Official Becoming a Trainee 2: Train Harder

Becoming a Trainee 2: Train Harder

Mineplex Staff Recruitment Denial Explanation, Tips, FAQ, and Process


Please note that the picture above is intended as a parody of the movie Die Hard 2, and is in no way meant to offend anyone.

Introduction​

A message from the original author:
Yippee ki yay, Mineplexians!
I am FireStar891, the past Recruitment and Blacklist Lead of the Recruitment team. I noticed after my many years of being on the Applications and Recruitment teams, there are some questions players have asked me through messages that I (and other Recruiters) receive a lot, and I thought that if the public were more well-informed as to how portions of our process work, you all would be happier and more experienced in the ways that our team runs, so that you can use this knowledge to better aid your experience here. As such, in this thread (and the responses to it), I will be breaking down some things about our process such as how everything works from the applicant’s perspective as opposed to our own, listing all of the denial reasons and ways you can improve from them, and finally answering other common questions about the process. I will also detail the other guides created by fellow Recruiters and their uses as opposed to this guide. Whether you're applying for our Java or Bedrock staff team, you're sure to learn something new about the overall process!

A message from the editor:
Hello! I am Islendingurinn, current Administrator and Blacklist Manager of the Recruitment team. Following FireStar891's resignation from the staff team, the Recruitment team felt like it was crucial to keep ties to the Becoming a Trainee 2 thread that had helped out so many of our applicants throughout the years. As such, I will be taking over the editing of the thread. I'd like to thank FireStar891, not only for his time on the staff team, but also his contributions to the Recruitment process. I hope this thread continues to help all of our aspiring Trainees out!

Becoming a Trainee - by DeanTM​

This thread is the mother of all other Recruitment-based threads and should definitely be your first stop to learning all about our entry-level staff position. Everything contained in my guide is based off of and expands points originally made by Diar and updated by DeanTM, so if you need any clarification check out the thread that started it all.

March 11, 2016 TAP TM Q&A Recording
During the Trainee Acceptance Party on March 11th, 2016 the Trainee Management (now Staff Management) team held a Q&A session about commonly asked questions to the Recruiters, Mentors, TMAs (now MAs), RAs, managers and admin. We give out a lot of advice and tips, so if you're curious about anything you read here give this video a listen to see if you learn something new, or for a blast to the past! Some things have changed considering how old the recording is, but the general gist of things remains the same.

The Recruiters

The Recruitment team has several wonderful members who all work very hard to ensure that only the top-quality applicants make their way to Trainee. We all have numerous months of experience and vast dedication to Mineplex. If you ever have any questions, feel free to message any one of these people who will try their best to give you a prompt and accurate response.
Additionally, the Recruitment Assistance team was reinstated as a returning subteam to Recruitment on April 14th, 2018. The members of this team comment on pending Trainee applications, observe potential Trainees, scout new staff members from the community, and sit in on Trainee interviews. They’re always here to answer any questions you may have if you are unable to contact a Recruiter.

Recruitment Admin | Blacklist Manager: Islendingurinn
Recruiter | RA Manager: AGLThree
Recruiter | Reinstatement Manager: Arjun
Recruiter: AyyNick
Recruiter: Epicbuilder435
Recruiter: Goudge
Recruiter: neotheater
Recruiter: WinteryOsprey38
Recruiter Assistant: GoofIt
Recruiter Assistant: Wolfayy

Cross - Platform Staff (Becoming Staff on Both Java and Bedrock)

As of February 24th, 2018, we are excited to allow staff members to be cross-platform! What does this mean exactly? As of now, you can simultaneously become a staff member on both our Java and Bedrock servers! However, the requirements and procedures are a little bit different from normal.
All applicants must go through each process individually, so you can’t be a Trainee on both servers at the same time. As the punishment systems and overall duties of each server are different, we want candidates to be mastered in one system before jumping into learning the other system. You can then only apply for the other server after you have finished your Mod mentoring trial, which is roughly 3 months after first being accepted as a Trainee. Exceptions to this rule will not be made.
Additionally, we are looking for only the highest-caliber candidates to become staff on both servers. What this means is that having an exemplary record on your origin server is paramount. Being able to stay active and dedicated to both servers at the same time is quite an undertaking, and the activity quotas will not be lowered for those who are staff on both servers at once. We recommend making sure that you discuss your candidacy with your Staff Management mentor before applying to ensure that you feel this is the right decision. As well, you cannot be on Sr. Mod teams on both servers. Legacy teams such as Recruitment and Quality Assurance members will retain their positions at their admin/team lead’s discretion, but as a whole, advancement on both servers will not be possible.
Applying for your new server is simple, just let your Staff Management mentor know your intentions, and then fill out the applicable application. Keep in mind, staff members who wish to apply for their other server will be undergoing a much more critical process to ensure the readiness of candidates, so do your best to prepare. We wish you all luck!
If you have any questions, please refer to the FAQ posted below, and if those don’t cover it, please PM a Recruiter.

Application Process

The process, while a bit nerve-wracking is meant to determine if you have all of the necessary traits to make a capable Trainee. It’s primarily the same for both the Java and Bedrock process as well, so read up if you’re curious!

