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Thin recruitment pool
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jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 03:35

I noticed a few people saying that recruitment seems to be harder then ever.

Any ideas as to how to solve this.

Here are my two cents of possibilities.
1. For someone with more imagination then me to come up with an idea how to get more people to this site. :)
2. Of course the first thing you think off, is that the number of agencies around should be held to a maximum. But that is not really fair.
But there are other ways that starting a new agency can be harder:
- Can only be started by people whom have been more then X days in the game and/or over X experience. This would require most new joins to train somewhere else temporarily. And also could prevent some initial start up headache for both new director, and new person to this agency. So many new agencies have initial issues, password swapping problems or go bankrupt etc.
- Or there is a waiting list for a new agency when it can be started. Based on how many people enter this game. For each X amount of new people subscribing, the first agency on the list can start up.
- It is a lot more expensive to start an agency.
- An agency can not be started, until someone has found X members to join first. People would be more inclined to join an exisiting agency. And only people that are really serious about the work, can start a new one.

I know what I wrote above is not really fair. But I think I could bring it out there, as I am not recruiting. Though definitely not fair, but having a bigger recruitment pool does add to the fun of the game and community.

Also I think that many new players, do not know what they are in to in terms of recruiting. And 3 people sitting in an agency desperately trying to get new members, may also having more fun to join someone else. Instead of giving up and go bankrupt.



Replies

som tam
som tam
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 04:16

I agree totally.Plus an established Agency has experience in the game to help give advice to new recuits.
We help them by telling them what skills to get,giving them accessories to use,helping them with travel,helping with their cases.

Starting an agency is very costly and time consuming.
I recommend joining an established agency to learn the game and get the full aspect of case solving and treasure hunts.

I agree that there should be 2 co-directors to start a new agency.Would eliminate the problem if the only director's detective is retired and the agency must fold.


MarcusAndrew
MarcusAndrew

May-5-2005 04:20

I don't know if it's really fair to have a waiting list for agencies. Surely the director has the right to choose who they want to be in their agency. It shouldnt simply be a case of first-come, first-served. On the other hand, I'm not a director so I don't know how difficult it is to recruit new agency members.
I do agree that a new director should be of a certain age, with suitable experience to start an agency! It only seems right that the veteran detectives have enough experience to run a team of detectives.

mrs.zane
mrs.zane
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 05:15

I don't think folks know how hard it is to be a director of an agency. It is mostly work. To have a successful agency a director must be willing to put their agent on the back burner sometimes for days. This week I went for 2 days without doing a single case for myself. You must be willing to be interrupted constantly with PMs for help, be able to trouble shoot an agent to see what they are lacking in order to be more successful with cases, lend a lot of money to folks to pay shady ( I know S&H pays shady out of their racetrack winnings, but most agencies will not be as successful at the track as they are), keep track of your safe, keep track of your equiptment locker, settle differences between agents (luckily our group NEVER argues. We have the best group in Sletuhville) and orginize hunts. An agency starting with all new people will go bankrupt in short time due to inexperience.
I like the idea of needing X amount of experience to open an agency.

R Sweets
R Sweets

May-5-2005 05:41

I like not requiring an agency to have so many days, experience, or a waitlist. I believe this makes it more like real life, where agencies come and go. Plus, it could discourage some new people from joining.

cfm
cfm
Nomad

May-5-2005 05:49

While I too feel the frustrations of the overwhelming number of agencies compared to the number of agents around, I really do not like the idea of limiting who can start an agency.

Even if they will eventually fail, even the new detectives should have the option of starting an agency, if they have the cash to purchase the property. Time will take care of weeding the rest of it out. There are plenty of resources available around here for anyone interested in starting an agency to find information about it before doing so, such as time and financial requirements.

I think that requiring a certain amount of experience to open an agency, would open even MORE recruitment problems. I do not have time to spend trainging someone for my agency just to see them up and leave as soon as they reach that point. Most people know that I am always happy to help, but running the agency takes priority. And lets face it, most people aren't going to tell you that they are just biding their time with you until they can start their own agency. (I now that some will, but not all.)

While it may be personally frustrating, competetion is good business. I hate recruiting with a passion, but I would hate to see unnecessary limits placed on new detectives. Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 06:30

Everybody has good points.

I am wondering how many people have recruitment problems?

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 06:35

Maybe another option is, is before someone starts an agency that they are directed to a screen that says something like:

Hello new director,

You are applying for an agency license. Awesome!
We would like to warn you that being a director is a lot of work, almost like a second job. You have to educate your members, support them, manage money and equipment lockers. The first, step is to recruit. Keep in mind that the recruitment pool is incredibly thin. All those actions combined, it will take at least several months to really build an agency.
It is recommended that you join an existing agency, before you commit to starting your own.

Do you still want to start your agency?
Yes - leads to purchase of an agency
No - guides you to the recruitment board.

Sincerely,
The Mayor of Sleuth
Offices located at City hall.




jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 06:39

Something like that anyway. It will make someone think twice. And most starting an agency for the first time, do not even realize how much work directorship is, and how hard it is to recruit.
At least they go into it with their eyes open.

R Sweets
R Sweets

May-5-2005 07:46

I like the idea of a little "advice" before someone is allowed to officially open an agency.

P. Rockwell
P. Rockwell
Well-Connected

May-5-2005 08:39

True true. I just hate seeing good dectives joining or creating a new agency. Then the agency doesn't work out-it happen often. In the effort, they burn out. And buddies once are now buddies lost.

Losing detectives to the site is bad for us detectives and to the Sleuth site as well. I think it would be wise to make it more difficult to start an agency. Honestly, that is real life. In any major city, the red tape alone is thick enough to bring second thoughts about starting a new business.

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