VHL Job Applications/Interviews: A Guide

[thadthrasher 1,692]

VHL Job Applications/Interviews: A Guide

 

Before I begin, this isn’t the rule. What I mean is that not everyone who has the ability to hire someone for a position will be looking for the same things I do, but I really think this may help some people. This article contains some of the things that I look for and some things I have done to get the positions I have held.

 

What Happens?

Typically, when a position opens up for something, whether that be a GM or AGM spot, a job as a member of the Recruitment team, or even VSN, there is a bit of a process that unfolds.

 

First, the person/people who have the authority to hire someone will make the vacancy known. Sometimes this isn’t a surprise, and other times it’s a complete shock. Nonetheless, they will post an announcement in the forum. That announcement is usually passed around the VHL discord and various locker rooms by GM/AGMs. At this point, the hiring person may receive messages from others around the VHL. These messages vary from “avoid this person because….” to “You’d be making a mistake by NOT hiring this person.”

 

Within the announcement, there may be a job description or a list of responsibilities, and then something along the lines of “If you’d like to apply, do…” Now, since I’ve had to hire two AGMs in my short tenure as a GM, I can only really speak about what happens next concerning what I do.

 

As people respond to the post and do what I requested, I make a list of everyone who is interested in the position. Then, as they respond to my questions, I copy and paste them below that list. I don’t read them at first, just copy and paste. Once my day has ended and is winding down, I’ll sit down and read through each response. The first thing I do is highlight the name with green or red. This is simply my “first impression” response. If I’m impressed by an aspect of the response or the whole thing, the name is highlighted in green. If the answer doesn’t stick out to me, it’s highlighted red.

 

Once I’ve gone through the entire list and made my highlights, I will look at who is left in green. From there, I will make notes next to their name. These notes are things that I know about them, what I’ve seen about them around the league, and what I have heard from others. After making my notes, I’ll re-read the responses and add some critical things into my notes. If I’m left not knowing someone, I’ll reach out to either someone they mention in their response or to a few people I trust and ask for their thoughts and opinions.

 

Finally, I narrow my list down to 2-4 people. I re-read my notes and their responses, look at what I need in a person for that position and then make my decision from there.

 

Some Key Hints

So, you’ve seen a job posted that you want to have and you want to apply. Hopefully, these hints will help you out.

• The most important thing is to make sure that you are active around the league. Participating in the forum, talking with people in the discord, connecting with people. Networking is crucial not only in our league but also in real life.

 

• Make sure that you have a good reputation! If you’ve burned bridges in the past or have had some moments where you’ve overreacted, be honest about that. Go to the person/people you offended and offer an apology. That will go a long way.

 

• Do exactly what is asked for on the post. If someone says, “To apply, please send me a message on Discord/Forum,” make sure you do exactly that. Now, I’m not a stickler on this, but some might.

 

• If they ask you questions, answer them carefully and thoughtfully. When you are interviewing for a job in the VHL and/or real-life, you wouldn’t walk into the interview and give one-word answers to their questions. Give them some detail, address the question, and make it interesting.

 

• Make yourself stand out! If you’re applying for a VSN job, make sure your spelling and punctuation are top-notch. For WJC, I applied with a video to make myself stand out. @Juice, when he applied to be my AGM the first time, he sent me a humorous resume that had me dying. This doesn’t mean you’ll get the job, but it’ll certainly help you stick out.

 

• Include keywords. For most jobs, there is a job description and some notes. Most of the time, they want you to include a resume (obviously, this isn’t necessary for the VHL). What you SHOULD do is revamp your resume so that it aligns with what that company wants. If the company says, “the ideal candidate will love the environment,” you better include your passion for environmental care and how much you love it. In the VHL, if a job posting says, “I’m looking for someone who can bring in fresh ideas,” make sure you answer their questions and include some ideas, or at least say you are willing to work together to come up with some fresh ideas. The job postings have keywords and phrases for a reason; use that to your advantage!

 

• Network! This goes along with being active and having a good reputation. Get into locker rooms, talk with people, help others out. The more that your name appears in the league for good things, the better chance you have at being seen and recommended for a job. Keep in mind that leadership talks with one another quite frequently. If someone has a problem with you and they give a bad report, but then six others say “they’re a great person to have…” the hiring person will notice that.