Application
So you’ve spent hours, days, maybe even weeks writing your application, and you feel confident that it’s worthy of the staff team, so you hit that big ol’ “Submit” button. Now, basically at this stage you have to wait. After you hit “Submit”, there’s a certain amount of time until a Recruiter will process your application. When they process it, usually within 24 hours, they’re looking to determine if you meet the most basic and quantitative requirements, such as forums time, in-game time, punishments, etc. If you pass every single rejection requirement, your application goes onto the Trello board, where it will stay for between 3 to 10 days to allow the Recruitment team to critique it. During this stage, we will go through and basically perform background checks with a fine-tooth comb, looking at honesty, forums activity, previous applications, etc. After about a week or so, AGLThree or Islendingurinn will come to a conclusion on whether or not the applicant should be interviewed, based on the opinions of the Recruiters as well as the general quality of the app. If the application doesn’t quite meet our standards, it is rejected. When an application is rejected, the respective Recruiter will read and comment on it, as well as analyzing the comments made on the application by other Recruiters and RAs. This is so the most fitting rejection reason can be applied. After they have chosen the most well-suited reason, they will comment one of the below rejection reasons as a comment on your application, and reject it (which will result in 1 notification on your “Alerts” tab on Xenforo, or the yellow icon in the lower-right corner of the screen). If you would like specific reasoning for your rejection or more tips on how to improve, please PM the Recruiter with the link to your application so they can help you (PMs sent without the link to your app will be ignored). However, if it meets the mark…
Interview
If your application meets all of our criteria, you have “passed” this stage. However, this does NOT mean you have been accepted, as the applications stage is just one in a number of checks that must be performed before you are accepted as a Trainee. You will be sent a PM on Xenforo from AGLThree or Islendingurinn inviting you to said interview and giving you a short questionnaire in order to determine who the best interviewer for you based on personality, availability and common interests would be (make sure you have PMs enabled for everyone). After you respond in that PM with your responses, you will be assigned an interviewer, who will then send you a new Xenforo PM on their own with more information regarding the interview, including the link to our interview Discord server. This server is intentionally unable to be viewed by applicants until their interview time has arrived, so please do not leave the server. After you have scheduled an interview with your assigned Recruiter, you will head onto Discord to conduct it. Note that all interviews must be performed verbally on our Discord platform, text-based/Skype/FaceTime/cellular interviews will not be allowed. When you arrive, you will be granted access to the interview room of choice by your interviewer. You will then be asked a series of questions designed to get to know you better as a candidate. These are usually detonated as a personality section, a section regarding Mineplex, and a knowledge section. Referencing outside resources is not allowed during the interview! If you are found using such resources your interview will be automatically rejected. Keep in mind that other Recruiters or Recruiter Assistants may be present at your interview. If you are uncomfortable with any aspect of the interview process, please let your interviewer know as soon as possible so that they can do their best to accommodate you. If you are denied at this point, you must wait between two weeks and one month before you can reapply. After the interview is over, the most intensive part of our application process begins…
Observations
…waiting. That is, if you’re applying on our Java platform (Bedrock applicants do not undergo an observations stage). After your interview, you must remain patient as the Recruiters perform a few observations designed to act as more background checks. There’s no other action required on your part aside from patiently waiting for a determination to be made. Once again, as this stage is very secretive, we won’t release much information into how or when these background checks are conducted. You can also be denied at any point from here on out, so the best way to stay updated is to keep an eye on your “Alerts” tab on Xenforo for any new notifications. But…
Acceptance
If you pass all of the stages of the recruitment process, you will be accepted! This happens at around 2:00 PM EST (7:00 PM BST, 11:00 AM PST) on Saturdays (5:00 AM on Sundays in AEST). Your application will receive a comments on it; with the acceptance itself and with instructions and information on how to get set up. New Trainees are announced on the forums. You will receive your mentor assignment on your application. This is the end of the recruitment process for you. New Trainees are accepted periodically and not every week, so your best bet is to pay attention to the Server Discussion tab on the forums, or the trainee-updates channel on Discord. You could still have a pending application accepted after three weeks from your interview. The most important part of the application process is to remain patient at all times, and to keep all information classified. Applications can be pending for over a month, and whether or not you can wait that long and still remain the perfect candidate is also a great indicator of if you deserve the position or not.

As of June 23rd, 2017 the Recruitment team has some good news for our candidates under 14 years old! We’ve done some brainstorming to determine how we could better streamline our process to make things easier, more efficient and more effective for you all. I’ll get into the details now!

The process used to be, if an applicant was under 14 years old their app would be instantly rejected for not meeting the age requirement, even if they met the qualifications we have set in place for underage applicants. The Recruiters would then critique their rejected application, and if it met our standards we would observe them multiple times to ensure that their maturity met our standards. If they passed the observations stage (which usually took several weeks-months), they would be messaged regarding their ability to bypass the age requirement, at which point they would submit a new application, which would be processed and critiqued again, and if they met the application standards once more they would finally be invited to an interview. If they succeeded in the interview, they would become Trainees. If they failed, they would need to reapply again as a normal applicant 14 or older would.

