Is it IMPOSSIBLE to be approved as an editor?!?!

I am starting to believe it is IMPOSSIBLE to be approved as an editor for the ODP.

I applied for an editor position in the following area.

Recreation/Outdoors/Speleology/Cave_Diving

There are only 32 listings in this area. It is a field of scuba diving in which less than 10,000 people in the entire world hold a valid certification. It is a VERY specific field of technical scuba diving and I happen to be one of these 10,000 people certified at this level of diving. I happen to truly love cave diving and it is a serious part of my personal life.

There is not a single existing editor for this category. I submitted an application and included truly valid sites that should be listed in this area, which includes two certification agencies in the cave diving field THAT ARE NOT EVEN LISTED!! What could be a more justified listing in the category?

Yet, I am declined to “the privilege” of becoming an editor in this category? Why? I can not imagine that there is a backlog of editors wanting to help clean up this category.

And to make matters worse, I have applied over the years, yes years, to act as an editor for numerous categories yet I have ALWAYS been declined, regardless of the fact it was in an area that I hold a specific expertise.

So yet, once again, I am declined the ability to participate.

I read all of the potential “reasons” for being declined and not a single one would really apply to me.

1. I have NO COMMERICAL INTEREST in the Cave Diving field.
2. I DO NOT own a dive shop.
3. I am NOT a dive instructor.
4. I do not have an “AFFILIATION” with a Cave Diving Website.
5. There is NO SELF PROMOTION involved in any way.
6. My application was complete.
7. My spelling was accurate.
8. The sample URLs were totally valid and applicable to the category.

Now lets address my ability to “write, spell and use proper grammar”. I happen to hold a PhD in the Engineering field and feel that if my writing skills were sufficient for successful publication of my Dissertation that they should certainly fall within a level necessary to be an editor for the ODP.

I am so frustrated I can not even begin to place my feelings into words.

It is a shame that instead of receiving a personal response explaining why I was declined, which I am starting to believe is due to PERSONAL issues, I receive a form letter.

I would really like to be afforded the courtesy of a personal contact and legitimate explanation.

Brett F.

I wouldn't say it's IMPOSSIBLE, as I became an editor about 6 months ago.

Now lets address my ability to “write, spell and use proper grammar”. I happen to hold a PhD in the Engineering field and feel that if my writing skills were sufficient for successful publication of my Dissertation that they should certainly fall within a level necessary to be an editor for the ODP.

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:warning:I wouldn't be so sure about that. You haven't read my dissertation.

Perhaps the rejection E-mail(s) have more specifics.

Re: Is it IMPOSSIBLE to be approved as an editor?!

Now lets address my ability to “write, spell and use proper grammar”. I happen to hold a PhD in the Engineering field and feel that if my writing skills were sufficient for successful publication of my Dissertation that they should certainly fall within a level necessary to be an editor for the ODP.

Click to expand...

Writing a university dissertation and writing an ODP-guidelines-compliant title and description are two completely different things.

I would really like to be afforded the courtesy of a personal contact and legitimate explanation.

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The email you got is all you are entitled to get, I'm afraid.

If you've been declined that many times, perhaps it's time you started looking for something else to do.

Re: Is it IMPOSSIBLE to be approved as an editor?!

"Writing a university dissertation and writing an ODP-guidelines-compliant title and description are two completely different things. "

That statement is absolutely correct. However, considering that it took me a matter of 1 minute to look at a couple categories and find EXISTING descriptions that completely violate ODP "submission guidelines" it causes me to believe that this is complete hogwash. If the guidelines are so important than why are all the non compliant listings permitted to remain and why are the editors of the categories in question permitted to continue to act in the capacity of editor in that assigned category? Is this favoritism?

This is nothing more than an issue of individuals on power trips, such as yourself, with an ability to do nothing more that assert that power over people trying to VOLUNTEER for something that would take the collective brain power of a common rat.

And something else, I read the "rejection notice" again and it actually suggested that I pick a category with 100 listings. Well, I picked one with 32, so I guess that this was also just a "blanket form letter" excuse.

Perhaps you should change your submission policy to read:

"Your chances of approval to act as an ODP editor shall be directly relational to the mood of the individual reading your application and how many times we have made you grovel in the re-application process."

Re: Is it IMPOSSIBLE to be approved as an editor?!

Per our forum guidelines, arguing over a rejection is not permitted here. Since your question (about getting a personal response) has been answered, this thread is being closed.