[OUTDATED] How To Best Get Promoted! [OUTDATED]

by **Bear** Wed Jul 24, 2019 6:15 am

CLAN OVERHAUL EDIT:
Please note that this is somewhat outdated after the clan overhaul practically doubled our available ranks, and will be updated in the (hopefully) near future with the full rank structure.

Most notably, ranks after Corporal (now Ruby) are no longer walled off by whether you're invited to the mod team or not. Moderator ranks are now separate entirely and wholly invitation-based, giving an extra 3-4 ranks available for non-mods to keep climbing.

I'll leave the rest of the text below as-is until we get around to updating this entire thread as it's still a mostly-accurate summary of what we look for overall when it comes to promotions.

Hello, my good looking clannies!

The old thread was created just over 4 years ago now, and I thought it was time for an update as some of the expectations and prerequisites have naturally changed over the years. Hailey did such a beautiful job writing it up the first time however, so I may still end up plagiarising a good bit of the layout. Wink

We currently have over 3,500 members, and while they're not all active at the same time, many of them are working hard towards earning their promotions. You shouldn't expect a promotion immediately after you start contributing, because not only do we look for the effort in your contributions, but the consistency as well! This means that a promotion usually takes time. While your immediate contributions will certainly be noticed behind-the-scenes, don't get discouraged if you put in a lot of effort over a short period of time and don't immediately get a promotion.

General Guidelines:

- Currently, our process is democratic. Moderators of the clan have equal say when it comes to ranks. The RSNs of potential candidates are discussed in-game and on our 'Ranks-Only' section of the forums. When it is time for promotions, only a select few will be promoted, based on whether they have a majority of moderators supporting and backing them up.

- When members beg or overzealously "hint" for promotions, it appears as if they are only here for power. Remember, promotions are earned - not given - and our goal is to promote those who are truly dedicated to helping the clan grow. Believe it or not, we are very perceptive and skeptical when it comes to those randomly putting forth a burst of effort for a promotion. Often times, when they don't get the promotion quickly, we see the aforementioned "hinting" start until the efforts cease almost completely. This is one of the top reasons a lot of members do not get promoted.

- Expectations for further promotion may see a substantial increase as you move up the ranks. While the tips for a promotion to Recruit (One Banana) and a promotion to Corporal (Two Bananas) may be the same, it is usually fairly easier to get the former, whereas candidates for the latter may be under a bit more scrutiny and may be expected to contribute more to earn that next rank! Basically, if you're doing enough for a Recruit promotion, you need to keep it up and possibly contribute more to earn that Corporal rank!

- Strive for quality, not quantity. Below you will find various methods and what we consider when recommending or voting on promotions. That doesn't mean take all the tips below and SPAM, SPAM, SPAM! Bumping the recruit thread 10 times in 10 seconds doesn't actually help the clan but rather makes it harder for us to track you while using our metrics. Spamming effortless posts to our offsite threads implies you don't seem to truly care about who you're talking to or the topic at hand, and are simply trying to boost your post count. We review the bumps, replies, etc and I can assure you that quality definitely takes precedent over quantity. Below is a screenshot of an actual promotion recommendation from just a few hours ago (edited to preserve integrity and anonymity of course):

[OUTDATED] How To Best Get Promoted! [OUTDATED] Screen15

What We Currently Look At For All Promotions:

- One way to show you are here to help grow the clan is by bumping our OSRS Recruitment thread. You can find it on one of the first few pages of the 'Old School Clans' forum or by clicking on the related picture underneath the clan clock in the top-right of the offsite homepage. Signing in and commenting 'Bump' (or anything else) on our thread will 'Bring Up My(our) Post' to the first page. That helps newcomers looking for clans see our thread more easily.

- Another way to help grow the clan and show you are active is through direct invitation of newcomers. Whether you are slaying, bossing, skilling, or bankstanding, feel free to invite the people around you to the clan. For extra brownie points, have them sign up here on the offsite for their smiley and ask them give you a recruitment shoutout in their introduction thread!