Things are much simpler now. Once submitted, an application is immediately rejected for being under 14 if it does not meet our application criteria (with a wait period of one month). However, if it does meet the new criteria, it would not be rejected but rather be processed as an applicant 14 or older’s application would be. If it does not meet our standards, it would be rejected for once more not being 14 or older (however, these applicants are heavily encouraged to PM the person who rejected their app to learn how they can improve), with a wait period of two weeks. If their app does meet our standards, they are then informed that their application is pending for the observations stage, usually with the following message:

Utilizing new and efficient methods to help streamline and speed up this stage, applicants who do not pass this stage are immediately informed of how they can improve (once again with a wait period of two weeks). However, applicants who pass the stage are immediately invited to an interview. If they do not pass the interview, they are rejected once more and informed. If they succeed, they can become a Trainee.

Through changing the underage process, we hope to improve clarity and visibility into our requirements and processes. This new method should help to increase efficiency and knowledge of the Recruitment team’s ideals among underage applicants, as well as to encourage them to not give up while applying. We're always fine-tuning our methods and requirements, so stay tuned to this thread to read about any other changes we might think of!

Denial Reasons

Ever wondered how to improve on your denial message, or what it means? From “not detailed” all the way up to “not ready”, we have a comprehensive list to what you did wrong and how you can become better. If you have further questions that this guide or ”Becoming a Trainee" were not able to answer, your best bet is always to message the Recruiter who denied you (along with a link to your app) and see how you can improve. Remember that in these messages you should be courteous and respectful. We love to help give you tips to improve, but we are much less eager to do so if you are hostile or rude to us. At the end of the application, you must agree to take our decision in stride and to not argue about the outcome of your application. If you break either of these agreements, it can also point out to us that you aren’t ready for the Trainee position. That being said, feel free to PM us asking for questions or tips as we’d love to answer them!

Contrary to popular belief, the Trainee application does not favor one question or have one question that is more important than all of the others. So, if you cram a bunch of information into one section but leave the rest with only a few small tidbits you will be denied. Another common misconception is that the Recruitment team is looking for a specific number of lines/paragraphs, which also is not true. I have seen amazing quality applications with only 4-5 sentences per question outshine 4-5 paragraph per question. Detail all depends on what you write and how you choose to convey yourself to the Recruitment team.

However, we do have some certain criteria. We really like to see equal effort being put forth into every question, so leaving some less detailed than others isn’t ideal (this doesn’t mean we need a massive commentary of Razer makes better headsets than Turtle Beach or your one warning for caps from April 2014). Also don’t assume that we know exactly what you’re talking about if you refer to specific places or servers you’ve had experience with before. Really go in-depth and describe every last little responsibility you’ve had before (please state specific server names, you won’t get in trouble for it, I promise). Another pitfall I often see applicants making is simply answering the question asked without expanding upon your answer. Is your goal to join Quality Assurance? Cool, tell us why you have waves of euphoria pouring throughout your soul when you think of squashing bugs. Have you had a really awesome interaction with a staff member before? Don’t be afraid to tell us what happened! Do you think that Discord is hands-down the most fantastic part of our network? We’d love to hear all about it! Lastly, don’t focus on trying to write what you think we’d like to read, write down how you genuinely feel and think. We would prefer to see honest flaws in a person rather than false perfection.

The best way to show and include a lot of detail is to tell us more about yourself. Don’t just answer the question with the bare minimum, really show us what goes on inside your head and why you’ve decided to answer every question the way that you have. The more of your personality we are able to see, the better we can envision you on the staff team and know how you'd operate within it. We get hundreds of applications everyday, and if you'd like to be considered you need to show us what qualities you have which would make you an asset to our staff team, and why you are suitable for the role. This includes explaining conditions such as being “helpful”, “mature”, and “experienced”, as anyone can say they are these things without including some sort of concrete examples. Even if it takes a two-page narrative detailing how determined you are, no one will criticize you for writing too much.

Through many months on the Applications team, the staff Recruitment team has noticed that most of the candidates under 15 ended up being rather immature during their trials, and as a way to provide better quality staff to the player base (who won't rage ban, who know the rules, etc.), we decided to implement an age requirement of 15. However, we saw shortly after this that many applicants who were 14 also provided quality apps, so we lowered it to 14.

We do know of many underage candidates who exhibit maturity and dedication, which is why we're still accepting those who are under 14. If you can prove that you exhibit qualities we look for on the staff team, then we will most certainly waive the age requirement for you. This process is a bit different from our normal Trainee application process, but it functions the same: getting to know more about you as a candidate and if you would be suitable for a staff position. If your application meets our underage criteria, you will be notified of a pending app and can further pursue a route more traditional than our past underage process. You can read more about this in the update above.

Focus on writing an amazing application and showing stunning maturity if you’d like to bypass the age requirement. Your application shouldn’t be average in any way, but should instead completely bypass the requirements for candidates 14 and over. It should be full of detail and personality in order for you to let us get to know you more as a person. Let us get to know you more through your application, and how you’re the perfect fit for this position despite your age not being preferred. In regards to maturity, try to always act as you think you'd act as a Trainee, and remember that all of your choices reflect upon the server. A part of you being mature also involves always keeping your cool and not letting your emotions get the best of you regardless of the situation you’re in or the people you are with. Overall, the best thing you can do is provide excellent customer service to everyone on the server, forums and on Discord in a professional and considerate manner.

