Mod App FAQ
Q. I don't have enough posts in a forum, what is required?A. Because we want moderators to be active and credible members of the community, each forum has post count requirements in order to qualify. Most forums require applicants to have 100 posts in the past 90 days in that forum - a little over one post a day. Bigger forums might require more posts (150 to 300) while smaller forums may require less (50 to 75)
Q. Why is there a post count requirement?For two primary reasons: First, it ensures that the user is an active member of the forum. Second, it gives us a means at which to judge that user's attitude, understanding of the rules, and eloquence. For more elaboration,
check this post.
Q. How much time does moderation take?A. If you're an active poster, moderating a forum should only add a little bit of time to your regular routine on the site.
Q. What duties does moderation entail?A. Moderators' primary function is to facilitate constructive discussion between our users. Mods are also in charge of keeping the forums clean of spam, keep stickies updated, participate in ban/infraction appeals, and otherwise help around the site.
Q. What do you look for when reviewing applications?A. We look for good posters who contribute meaningful posts, are familiar with the forum climate and rules, and know how to handle themselves in a constructive and civil fashion. We do look at your history prior to applying so it's important that you've displayed these qualities consistently over a long period of time.
Q. Will having past infractions disqualify me from applying?A. Past infractions won't hurt you if they're minor infractions and/or you’ve shown improvement since them. However, severe infractions or recent/active infractions will be considered when reviewing your application and may negatively impact you.
You can find elaboration here.
Q. When will I hear back on my application?A. If you applied during a recruitment wave, you will probably hear back within a month or two. Applying outside of a recruitment wave could take a bit longer. We're sorry for the wait but unfortunately
it's an unavoidable part of the process.
Q. Where do you need mods?A. We are always accepting applicants to all forums. Even if a particular subforum alrady has a lot of moderators, we'd rather take extra than pass up a good candidate.
Q. Are moderators compensated?A. No, the team is made up of volunteers who do this because they care about the site and the community. Because this is a volunteer position, mods work on their own schedule when they are available to help without any demands or requirements to keep certain hours.
Q. Why don't you get mods for section X or timezone Y?
A. We want our mod team to encompass a variety of regions and timezones and we want solid coverage across the whole forums. However, we need good users to apply for those forums before we can promote them. That's why we do recruitment pushes like this. Feel free to encourage quality posters you see to apply.
Q. How long are applications being accepted for?A. We are perpetually accepting applications for good mods, and you can apply at any time. However, if you apply outside of a recruitment wave your application may take longer to get reviewed. It might be a good idea to send a private message to a global moderator to let them know you've applied so we know to check the app queue in that instance.
Ask appropriate questions in this thread and I'll update this post with frequent questions.