 

• Be gracious. I’m not calling out anyone here, so please don’t read this and think that. If you aren’t selected for a position, it’s okay to be upset about that, especially if it’s a position that you really wanted. But if you respond negatively to the person who you were just trying to get hired by, they’ll let other leadership know. If you apply for a job in real life and don’t get it, but then you go and criticize the company, they’ll likely never hire you. If you are gracious, people will see that and value it.

 

• Be persistent. I joined the league in October of 2020. With minimal experience and knowledge, I applied to almost everything I could. I applied to be a GM for WJC, didn’t get it. I applied to be the AGM for @DMaximus I didn’t get it. I applied to be a WJC Commissioner, didn’t get it. But I didn’t let that get me down. I kept applying, kept trying, and kept putting my best foot forward. I applied to be a WJC GM, but this time with my own little twist. And, wouldn’t you know it, I got the job! Almost right after this I applied to be a GM, and sure enough, I got the job. Had I gotten frustrated and given up after the first denial, I’d never be where I am at now.

 

As I was writing this media spot, I began to wonder why I was picked as a GM. I’m sure some people applied who were more qualified, had been around longer, and would have made extraordinary GMs. So, I asked. This is what I was told when I asked:
 

“Honestly, it was your enthusiasm for the league, your willingness to help out, and your outgoing nature. You’ve been trying to help out the league however you could without anyone needing to ask. Really, it was an easy choice to hire you.”

 

If you still aren’t satisfied after reading this, or you think I’m off my rocker, I have another suggestion for you. Reach out to your GM and ask them what they look for in an AGM and why they hired the person they have. Connect with VSN and ask them why they have hired who they have hired. This is a great way to learn how people think and to understand what people look for.

 

If you feel I’ve missed something important, or you have something you would like to add, please feel free to add them in the comments!

---

1403 words, claiming weeks ending 7 Feb and 14 Feb

[fishy 1,757]

capitalism breaches my fun time: episode 1

[thadthrasher 1,692]

1 minute ago, fishy said:

capitalism breaches my fun time: episode 1

Coming to a theater near you!

[Ricer13 2,784]

Great write-up! I’ll be pinning this to my Locker room!

[JigglyGumballs 1,056]

This is honestly a really great perspective for those who are looking to hire someone into a position. I also really appreciate the advice you give for those who are looking to get themselves a job. 

 

Based on personal experience, any further advice from me is to just keep trying. Sure it may be a bit frustrating to miss out on a few opportunities, but just keep trying and you'll land one eventually. Still a great read!

[Juice 641]

Should I share my resume as an example? 

[thadthrasher 1,692]

2 minutes ago, Juice said:

Should I share my resume as an example? 

I mean....obviously lol

 

[Banackock 8,003]

Don’t look for AGM. Problem solved. 
 

[JigglyGumballs 1,056]

Just now, Banackock said:

Don’t look for AGM. Problem solved. 
 

The best thing about hiring an AGM is stripping their rights from them

[thadthrasher 1,692]

3 minutes ago, JigglyGumballs said:

The best thing about hiring an AGM is stripping their rights from them

You can't strip what was never there

[Gustav 6,337]

Same thing applies with scouting, especially in the VHLM. Those cookie-cutter lists of questions that players tend to get before drafts (and which I am sometimes motivated enough to send out) are things whose answers themselves have almost zero significance to me. What matters is how they're answered--someone who gives thoughtful answers (and asks questions) is going to do a lot better than someone who gives you half a sentence with no punctuation for each. If you can't be bothered to spend 2 minutes responding to someone who's potentially interested, you can't be bothered to spend time earning TPE.

 

With that said, it's important to read what's being said too to root out some red flags ("I want as much money as you can give me" or "I don't want to play for you/I really want to play for [other team]"). But I've found that the tone and completeness of the answers by itself can say quite a bit.

[thadthrasher 1,692]

1 minute ago, GustavMattias said:

What matters is how they're answered

Exactly. This is so incredibly important to understand!