If you'd like to know more about the age requirement, please head over to this thread for more information.
Another pitfall I see all too often is candidates lying about their age in order to circumvent the age requirement. We do know when you lie about your age, and we will find out. Lying about your age will grant you 4 warning points on the forums which will prevent you from applying for 2 months. We would much rather see someone who is determined and younger continue applying despite their age rather than lying to get past it. We don’t want untrustworthy people on our staff team, and lying about your age goes to show that you are not worthy of becoming a Trainee.

We want every candidate to show the willingness, dedication and determination to improve after every rejection, especially after the interview stage or an invitation to the interview. Changing a few lines and rearranging sentences won’t cut it, but you don’t have to start over from scratch. Use the same basic ideas again and change your explanation about them, including what you’ve done to improve yourself in the time that you had while you were waiting to reapply. It may sound tedious and arbitrary, but it shows your determination that much more to the Recruitment team if you never stop making yourself better. Your application will most certainly be denied if you copy and paste from a previous application which reached the interview stage or beyond, and if you only made minor edits/added little additional information. In most cases, you will NOT be rejected for copy/pasting from a previous application that was denied for a lack of in-game time, a lack of forums time, a previous or current in-game punishment, warning points on our forums, changing your username, or not having a microphone. This is up to the discretion of the individual Recruiter, so please do not argue with their decision in cases such as this. Additionally, depending on the time of your last application, you may still be rejected for copy/paste if a substantial amount of time has passed from your last application with minimal changes made. We’ve updated a few more specifics regarding this rejection reason in the "Can I reuse my application?”, “What parts of my old application can I reuse for next time?”, “In what specific scenarios can I reuse my application?”, and “In what specific scenarios can I not reuse my application?” FAQ questions below so be sure to check those out!

We have a two-week waiting period between rejections (one month if under 14/denied for poor interview/resigned, and two months if demoted) to give the candidates ample time to improve not only their applications, but themselves as people. If we had a system that allowed for reapplying as soon as you were rejected not only would the Recruitment team be flooded with similar apps, but many people would take advantage of the time period and grow and improve very little. Think of the rejection period as having room to breathe and reflect on yourself and how you can be better than you are now.

At Mineplex, our staff member’s most important duty is to provide good customer service to the player base, and if you are unable to accurately use the English language, how would you be able to fulfill the role of a staff member? Showing good grammar, punctuation, spelling and syntax shows us that you are mature, professional and serious about this position. Something as small as lowercase “i”s and run-on sentences can drastically affect how your application is viewed. Besides, if the Recruiters cannot understand your application due to how it is written how do we know you have what it takes to become a Trainee?
To fix this issue, really comb through your application for correct and proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Have a parent, teacher, friend, or application such as Grammarly proofread it for you so no little mistakes slip through, or use a grammar checker online to spot any errors.

This rejection reason was added on January 21st, 2018 to replace "Mediocre Application" as it was extremely vague.
It should come as no surprise that the Recruitment team loves to read, and reading interesting and detailed applications are one of our favorite things! Majority of the time, this rejection message corresponds to an application that may have had unique points, but failed to elaborate on them. What sort of elaboration are we looking for? We'd really love to learn "what, why, how" you have these traits, feel these motivators, or bring those qualities to the table. Illustrating unique points that help you stand out is always a bonus! We'd really love to get to know more about you as both a person and a candidate, so don't be afraid to really go in-depth when explaining things! However, that being said, try your best to stay on-topic and not stray from the question at hand with irrelevant details or thoughts that don't lead anywhere. If you're rejected for this reason, rest assured that we'd love to give you another chance to tell us all about you.

A microphone is an essential tool for staff members, and as such if you do not possess one (either external in a headset or internally built in) you will not be considered for the Trainee position. It is required for the Trainee interview which is mandatory if you want to become a staff member. Verbally answering questions gives the Recruitment team a decisive look at your personality, and it is much harder to make the same kind of judgements based off of a text interview. It's important for our Trainees to be able to verbally communicate with their mentors in meetings, and the Trainee interview itself is also verbal. We have not conducted written interviews in years, and we have no plans of bringing that method back. We like to be able to see the applicant in a better light and see how they think on their feet in such a scenario. We live in an age now where most people have access to a microphone: built-in on laptops, embedded into phones and earbuds, etc. You can purchase a lower-quality microphone for not very much now as well. We hope that this isn't an inconvenience to candidates who would otherwise be great applicants, but it is an integral and necessary part of being a staff member. To help clarify, our main communication platform (Slack) does indeed use text to communicate, as that's the easiest thing for majority of the staff members. The Trainee interview and mentoring meetings need that sort of ease of understanding that vocal conversations help with, such as intonation, phrasing, tone of voice, and so on. Difficulty or inability to speak audibly are things we can deal with in very special circumstances but it's extremely rare for us to be able to make a distinguishment like that. Being forbidden to speak using voice chat online is entirely out of our grasp and unfortunately we can't change our policies to comply with parental determinations.