- Attending our clan events are a great way to show your support. Although you may not be directly promoted by doing so, you essentially are branding your RSN to ranks, mods, and the clan. We will see you are active, which shows there is some level of care for the clan. So over time, your name will become more familiar and this may spark talks about your name when we discuss promotions. Our most recent event, the 2.5K member party, included a 350m drop party (that was only meant to be 250m at first before I got carried away, oops!) so there's no reason not to attend!

- Helping out in general can additionally demonstrate your willingness to grow and benefit the clan. By assisting other members with advice, encouraging others to recruit or bump the thread, and helping promote clan events, you set yourself apart from the rest of the clan. Members who go above and beyond what the majority of others do are definitely appearing on our radar. Keep in mind the quality over quantity measure though! Shouting "LANGUAGE!" repeatedly at people who accidentally curse or at new members who may not know the rule is not very helpful.

- Since a majority of our moderation efforts take place in the 'Ranks-Only' section of the forum, we expect those truly interested in moving up to be active here on the offsite as well! This could be as simple as welcoming new members in the Introduce Yourself section, making yourself a progress thread in the Goals and Achievement section (or commenting on others'), or posting appropriately in any of the other various sections we have! (We have awesome cat and dog threads in the 'Off Topic' section, just saying).
Offsite activity is a good indicator as to whether or not we can expect you to contribute to the Ranks section when and if the time is right. While it is strongly focused on for Corporals (Two Bananas) under consideration for a promotion to Sergeant/Moderator (Three Bananas), it certainly can't hurt for you to get posting early! If you're reading this, you're off to a great start Wink

Rank-Specific Expectations:

Smiley
The expectations for a smiley rank are pretty basic. Simply sign up here on the offsite, create your introduction thread, then hang out in the chat frequently and be friendly! While we understand not everyone wants to jump in on the conversation all the time, it's nigh impossible to gauge your activity and determine your eligibility for promotion if you only lurk!

Do note that a vulgar/offensive username must be changed before being given a Smiley and therefore future promotions. Similarly, your rank may be removed either temporarily or permanently, should you change it to something offensive in the future. You are not exempt by saying "it means something different!", "it's not my fault you interpreted it wrong!", etc. If it is deemed vulgar/offensive by the general population, and therefore the OSRS Advice staff, it will prevent you from being ranked/promoted.

Recruit
Recruits (One Banana) are the next step in the promotion process after you've received your smiley. To obtain the rank of Recruit, members are expected to follow the tips and guidelines above and of course make yourself stand out positively. The most dedicated Smileys can earn their way to a Recruit promotion within a matter of weeks!

Corporal
Corporal (Two Banana) is the next step up from Recruit with most of the same expectations. However, while the methods may be the same, you will be expected to contribute and stand out even more than you did before to earn that Corporal promotion!

Sergeant
Sergeant (Three Banana) is the rank that you join the moderation team. To earn a promotion from Corporal to Sergeant, as previously stated, your offsite usage may come into play. While we have some moderators who were not promoted based on this expectation in the past, and some exceptions may still be made moving forward, offsite participation is the major difference between a Corporal and a Sergeant. You will be expected to participate in our 'Ranks Only' section here on the offsite where you will join in on all the moderator discussions such as other members' promotions, so we need to know we can rely on you to contribute! Sergeants are also, of course, expected to moderate the chat when possible and keep things as civil as possible. This doesn't mean staring at the chat all day, every day, but simply carry on the way you already have been and take care of issues as they arise or as you see them, such as moving along an argument in the chat or kicking a spammer.

Sergeant promotions are also sometimes dependent on our need for new moderators at the time. We have plenty of great Corporals that are slowly making their way into the moderation team, but this promotion and those above each take a fair bit longer than the previous ranks due to the extra weight and responsibilities your new title will carry. And remember that not everyone is cut out to be a moderator and that's ok! Some even choose to sit at Corporal because they'd rather play the game and not have to worry about moderating the chat

Lieutenant
Lieutenant (Bronze Star) is the first promotion that our moderators are eligible for. This is reserved for those who are consistently performing all the previously mentioned duties, and are vigilant in their moderation duties as well. While there is no additional expectations, keep doing what you're doing and doing it well, and you'll soon be a nice rusty star to reward your efforts and show you're carrying yourself well as a moderator! Note that this is where many may find themselves for an extended period of time due to the additional expectations and thought that goes into the next rank.