[Banackock 8,003]

39 minutes ago, JigglyGumballs said:

The best thing about hiring an AGM is stripping their rights from them

[Juice 641]

As per @thadthrasher's request, please find my CV that I sent him for my AGM application:

Juice_-_CV.pdf

[Dom 1,445]

@thadthrasheryou forgot the most important part: bribe the gm with a 20$

[Beketov 8,973]

6 hours ago, thadthrasher said:

I’m not calling out anyone here, so please don’t read this and think that. If you aren’t selected for a position, it’s okay to be upset about that, especially if it’s a position that you really wanted. But if you respond negatively to the person who you were just trying to get hired by, they’ll let other leadership know

Additional part of this to keep in mind, just because you aren’t the best candidate doesn’t automatically mean you were the worst candidate. Depending on the job sometimes we’ve got 20+ Applications for singular positions. Just because you don’t get the job doesn’t mean we don’t think you were qualified, just that someone else was more qualified. It’s not a slight, it’s just how things go.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

16 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Additional part of this to keep in mind, just because you aren’t the best candidate doesn’t automatically mean you were the worst candidate. Depending on the job sometimes we’ve got 20+ Applications for singular positions. Just because you don’t get the job doesn’t mean we don’t think you were qualified, just that someone else was more qualified. It’s not a slight, it’s just how things go.

 

Think an even better way to explain is that it doesn't mean you're NOT a good or great candidate either - just means someone else was preferred.

[Beketov 8,973]

Just now, flyersfan1453 said:

 

Think an even better way to explain is that it doesn't mean you're NOT a good or great candidate either - just means someone else was preferred.

Yup. Far too often the reaction is “how could X not get the job?!?!?” And all we can accurately say is “Y was better.” We aren’t trying to be assholes to X, they may have been great, but not the best optionz

[Vat 234]

On 2/1/2021 at 6:51 PM, thadthrasher said:

VHL Job Applications/Interviews: A Guide

 

Before I begin, this isn’t the rule. What I mean is that not everyone who has the ability to hire someone for a position will be looking for the same things I do, but I really think this may help some people. This article contains some of the things that I look for and some things I have done to get the positions I have held.

 

What Happens?

Typically, when a position opens up for something, whether that be a GM or AGM spot, a job as a member of the Recruitment team, or even VSN, there is a bit of a process that unfolds.

 

First, the person/people who have the authority to hire someone will make the vacancy known. Sometimes this isn’t a surprise, and other times it’s a complete shock. Nonetheless, they will post an announcement in the forum. That announcement is usually passed around the VHL discord and various locker rooms by GM/AGMs. At this point, the hiring person may receive messages from others around the VHL. These messages vary from “avoid this person because….” to “You’d be making a mistake by NOT hiring this person.”

 

Within the announcement, there may be a job description or a list of responsibilities, and then something along the lines of “If you’d like to apply, do…” Now, since I’ve had to hire two AGMs in my short tenure as a GM, I can only really speak about what happens next concerning what I do.

 

As people respond to the post and do what I requested, I make a list of everyone who is interested in the position. Then, as they respond to my questions, I copy and paste them below that list. I don’t read them at first, just copy and paste. Once my day has ended and is winding down, I’ll sit down and read through each response. The first thing I do is highlight the name with green or red. This is simply my “first impression” response. If I’m impressed by an aspect of the response or the whole thing, the name is highlighted in green. If the answer doesn’t stick out to me, it’s highlighted red.

 

Once I’ve gone through the entire list and made my highlights, I will look at who is left in green. From there, I will make notes next to their name. These notes are things that I know about them, what I’ve seen about them around the league, and what I have heard from others. After making my notes, I’ll re-read the responses and add some critical things into my notes. If I’m left not knowing someone, I’ll reach out to either someone they mention in their response or to a few people I trust and ask for their thoughts and opinions.

 

Finally, I narrow my list down to 2-4 people. I re-read my notes and their responses, look at what I need in a person for that position and then make my decision from there.

 

Some Key Hints

So, you’ve seen a job posted that you want to have and you want to apply. Hopefully, these hints will help you out.