Even if you hate writing and reading to stay updated on the community, all applicants are required to have been registered on the Mineplex Xenforo website (mineplex.com) for at least two weeks, which also requires you to link your Minecraft character to your profile. The website is a hub of communication regarding purchases, tickets, bugs, events, reports, and information. If you haven’t been registered on the website for two weeks, we will be unable to determine if you have the amount of basic knowledge that all Trainee applicants should posses, or to be able to answer common questions Trainees receive about the platform.

If you decide to join into the forums community and try to help out, make sure you're mindful of the forum rules and guidelines. It's important to make sure you put effort into your posts and refrain from copy/pasting or giving out generic replies to players seeking help. If you're not willing to put in the effort of helping players, then chances are you won't be willing to put in the effort to be a staff member. A good thread to check out before helping out is the "Welcome to the Help forum" by Wanderer.

Likewise, if you have warning points on the forums you will not be considered for this position. A good knowledge of all rules across all of Mineplex’s network (including in-game, on the forums, and on Discord) is required of Trainee applicants, and by receiving warning points you were not mature enough to follow the rules presented on the rules page. As Trainees enforce the rules, candidates who have presented that they cannot follow the rules themselves will not be considered for this position. If you would like to know when you received warning points, what they were for and when they will go away please contact a Forum Ninja and NOT a Recruiter, as Recruiters can only see the presence of warning points and not the history behind them.

What you see when checking /stats and hovering over the “Global” icon (Java):

What you see when checking /stats and clicking the "Global" icon for your in-game time (Java):

What a Recruiter sees when checking your in-game time (Java):

What a Recruiter sees when checking your playtime (Bedrock):

Candidates should have 2.1 days (or 50 hours) of in-game time on our Java server, or 10 hours of playtime on our Bedrock server. This shows dedication and the assurance of basic knowledge for our candidates. If you are unable to tell how much time you have acquired, you can do /stats in-game and check by hovering over the green gem titled “Global” in the GUI (on our Java server). Remember that time spend in lobbies and MPS’ are NOT counted towards this total. Trainees themselves must be able to dedicate a few hours a day to the server, so 2.1 days in-game / 10 hours of playtime is very small compared to how much time you would be spending online as a staff member. Think of it as a way to show your passion for the server!

By having a recent punishment you have proven that you do not know or respect the rules well enough to enforce them. While false and accidental punishments do occur, without an accepted appeal/note from the staff member who punished you, you will not be granted immunity from your punishment’s “timer”. This includes false GWEN bans, in which case a note from a member of Quality Assurance will be needed. Warnings do not affect your application directly, but they are taken into consideration for how mature you are. Please message the Recruiter who denied you for having a recent punishment if you would like to know when you received it, what it was for and when it will expire. Additionally, you can utilize the “/history”, “/phistory”, and “/ph” commands in-game to view your punishment history. This includes all of the punishments you’ve received, the severity and date, and what each punishment was for. As a reminder, you cannot apply until after one month for a severity 1 punishment, three months for a severity 2 punishment and five months for a severity 3 punishment. These punishment timers begin on the date the punishment was applied, not the date the punishment itself ends. As an example, say you were muted on the 1st of January for abusive behavior (a severity 2 offense), but the mute expired on the 7th of January. Your punishment timer would be 3 months long due to the severity of the offense, and the timer would begin on the 1st of January. So, you would be able to reapply on the 1st of April rather than the 7th of April, as that would be 3 months from the date your punishment ended.

At this time, individuals are only allowed to become staff on one platform or the other to increase efficiency on each team for their respective platform. We wouldn’t want candidates to be immediately overwhelmed by learning the nuances of each different platform’s staff team and structure. Likewise, applying for both teams at once can also show a lack of patience or a desire to punish players for the sake of power. Focusing on one specific area can also show more dedication to the server as a whole, by ensuring that our candidates for staff are all passionate about making Mineplex greater as a whole.

Trainees have many different jobs, and if you focus too heavily on one of them throughout your application it can be denied for a misunderstanding of the position. We need staff members who are aware and ready to deal with multiple duties and issues. Candidates who are only focused on punishing rule breakers may not be able to assist players in need, and solely helpful candidates may be frozen in the face of hackers and rude players. Tell us about how you have attributes which will help you in being able to take on all the roles of a staff member, and how you can do so in a unique and positive manner.

In-game, Trainees usually operate on their own, and as such must have an extensive working knowledge of Mineplex and the ability to think on their feet and quickly and accurately answer questions. Though the application isn't the same scenario, we do expect Trainee candidates to be able to submit their apps without additional help from anyone, much less a staff member. By asking for your application to be viewed, you either want another opinion on a pending app, or are wanting your processing time to be much shorter. If you ask a staff member to speed up the process in this way, they can oblige: by contacting a Recruiter so we can come to the determination that you are not patient enough to be considered for this position. Though it may take some time from submission to acceptance, under no circumstances are you allowed to believe yourself to be more important than any other candidate to have your application 'sped up'. Remain patient and a determination will come to you before you know it.

Communication is the most basic level of customer service that Mineplex relies on, and if you don’t have a good grasp of the English language, are unprofessional in your responses, or if you fail to read and comprehend material given to you, you will be unable to provide this service to the player base, and possibly have a difficult time communicating in the staff team. It is essential that you are professional and courteous at all times on the network, and the best way to improve is to act as though you are already a Trainee, or by holding yourself to a higher standard.

