Recruitment

Any recruitment activity can be divided by the type of recruits it intends to get: inexperienced players, or experienced players.

The inexperienced player will ask most investment, although the easiness in which they can be recruited may warrant this investment. The experienced player, who more likely then not is already attached to a clan, could involve some risk and may prove to be unsatisfactory in the long run. This can be stated as scores of inexperienced players do seek to become member of a clan, but will be lacking any experience in team mechanics other then through pubs.

The recruiting of experienced players, usually away from another clan, might result in open hostilities with the clan in question if not very delicately handled. As soon as the human resources allow the team a recruiter should be appointed and an acceptance board consisting of the clanleader and the defense and offence leaders.

1. This recruiter should basically play the pubs and observe players there. Any direct contact with possible recruits should be avoided at this point. The recruiters function is to construct a profile of a possible candidate. On the basis of these profiles the teamleader and the recruiter will choose a number of promising candidates. On the basis of this prospective candidates are put under observation by all members of the team on the acceptance board.

2. If a candidate proves promising he/she can be invited to a chatsession so as to get an idea on the character of a person.

3. These candidates are invited to a number of testmatches, where they are observed by the acceptance board. These testmatches should include the testing of the candidates abilities in a number of classes and the positioning on defense and offence. It should be made perfectly clear to a candidate that the playing of a test match does not automatically constitute clan membership.

4. If the candidate has succesfully concluded the testmatches, he/she may be allowed into the clan. A mentor is assigned who will devote specific time to this player and train the recruit in the specifics of your team: how to use what bindings, how to use communication, who is in charge when, etc.

5. After the mentor has decided the recruit to be able enough the recruit may join the ranks of the clan in battle.

6. The recruiting of experienced teamplayers should be done through diplomacy and careful preparation. No outright offer at the onset should be made so as not to alert the person in question. An alerted person may take your request and pass it on to his/her respective leaders, after which you may have a hostile clan on your hands.

7. First of all the recruiter, whose identity is only revealed on a need to know basis both inside and outside your team, will observe the player in question as soon as this player hits the pubs. Initial contact will be made on the basis of greeting and friendly chats. The target will also be tracked when on IRC. Conversation can be made: the initial goal is to gain trust. Under no circumstance will the recruiter reveal the purpose of his actions.

8. Once trust is built the target can be asked on what his thoughts about various things are: TF in general, TFC, etc. The recruiter will then also casually slip in the current affiliation of the target. Observe how the target reacts: if the target is cool or downright critical this may mean that recruiting the target will be easy and you may move on to the next phase. If the person is not critical, it may mean that a lot more work should be invested into the recruiting and the recruiter should keep on �massaging� the target.

9. All these actions and their results will be discussed with the clanleader who may express the desire to recruit the target. If the target has expressed coolness or criticism towards his/her own clan, the target will be invited to play along in test matches for new recruits. The clanleader will ask the target�s opinion on new recruits.

10. After a number of test matches and after having given the target the indication that you value his/her input, and as a person. the loose question of joining is put forward. Observe the reaction of the target. Downright negative will mean that the candidate will not switch allegiance lightly or at all. At this point, if acceptance is not immediate, the clanleader should decide whether the target is still worth investing in.

11. If the target decides to change clans then make sure he/she does not tell their former team that he/she was recruited as this will open hostilities between you and them.

12. A word of warning: Recruiting established clanplayers should also include investigating their clan-past. Have they changed a lot? If yes, they could leave you quickly as well. Are you sure they are not spying for the other clan? Carefulness is the word when it comes to recruiting �clanned� players.