• The most important thing is to make sure that you are active around the league. Participating in the forum, talking with people in the discord, connecting with people. Networking is crucial not only in our league but also in real life.

 

• Make sure that you have a good reputation! If you’ve burned bridges in the past or have had some moments where you’ve overreacted, be honest about that. Go to the person/people you offended and offer an apology. That will go a long way.

 

• Do exactly what is asked for on the post. If someone says, “To apply, please send me a message on Discord/Forum,” make sure you do exactly that. Now, I’m not a stickler on this, but some might.

 

• If they ask you questions, answer them carefully and thoughtfully. When you are interviewing for a job in the VHL and/or real-life, you wouldn’t walk into the interview and give one-word answers to their questions. Give them some detail, address the question, and make it interesting.

 

• Make yourself stand out! If you’re applying for a VSN job, make sure your spelling and punctuation are top-notch. For WJC, I applied with a video to make myself stand out. @Juice, when he applied to be my AGM the first time, he sent me a humorous resume that had me dying. This doesn’t mean you’ll get the job, but it’ll certainly help you stick out.

 

• Include keywords. For most jobs, there is a job description and some notes. Most of the time, they want you to include a resume (obviously, this isn’t necessary for the VHL). What you SHOULD do is revamp your resume so that it aligns with what that company wants. If the company says, “the ideal candidate will love the environment,” you better include your passion for environmental care and how much you love it. In the VHL, if a job posting says, “I’m looking for someone who can bring in fresh ideas,” make sure you answer their questions and include some ideas, or at least say you are willing to work together to come up with some fresh ideas. The job postings have keywords and phrases for a reason; use that to your advantage!

 

• Network! This goes along with being active and having a good reputation. Get into locker rooms, talk with people, help others out. The more that your name appears in the league for good things, the better chance you have at being seen and recommended for a job. Keep in mind that leadership talks with one another quite frequently. If someone has a problem with you and they give a bad report, but then six others say “they’re a great person to have…” the hiring person will notice that.

 

• Be gracious. I’m not calling out anyone here, so please don’t read this and think that. If you aren’t selected for a position, it’s okay to be upset about that, especially if it’s a position that you really wanted. But if you respond negatively to the person who you were just trying to get hired by, they’ll let other leadership know. If you apply for a job in real life and don’t get it, but then you go and criticize the company, they’ll likely never hire you. If you are gracious, people will see that and value it.

 

• Be persistent. I joined the league in October of 2020. With minimal experience and knowledge, I applied to almost everything I could. I applied to be a GM for WJC, didn’t get it. I applied to be the AGM for @DMaximus I didn’t get it. I applied to be a WJC Commissioner, didn’t get it. But I didn’t let that get me down. I kept applying, kept trying, and kept putting my best foot forward. I applied to be a WJC GM, but this time with my own little twist. And, wouldn’t you know it, I got the job! Almost right after this I applied to be a GM, and sure enough, I got the job. Had I gotten frustrated and given up after the first denial, I’d never be where I am at now.

 

As I was writing this media spot, I began to wonder why I was picked as a GM. I’m sure some people applied who were more qualified, had been around longer, and would have made extraordinary GMs. So, I asked. This is what I was told when I asked:
 

“Honestly, it was your enthusiasm for the league, your willingness to help out, and your outgoing nature. You’ve been trying to help out the league however you could without anyone needing to ask. Really, it was an easy choice to hire you.”

 

If you still aren’t satisfied after reading this, or you think I’m off my rocker, I have another suggestion for you. Reach out to your GM and ask them what they look for in an AGM and why they hired the person they have. Connect with VSN and ask them why they have hired who they have hired. This is a great way to learn how people think and to understand what people look for.

 

If you feel I’ve missed something important, or you have something you would like to add, please feel free to add them in the comments!

---

1403 words, claiming weeks ending 7 Feb and 14 Feb

10/10 i didn't even know that there were jobs in the VHL.  You explained everything in details and i feel like i have learned something knew.  I can see that you have put a lot of time and effort into this, thank you for the information!

[thadthrasher 1,692]

Claiming for 14 Feb