Our Recruitment team does have methods of checking a candidate’s background, and if it is revealed that you have lied about something on your application it will be denied. Why should we trust you with the sensitive information that comes with being a Trainee if you cannot even be honest when talking about yourself? Even if you only lied to save yourself from something embarrassing, it is far better in our eyes to be honest and humble rather than trying to cover up your inadequacies. We are all (mostly) human, and we can understand and sympathize with an honest candidate much better than we can forgive someone who thought they could play us for fools.

Your activity level during the application process is an indicator of sorts for the Recruitment team about how active you could be as a Trainee, which helps us get to understand how your role on our staff team would work. If you don't have enough time to be on Mineplex during the application stage, then we don't feel very confident that you'd be able to balance being a Trainee on top of whatever other responsibilities you have. It is frustrating for both the Recruitment team and for you if you don’t reply to your interview message or aren’t in-game to show your dedication to the server. Time management skills are well valued on our staff team, so please consider this for the next time you apply, should you choose to.

All interview candidates are told both before and after the interview that no information about it can be disclosed until after a determination has been made on your application through either a denial or acceptance. Examples of this include, but are not limited to: discussing that you have received an interview, mentioning the time your interview will take place or who is conducting your interview, if you have mentioned or inferred to being interviewed, and so on. If you say anything about the interview at all, we have grounds to deny you based on the fact that we cannot trust you to follow simple instructions, and are not able to keep confidential information to yourself. We understand that the urge to spread good news can be strong, and mentioning it to close friends or family is something we cannot change. However, keep in mind that if you tell someone who tells someone else who tells us, we must act on that event accordingly.

As a reminder, revealing specific questions or scenarios of the interview is classified as revealing confidential information, and actions on our side can escalate from canceling your interview, denying your application, blacklisting you, or network banning you. “Stacking the deck” in favor this way, whether you’ve benefitted from receiving information from someone else, or reveal it to others, is not fair to the people who have worked honestly to be where they are today. We urge you to please report anyone who has done or is currently doing anything like this to a Recruiter, with identifying screenshots. We are here to make Mineplex a better place, and allowing dishonest people onto the staff team can hurt our collective vision. Please do your part to ensure that the Mineplex staff team remains a trustworthy group.

This rejection message's duration time is one month instead of two weeks. Maybe it was nerves, maybe you didn’t elaborate enough, maybe you elaborated too much, or maybe you didn’t stand out enough as a candidate to make it through the interview stage. There are a multitude of reasons why your interview could’ve been poor, and we absolutely understand! Interviews can be scary. If you “fail” your first interview, take a sigh of relief since you now have experience in this situation so you will know how to improve should you be interviewed again. Try your best to focus and stay calm beforehand, play some games to shake out your nerves or something similar. For practice, have someone read the application questions to you aloud, and try your best to answer them coherently and in a friendly manner without reading your original answers. Practicing public speaking, whether in front of other students at school, friends you know, people from any out-of-school organizations, or even stop by the official Mineplex Discord to talk to other people you haven't met before. Overall, the best advice to improve is to focus on being yourself and not overthinking "getting it right". If you stay true to your character, your dedication and personality will shine through and show us why you deserve this position.

At every point in the application process your knowledge is going to be questioned and taken into consideration. By applying to become a Trainee at Mineplex, you should already have excellent knowledge of the punishments system, staff team and community. The learning curve and amount of information Trainees are required to learn and know is too steep for someone to apply “blindly”, and if you do apply without this basic knowledge we would not be sure if you would accurately answer players' questions to the fullest and provide good customer service. The best way to improve is to simply read and have a good working knowledge of the Rules, FAQ, Public Punishment Guidelines, and Staff Team Descriptions so you are able to display your knowledge more prominently in the future.

There is so much work and dedication required to become a Trainee that sometimes, whether or not you’ve shown it directly, we feel that certain candidates just don’t have what we’re looking for in a Trainee. You could be denied due to a personality trait, how you act in-game, in your interview, your dedication shown, the list goes on and on. If you are denied for this reason, the best advice I can give is to directly contact the Recruiter who denied your application and see what areas they felt you weren’t ready in, and actively seek to improve yourself in them. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all rejection reason, and two people who were denied with this reason may have wildly different factors for why that happened. This reason is a specific commentary on the candidate’s attitude of behavior, and as everyone acts differently, it’s best to ask directly what this means for you and what you can do about it. It may not be something that takes two weeks to improve on, as I’ve stated before some people just aren’t cut out to become a Trainee. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot work to overcome this shortcoming! Try your best to remain open-minded and determined to show your worth and you’ll surely improve in no time.

