New member to RZ

Hello all,

I have applied to become an editor and I am now new to the Resource Zone. This is my first post here so I'll say hi! hi!

You may see me around once in awhile asking questions and looking for advise when I become an editor under my category:

dmoz.org/Business/Telecommunications/Associations/

I look forward to becoming an editor since I have a major website that belongs in this category and I know the telecommunications network and organizations well as we will be doing some very long term business together.

I would like to hear from some of the editors from this category or above it just to see how it's done, how much work is involved and how many website requests they get each day.

Lastly, does anyone know how to get a customized avatar?

Thanks
Best,
snappingpig

If you're accepted as an editor, snappingpig, you'd want to post all such questions in our internal forums, which is quite large, so that many editors can see them and have an opportunity to answer them.

Due to security matters, many things are proprietary information that we don't discuss in an open forum like this.

As far as how much work is involved, there are many jobs and levels of permissions, so it's entirely up to each individual editor to decide how much time and effort they want to invest.

Let me put it this way, it's on the job training, with lots of help and advice, but you're not pushed, you're given the opportunity to go as far as you'd like to go with it, depending on your interests and how much time you have available.

Good luck, .

Lastly, does anyone know how to get a customized avatar?

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You need to be an ODP editor.

I am trying...

Internal forum? You must be talking about the penguin cafe! A college buddy of mine from years back was telling me about that since he used to be an editor. I was looking all over for it online, but he said it was a "men in black" type of secret forum lol, unless he was making that up.

Too bad he couldn't put some word out about me, but then again, I had no website or time way back then.

How does the acceptance work for becoming an editor, is there a council that votes or does one person make that decision? It sounds like a pretty cool job to me if you get to work at your own pace.

Internal forum? You must be talking about the penguin cafe!

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The internal forums are just that, forums, as in more than one.

How does the acceptance work for becoming an editor, is there a council that votes or does one person make that decision? It sounds like a pretty cool job to me if you get to work at your own pace.

Click to expand...

Applications are reviewed by volunteer Meta editors.

trying

trying.....

Internal forum? You must be talking about the penguin cafe! A college buddy of mine from years back was telling me about that since he used to be an editor. I was looking all over for it online, but he said it was a "men in black" type of secret forum lol, unless he was making that up.

Click to expand...

If he meant "for humor", he would be correct. I don't think I would be out of line to say that there is nothing sinister about our internal forums, we're just normal people trying to do a job, but the size of our forums might blow your mind. I won't say anymore, I'm too close to the line now.

and how many website requests they get each day.

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As the category you're requesting is a Topics category, what's more important than the number of site suggestions coming in, is the goal of keeping the web surfer who is looking for that specific information in mind, and what sites will benefit that person, will it be of value to them.

So, the first thing to do is to switch your focus from what benefits the site owner, to what benefits the information user. None of the site suggestions you recieve for consideration may add value to the category, which is why we place more emphasis on going out and finding new sites on your own.

The advantage of that is that there is no ulterior motive on the part of sites you find on your own, and it isn't based on how skilled the SEO guy is, or how much money the site owner can afford to pay for those services, it's based on the actual unique content the site may contain and how valuable that would be for the searcher. Page rank doesn't mean squat to someone looking for important information.

It's very much like a scavenger hunt for sites of value, not the companies themselves, just the sites and their content. We only deal with websites, we don't make judgements about one company compared to another company, or the sophistication of the site design, only content that will be useful to a web surfer.

Thanks for that information, I guess I was going about it wrong. In that case, it's even better since I know some really good sites out there in my category that I found myself that I would rather put up on my own rather than requests.

Unfortunatly I didn't get accepted as editor for my category, but I think I know a few reasons why from reading these forums. Would you know if my category is too big for a 1st time editor trying to apply for it?

I will follow the advice on this forum and try applying again, except this time I will make my application more professional and keep in mind what you said about how editing works.

I'm not familiar with that part of the Directory, our metas could better advise you.

I, personally, started in a small city with 4 sites in it and built it up to 130 sites. You're really better off starting with a small category like that because you can apply for other categories down the road, and you'll undoubtly find other topics that will interest you.

Our metas are the real experts in advising possible new editors, I'm overstepping what I should be saying, , though I'm always anxious to encourage new people to join us.

Unfortunatly I didn't get accepted as editor for my category

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Don't let that discourage you, many of our best editors had to try several times, and just about every editor (including myself) has requested and been turned down for new categories, it's not a personal thing, our metas are usually right, that's why they're metas, .

snappingpig said:

Unfortunatly I didn't get accepted as editor for my category, but I think I know a few reasons why from reading these forums. Would you know if my category is too big for a 1st time editor trying to apply for it?

Click to expand...

You should have a few reason from the letter you received when your application was rejected. The letter, even if its just the standard one, offers the most common reasons an application isn't accepted. The category doesn't appear to be to large for a new editor, it is well within the preferred size range of less than 100 listed sites recommend for new editors to begin in.

Also remember what is being evaluated on an application includes (but is not limited to, or in any particular order):

• Your ability to locate listable sites for the category you are applying to.
• Your skills at writing appropriate titles/descriptions (i.e following the guidelines).
• Honesty.
• Language skills, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Does anyone know how hard it is to become an editor, like the acceptance percentage? Shadow, I read the recommendations from the letter I received and followed your suggestions too so I'm feeling pretty good about this now!

I have sent in my application so I'll be back in a little while when I receive some new news!

It's relatively easy to become an editor so long as the applicant adequetly demonstrates characteristics such as was mentioned above. That being said many of us still took a few attempts to get accepted. Personally I think my experience was three attempts (could have been two but recollection is three) before getting it close enough for a Meta to 'take a chance' on me.

I don't know of any way to accurately predict an overall percentage, and frankly the numbers will be skewed based on individuals with different processing styles. For example, personally I am a relative newbie to application processing. I tend to process a lot of the obviously unacceptable applications like those with no listable sample URL's provided or those for categories that are much to big for a trainee. Therefore my acceptance rate is going to (by the very nature of my style) be pretty low. Another meta may be concentrating on just potentially good applications and therefore their acceptance rate could be much higher.

The important thing to remember though, is do not be discouraged by rejected applications. That is part of the learning process and unless the reviewer comments indicate that future applications won't be accepted, trying again is encouraged. Being able to deduce what is wrong with your own applications and make the corrections is a way of demonstrating editing abilities.

I had another question as well about applying to be an editor. Is it ok if I were to apply for multiple categories that are unrelated and I am interested in or just one at a time?

You should have just one application on the go at any time. Once you are accepted and you have some editing experience behind you, you can apply for additional categories.

Well it looks like it's been around 14 days so I'll have to send in another application. I was hoping I would get the job on my birthday 3 days ago!

An application to become an editor? Sorry I am a little confused by the post, but I am easily confused these days. If that is the goal I am curious as to what the 14 days signifies? If your application was accepted or rejected you will have received an email stating as much. You don't want to have multiple applications in the system, in fact if I recall correctly it won't allow you to submit more than one. The only thing that rings a bell to me regarding 14 days, is this forums rules about inquiring on the status of the application which would be done in the appropriate thread here and no sooner than 14 days from the submission date of the application.

Hope that helps.

ok, I didn't realize that. I figured my email has been getting so crappy lately that my decision letter got permanently lost like alot of my letters. I assumed I was rejected since the last reply came a day after I submitted it, but this time it may have been deleted by the email before I got to it, but I waited 14 days just in case. I'll go to the appropriate thread and ask then.

Thanks

Hi

Hi to all,

I am NEW TO Dmoz Forum