Captain
Captain (Silver Star) is what separates our Moderator team from the Senior Moderator team. Senior moderators have an even more exclusive offsite section to discuss the high-level functions and core values of the clan. To become a Captain, you have to prove yourself as a trustworthy, dedicated, and invaluable member to the clan, as the words of a senior moderator are not taken lightly. This means excelling at all the previous requirements up to this point, being exceptionally dedicated to your moderation duties, and contributing with well thought-out discussions and viewpoints, all of which come together to prove you are a well-rounded and well-suited member to join the Senior Moderation team.

General
General (Gold Star) is the highest rank you can achieve as a member of the clan. This is reserved for the most dedicated, trusted, and influential members of the clan. These members have stuck it out through thick and thin, helped influence the clan, and have done so consistently, without question, for the longest periods of time. These are the members who can be trusted to do what's right for the clan, regardless of what the issue is or who is causing it. If I or anyone else were to make a decision that was not in the clan's best interest, I would fully expect and trust them to set us straight.

With that all covered, just remember, ranks are earned, not given, and only the most active, mature, and hardest-working will achieve the highest ranks.
You should not feel discouraged along the way, but rather proud of yourself when you finally do achieve a promotion. If you follow the pointers above, as well as the clan chat rules, your promotion will come! And also keep in mind that earning promotions are not for everyone! If you'd rather play the game to enjoy it, and never have to worry about promoting the clan, that is totally fine as well. Clan politics are not for everyone!

From myself and the entire moderation team, thank you all for your continued support. We couldn't do what we do without all of you. Cool

As always, if you have any questions and/or would like anything clarified, feel free to respond here or contact me privately - either in-game or via PM here on the offsite. I should receive an email notification for the latter and respond promptly.

Cheers,

Bear Wave

by **COCOMARBELLA** Wed Jul 24, 2019 6:25 am

hello bear Smile

thank you this was really useful and makes a lot of sense of course! Smile

definitely noted and will most definitely take these guidelines and rules in to consideration Smile

have a great day!

by **0ne Up** Wed Jul 24, 2019 6:54 am

Good read thank you mr bear tongue

by **Zvny** Wed Jul 24, 2019 6:56 am

Thanks for the effort of writing an updated version.

by **ladybird2** Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:40 am

Very well done.......beautifully explained, a nice reference for any and all of us to use, or recommend. Very Happy

by **Muffin** Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:17 am

I still just like the fact that we call ranks "bananas"

Thanks Bear!

by **Avallan** Wed Jul 24, 2019 3:40 pm

Very well written and informative, thanks so much for taking the time to update the thread Smile

by **Devilshrooms** Fri Jul 26, 2019 12:12 pm

Thanks for posting and updating this very useful info for getting promoted and helping other thanksgiving!!!

by **noelemahc** Fri Jul 26, 2019 12:58 pm

Very well wrote out! Thank you for re-writing this!

by **Lokandur** Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:33 pm

Still wondering how I made it past smiley Wink

by **The_Gamed** Wed Sep 18, 2019 2:29 am

Awesome read for anyone wanting to know where to start & what it takes! Smile

by **rs76** Thu Oct 17, 2019 8:53 am

Thanks for the informative information and thread update! Keep up the hard work Bear<3

by **Cownuggets** Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:34 pm

Hello, cool ranks! cant wait to become a recruit someday. Thanks for the smiley today Bear you are the best!

INCOMING GENERAL BOYS

by **Bodjery** Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:35 pm

I loved what I read Papa Bear! Encouraging us all to be a good clan, and even more a kind of family. May be now it's the game that has all of us around each other, but life is odd, and this is also a way to make new real life friends.
I hope you are doing well.
Best for you,
Bod.