Rumors have also been circulating that all ex-staff members are denied with this reasoning when they first attempt to become a Trainee again. While this does happen, it is not something that occurs every time for every person. You will not always be denied for this reason if it is your first attempt as an ex-staff member planning to return. Think about why you left the staff team, whether you were demoted or resigned. Have the circumstances behind your past changed? Has your behavior shown growth or change? Do you accurately describe and elaborate on what your previous experience was like? Have you just returned from a period of inactivity and immediately reapplied for staff without “catching up” with the community? There are more examples we could mention here, but hopefully those above will answer your questions. If not, as always feel free to message a Recruiter with your inquiries.
Finally, as the Recruitment division is in charge to the reinstatement program, we highly encourage all ex-staff members eligible for reinstatement to apply via the reinstatement form rather than the Trainee application. It’s easier on both parties, and that way you won’t have to go through the entire Trainee process again!

As the observation stage is very important (and very secret), through any number of things we have noticed that you don’t have the helpful and courteous attitude we need our Trainees to have. This is a practiced skill, and one that cannot be learned or taught, and as such if you aren’t helpful enough the only way to improve is to look introspectively and see how you can prove that you have the heart for serving others before your ego, friends, gameplay, or opinions. I suggest you consider working on your communication skills in-game by always being alert of your surroundings, and paying attention to everything that's going on, both in-game and in chat. Don't be AFK in lobbies or act immaturely, even if you're just chilling with your friends. Try to act as you think you'd act as a Trainee, and remember that all of your actions reflect upon the server. A part of you being helpful also involves an obvious effort being made into answering questions, even if they don't seem to be directed at you. Joining and being active and helpful in the StaffRequest and ClansRequest communities in-game are also great ways to get involved. We can't expect potential candidates to magically be super aware of their situations and everyone asking them questions once they get the staff tag, we look for people who already possess that quality to fill a staff role. Game hopping and ignoring the chat doesn’t show us a tendency to be aware of others, but actively engaging in chat does. Overall, the best thing you can do is provide excellent customer service to everyone on the server, forums and on Discord.

If you are denied for this reason, don’t automatically assume that it’s because you haven’t been nice. Immaturity comes in two forms: acting younger than you are (for candidates over 14), and acting your age (for candidates under 14). If you are over 14, then we’ve noticed behavior of yours that doesn’t correlate with the staff team’s vision, such as rudeness/saltiness, inappropriate behavior, rage, excessive sarcasm, negativity, etc. Once again, these issues may not be something that you can fix within a timespan of two weeks, and you may need to view your own personality and say, “am I acting in a way that benefits both the staff team and the player base?”. If you are under 14 and are denied for immaturity, it will most likely be in part that to bypass the age requirement, you must behave maturely, and as such act older than you are. There’s absolutely no reason to “force” yourself to grow up to achieve this position however. Some people don’t have the personality that we look for in the staff team, and by no means should you feel like you have to “change” yourself for this position, but you could ask yourself if the position is right for you.

As stated on the first page of the application, at no point in time should you change your username during the application process! It is extremely difficult for the Recruitment team to keep accurate information throughout our system and efficient consideration of your app if we can’t figure out exactly who you are. As well, if you can’t follow simple instructions listed on the application then you certainly don’t have the dedication we look for in Trainees.

If you have been blacklisted, the best thing to do is contact the Blacklist Manager (Islendingurinn) and determine why you have been blacklisted, and what you can do to have your status on the list revoked. I am constantly reevaluating the blacklist, and as such it may take quite a bit of time to be removed from it (expect several months). The biggest thing I can suggest is to make a change in your behavior that would reverse the effects of the actions that put you on the blacklist, and to be patient.

FAQ

Here is a list of questions (and the answers to them) that Recruiters have frequently been asked in our time here on Mineplex. If you have a question that isn't addressed in this section, please message any of us and we will respond promptly. If you have a suggestion for a new question to be added, please message me for it to be added.

What are the specific requirements to become a Trainee?

All of our specific criteria are listed on this and the Becoming a Trainee thread, so reading and reviewing that is of utmost importance. However, we do expect all candidates to have at least 2.1 days of in-game time, no recent punishments, been registered on our website for at least two weeks, a well-written and detailed application, a good interview, honesty, dedication, and passion.

Is there a set amount of words required for an application to be considered “detailed”?

Absolutely not. Detail has nothing to do with quantity, but rather quality. If you write 4-5 sentences per section with overwhelming detail you are much more likely to be considered over someone who writes 4-5 paragraphs per section of irrelevant details or fluff. With that being said, singly-sentence answers will never be considered detailed, so do your best to explain your thoughts and reasoning.

What are the most important questions of the application?

All questions on the application format have equal weight. This is one of the reasons why we encourage all sections to hold the same amount of detail, as several remarkable points in one section and only 1-2 points in the rest of the sections will not be considered a well-rounded application.

Help! My application broke/submitted early/won’t send! What do I do?

Please message a Recruiter if you experience any of these scenarios, but beyond that we recommend writing your application in a document-writing program (Google docs, Word, Pages, Notepad, etc.) so your progress isn’t fully erased. If your application was submitted erroneously, you can visit the Java application sub-forum or the Bedrock application sub-forum. Once you’ve reached that page, a list of your previous applications will be in the Accepted, Pending or Denied sub-forums, while any open application will be listed below. The most recent application will be at the top and the oldest at the bottom. If you need for us to cancel your application, then message a Recruiter as you are unable to do this yourself. As a general rule, canceling your application does NOT mean we cannot see it, but rather it will not be considered any further. If you have any other questions, please message a Recruiter so they can assist you more easily.

