[Akraasiel]

I figure I might as well cast my bread upon the waters and see what will return. I am a 17 year old college student, first published at age 15, writing for two years, generally in the fantasy genre with other emphasis in crime as well as sci fi drama.

Have worked on two prior muds which never managed to get off the ground due to the project coordinators becoming too engaged with other matters to continue development to completion.

I am currently seeking a roleplay intensive mud for work in development of game concepts, storyline, as well as specializing in developing immersive methods of gameplay designed to draw players into their role with stimulating gameplay, yet not bring the game mechanics to emphasis over the roleplay purpose.

Looking forward to working with you,
Akraa

[prof1515]

It's rare to find a MUD that will hire someone who's not at least had prior experience playing said game. My advice to you is to look for a game that you like playing and wait until the time when they're hiring new staff. I know I didn't set out to end up on the staff of the MUD I was on. I played it from beta and one day got an email asking if I'd like to join staff. To ensure the quality of the people they hire, most MUDs like to see your capabilities before giving you positions of authority/responsibility.

Take care,

Jason

[Fern]

Good point about the experience in-game.. we found that those who join staff without this experience find themselves frustrated at a very basic level, no matter what guidance and training we offer. As a result, we have developed knowledge guidelines and pre-interview policies which have helped over the long term.

Here are a few steps you may want to take toward a 'good interview experience'...

Before an interview -

Spend time in the game.
  If you find a place that is interesting and immersive, speak to someone on senior staff regarding their positions and requirements. A brief pre-interview discussion helps you determine their expectations; it helps the senior staff determine your interests and experience; it helps you both determine the presence of that certain 'meshing' that can make all the difference in the world.  Plan to invest time and effort in the game as a player before influencing it from a staff position.

Spend time getting ready.
  Prepare for the formal interview in the same way you'd prepare for a real-life job interview.  Know the company and their products.  Find out as much as you can about the game's background and direction.  Learn what you can about the game's needs and goals, and jot down a few ideas about how you can help them fulfill those goals.

Be considerate.
  If you schedule an interview for 10AM on Tuesday, find out just what 10AM means - 10AM system time? 10am Eastern Standard? 10am GMT? Your 10AM may be 3AM for the person you're interviewing with. Find out, then be on time.

Ask about the game state.
  Are things just starting out?  Is it deep into beta and expecting to release soon?  Has it just released?  Has it been open for years?  Find this out before requesting an interview.

Talk to other players.
  Find out about the game and its staff.  Is this a casual, laid-back atmosphere?  Do the staff help new players or are they isolated from player activity?   Are the staff members young and enthusiastic, or older and more cautious?  (This can be important - nothing worse than blowing an interview by insisting on speaking in shorthand - how r u doing... ur game rox...  usually if I see something like that emerging from the keyboard of a prospective writer, I terminate the interview gently but swiftly. No matter how good a writer may seem to be, if he can' t find all the keys on his keyboard, and use them appropriately, how do I know he will find them and use them in production mode?)

Do the homework.
  Read everything you can about the game before interviewing.  Find reviews, new and old.  Read their website.  Google the game name and follow as many links as you can.


During an interview -

Schedule appropriately.
   Don't offer an interview time that may be cut short by another deadline.   If you may have to leave before the interview can be completed, say so at the beginning and ask if this will create problems. If it will, ask to reschedule, then make sure that you have enough online time to complete it without interruption.

Check your connection.
   If you think you will have trouble staying connected, say so in advance and ask to reschedule.  Once the interview starts, if the connection deteriorates, let the interviewer know.

Put your best foot forward.
  If you're applying as a writer, have samples of your own work available for the interviewer to read.  If you're applying as a builder, have your references ready.  If you are just starting out or have no available references, write something appropraite for the game or work on some room descriptions ahead of time so that you can present them.  Present your own work and be prepared to discuss its context.  Check spelling and grammar before submitting your work.

(As an aside, and this may seem obvious but... don't present someone else's work as your own.  I interviewed an extremely nice person who appeared to be a great builder candidate.  She lost out all chances of working at LoK by plagiarizing. The interview was going great until it was time to discuss her experience and samples of her building.  She chose to submit a room description from another game where I built several years before - from one of my own areas. Big mistake.)

Be realistic in your own expectations.
  It's a rare (and not necessarily good) event to show up at a game's front door and be offered a staff position that same day.   If you are offered a staff position on arrival, knowing nothing about the game itself, this may be a signal about the game's state itself - has there been a sudden departure of several staff members? If so, what caused this?

Be reasonable.
  Know the paths of advancement, and be prepared to climb a few ladders before being promoted into a position of responsibiity.

Be realistic in estimating your available time.
  If your intent is to fill an otherwise boring summer with a few weeks of creativity before getting back into the school drill, say so.  Some games might welcome the short-term boost to their fold.   However, if you know you're facing a deadline in real life, don't over-state your availability then vanish when the deadline arrives.  The last thing anyone needs in this small MUD community is a reputation for unreliability, and word does travel between games.  Many game owners check references, and a person with a pattern of flaking out on commitments may find that their reputation has spread.

Be polite.  
  If you are brimming with ideas that will make their game the best ever, don't start out the topic by telling the staff how terrible their game is and how you can improve it 10000% overnight.  The odds are high that the person you're interviewing with has worked very hard at bringing the game to its current state.  Telling them how bad you think their game is doesn't usually lead to open-minded discussion.


Some of this may seem like overkill, but when you're sitting down with a staffer who is caught between two deadlines, just came away from busting someone's hide for trigger play, is fighting writer's block on that far distant kingdom in the clouds, and is battling with a summer cold - it will all pay off.