the strict requirements but they can offer XYZ instead (and accept "no" with grace if that's what happens), or B) approach the person doing the hiring and say "hey, I don't meet this exact qualification, but I do have XYZ. Do you think I could apply anyway?"

In both cases, unless the position absolutely requires Tower Sworn status, the application is still taken seriously.

I know that subjective scenarios like that make some people pretty uncomfortable, but what I just described is no different than applying for a real life paid opportunity that says "Bachelor's + 2 years of experience required" when you don't have a bachelor's but do have 5-6 years of experience in that role.

 

[Nimeroni Quilana]

I am not sure that always hold true that people understand this intuitively, often it comes down too having someone tell you, might be a cultural thing too.
Its one of my pet peeves about work ad's, I once got to help with one and removed all the non intuitive language, and the amount of qualified applicants for that position was way higher then what you normally get for such a position.

I suspect its a oh this how work ad's always been written, so its how it must be type thing that reinforce itself, and it might be its what has worked well in the past when the numbers of educations were lower, but these days with so many overlapping educations and ways to gain experience.
I think focusing on the skills and tasks are more effective then trying to list specific qualifications. Because I lost track of the number of times I myself either told people to ignore it, or heard others told people to ignore it, and the fact that you got to tell people to ignore it, in and for itself shows its not intuitive for people to know its just an example and not a set in stone requirement.

I myself as an example have been pointed at a number of positions I have tossed out the idea of applying for due too the set requirements on the positions on this site. Its not to say there isnt elements of it I could help with, but using mine and others time trying to figure it out, when time is definitely a thing that plays into a lot on this page just makes it seem maybe not the best solution, so I chosen too look outside the system for things to do and help with instead.

 

[Cassie Dainar]

I know we’re working to change how the hiring posts are made so “site member for X years” will be used instead of a specific rank where it makes sense. If we don’t already have the statement in them that “if you don’t meet the requirements but feel you’re a good fit apply anyway” I’ll work on ensuring that gets added.