With recruitment going into full swing for the Firelands, I figured I'd dedicate this post toward the dynamics of finding a guild that works for you. I've been on both sides of the fence--recruit and recruiter, and there are a few things to keep in mind during a recruitment process. Keeping these things in mind are important towards finding either a new home or new people for your raid force:
1. What are the goals of the guild?
This is pretty straightforward. Is it hardcore progression, is it a casual social guild, is it PVP-based? Knowing what your in-game goals are and having an understanding of the goals of the guild is key toward predicting whether or not you'll ultimately be enjoy your time there.
2. Does the actions/activity of the guild coincide with these goals?
Is this a raiding guild, but doesn't actually raid? Does the guild claim to be friendly, yet the social atmosphere doesn't exactly feel the most welcoming? This is pretty straightforward--if you sign up for a raiding guild, yet they do not raid or constantly call raids, it may be time to look elsewhere. If the social atmosphere is of importance to you and it doesn't line up with your values, it's better to leave with a sense of grace and dignity instead of compromising your own values, or being involved in potential drama. Are you interested in RP, yet no one can stay in character? Find an RP guild on an RP server. Long story short--if the activity of the guild does not coincide with their goals, this can lead to potential dissatisfaction within the guild for certain members. As a recruit, this might not be the environment in which to stay, and as a recruiter, perhaps a reevaluation of the guild might be in order.
3. If the guild claims to be a progression-oriented guild, do they have an understanding of the fight's mechnics?
This is key. Every prog-oriented guild has to have a fundamental understanding of the fight mechanics in order to be successful. Do they understand which fights possess unfortunate insta-gib mechanics? Do they understand the importance of interrupts or other nuances of the fight? Running any raid with a group that does not understand the mechanics is not only frustrating if you are progression-oriented, it can also be a waste of time for all involved. As someone who is a part of a team it is important that everyone in the team knows and understand the fight extremely well. Recently I pugged a run on an alt with a guild that clearly did not fully understand the fight's mechanics. Guess who got the blame for the majority of their failures? You guessed it, me. So if you want to avoid being the scapegoat, avoid this type like the plague.
4. What are the overall needs of the guild?
Is the guild in dire need of another tank/dps/heals? Is the guild merely looking for warm bodies to fill their raid roster? Having a good understanding of the guild's needs is important before recruiting or applying. As a recruit or applicant, it is a good idea to do a little research as to the guild's history and find out what the guild is about before applying. Is this a level 25 guild that has strong membership and low-turnover? Or is this a new guild that wants to get their name out but doesn't have the numbers? Is this a guild made of people who just hit max level and want to raid? See where your values and goals line up before applying.
As a recruiter, be honest about your guild. Have you been around for many years? Do you have a great reputation or trying to rebuild? Also be realistic in your expectations of what you're trying to get. For example, in trade the other day I saw a level 6 guild that was comprised of people that just started playing--all new 85's and all really green when it came to raiding. What caught my attention was their spam of, "looking for solid, well-geared tanks that are well-experienced with current content (pref 12/12)." Fair enough, right? One problem--not a single member of this guild had anything beyond 5/12 experience. A request of that sort is demanding and insane. It tells the rest of the community at large that they demand people to carry them, thereby are not capable of actually earning their achievements or gaining respect. Furthermore, tanks that are well-geared and have that kind of experience usually already have core-raiding spots or are looking for guilds that are much better progressed. Just saying. So instead of spamming, "WE R LEETZ", be honest and say, "we are new".
5. What are your needs?
This is very important--do you enjoying raiding in a high-pressure environment? Do you enjoy fostering a high-pressure environment? At the end of the day, the only person that "has" to log on is you. Keep that in mind.
1. What are the goals of the guild?
This is pretty straightforward. Is it hardcore progression, is it a casual social guild, is it PVP-based? Knowing what your in-game goals are and having an understanding of the goals of the guild is key toward predicting whether or not you'll ultimately be enjoy your time there.
2. Does the actions/activity of the guild coincide with these goals?
Is this a raiding guild, but doesn't actually raid? Does the guild claim to be friendly, yet the social atmosphere doesn't exactly feel the most welcoming? This is pretty straightforward--if you sign up for a raiding guild, yet they do not raid or constantly call raids, it may be time to look elsewhere. If the social atmosphere is of importance to you and it doesn't line up with your values, it's better to leave with a sense of grace and dignity instead of compromising your own values, or being involved in potential drama. Are you interested in RP, yet no one can stay in character? Find an RP guild on an RP server. Long story short--if the activity of the guild does not coincide with their goals, this can lead to potential dissatisfaction within the guild for certain members. As a recruit, this might not be the environment in which to stay, and as a recruiter, perhaps a reevaluation of the guild might be in order.
3. If the guild claims to be a progression-oriented guild, do they have an understanding of the fight's mechnics?
This is key. Every prog-oriented guild has to have a fundamental understanding of the fight mechanics in order to be successful. Do they understand which fights possess unfortunate insta-gib mechanics? Do they understand the importance of interrupts or other nuances of the fight? Running any raid with a group that does not understand the mechanics is not only frustrating if you are progression-oriented, it can also be a waste of time for all involved. As someone who is a part of a team it is important that everyone in the team knows and understand the fight extremely well. Recently I pugged a run on an alt with a guild that clearly did not fully understand the fight's mechanics. Guess who got the blame for the majority of their failures? You guessed it, me. So if you want to avoid being the scapegoat, avoid this type like the plague.
4. What are the overall needs of the guild?
Is the guild in dire need of another tank/dps/heals? Is the guild merely looking for warm bodies to fill their raid roster? Having a good understanding of the guild's needs is important before recruiting or applying. As a recruit or applicant, it is a good idea to do a little research as to the guild's history and find out what the guild is about before applying. Is this a level 25 guild that has strong membership and low-turnover? Or is this a new guild that wants to get their name out but doesn't have the numbers? Is this a guild made of people who just hit max level and want to raid? See where your values and goals line up before applying.
As a recruiter, be honest about your guild. Have you been around for many years? Do you have a great reputation or trying to rebuild? Also be realistic in your expectations of what you're trying to get. For example, in trade the other day I saw a level 6 guild that was comprised of people that just started playing--all new 85's and all really green when it came to raiding. What caught my attention was their spam of, "looking for solid, well-geared tanks that are well-experienced with current content (pref 12/12)." Fair enough, right? One problem--not a single member of this guild had anything beyond 5/12 experience. A request of that sort is demanding and insane. It tells the rest of the community at large that they demand people to carry them, thereby are not capable of actually earning their achievements or gaining respect. Furthermore, tanks that are well-geared and have that kind of experience usually already have core-raiding spots or are looking for guilds that are much better progressed. Just saying. So instead of spamming, "WE R LEETZ", be honest and say, "we are new".
5. What are your needs?
This is very important--do you enjoying raiding in a high-pressure environment? Do you enjoy fostering a high-pressure environment? At the end of the day, the only person that "has" to log on is you. Keep that in mind.