When I submit my application the page is completely blank?

Please message a Recruiter if you experience this scenario, it’s much easier for us to assist that way in this case. We recommend writing your application in a document-writing program (Google docs, Word, Pages, Notepad, etc.) so your progress isn’t fully erased. After your app has been written, please create a new Google document with the contents of the app. Make sure that link sharing is turned on, with view access. Then, submit your blank application. Include the link to the document you made in the comments section of the app. If you have any other questions, please message a Recruiter so they can assist you more easily.

Can I reuse my application?

The answer to this question has evolved a bit over time. In general, you are not allowed to reuse your application for any reason. The only time copy/pasting is approved of is if your application was accidentally or falsely rejected, as that would be our fault and not yours. We've been more lenient on allowing copy/paste for things such as not meeting the forums time, not meeting the in-game time, not having a microphone, and a few other case-by-case examples. Of course, this is up to the discretion of the individual Recruiter. Additionally, depending on the time of your last application, you may still be rejected for copy/paste if a substantial amount of time has passed from your last application with minimal changes made. It’s frowned upon to copy/paste an application that was most recently denied for having a punishment or warning point; we'd suggest rewriting it to include what you've learned from said punishment in a broader sense. However, copy/pasting an application that made it to the interview stage or beyond is not allowed under any circumstances. We don't want our applicants to get into the mindset of "if this app was good enough to reach the interview stage once I can use it again" as that shows poor work ethic and inability to learn or improve from past mistakes. It's something adapted from the "real world" too, as unless you're using a common app, no proper business would hire someone who just kept applying with the same exact resume every single time. Proving dedication and passion for something requires us to evolve our ways of thinking to stand out, which is something the application challenges players to do. Trainees, and staff members, are put through the same scenarios every single day, and when some have resorted to the same behaviors every time the community called them "robotic". Learning how to improvise, adapt, and overcome is important in scenarios as such. As far as general advice goes for how to rewrite a new application, you can reuse the main points of your application, however major revisions should be made in order to account for the waiting period after a rejection (rewording already-written answers doesn't count as a major revision). This time is to be spent reflecting on what you have learned after being rejected, and how you have improved yourself in this time. If you just copy and paste your old application, it will be rejected due to laziness. We want candidates who are always looking and willing to improve themselves, and reusing the same application is poor taste overall.

What parts of my old application can I reuse for next time?

In general, the “Background Information” and “Agreements” sections are both viable to reuse, given your answers to them have not changed (such as your in-game name), though please do update the link to your last application! Anything under the “Mineplex Experience” and “All About You” sections should not be reused.

In what specific scenarios can I reuse my application?

The reasoning for the following situations being allowed for reuse on an application are described above in the “Can I reuse my application?” FAQ question, and are subject to the interpretation of each individual Recruiter. These scenarios vary from person to person and application to application. This is in no ways an end-all be-all list, and is subject to change at any time. The instances denoted as being “time sensitive” are prone to change depending on how long ago your most recent rejection was, and if you have made significant effort with revamping your application. You will never be allowed to reuse your application if it was rejected after having received an invitation to an interview, unless otherwise instructed by a Recruiter.
- If your application was accidentally rejected by a Recruiter
- If your application was falsely rejected by a Recruiter
- If your past rejection was for not being registered on the Mineplex forums for two weeks (time sensitive)
- If your past rejection was for not having 2.1 days of in-game time (time sensitive)
- If your past rejection was for not having a microphone (time sensitive)
- If your past rejection was for changing your username (time sensitive)
- If your past rejection was for a recent or active punishment (time sensitive)
- If your past rejection was for recent warning points (time sensitive)

In what specific scenarios can I not reuse my application?

The reasoning for the following situations being disallowed for reuse on an application are described above in the “Can I reuse my application?” FAQ question, and are subject to the interpretation of each individual Recruiter. These scenarios vary from person to person and application to application. This is in no ways an end-all be-all list, and is subject to change at any time. You will never be allowed to reuse your application if it was rejected after having received an invitation to an interview, unless otherwise instructed by a Recruiter.
- If your past rejection was for being under the age of 14, and no significant changes or additions were made to it as a whole
- If your past rejection was for a lack of depth
- If your past rejection was for not being ready to take on the role of a staff member
- If your past rejection was for a poor interview
- If your past rejection was for immaturity
- If your past rejection was for improper intentions
- If your past rejection was for poor grammar
- If your past rejection was for not being helpful enough in-game
- If your past rejection was for inactivity (this is flexible depending on the reasoning for inactivity
- If your past rejection was for poor knowledge during the interview stage

Would a clean record boost my chances of being accepted?

It won’t “boost” it per se, but it will reflect positively on you! You can double-check your punishment history at any time by using the “/history”, “/phistory”, and “/ph” commands in-game.

Do I need specific stats, achievements, or a specific level to apply?

Nope! As long as you meet our requirement of having 2.1 days of in-game time on Java or 10 hours of playtime on Bedrock, even if you're level 8 with 30 games played and no achievements, you can still be considered!

Would having a rank boost my chances of being accepted?

Not really. We want all of our dedicated and passionate players to be able to apply for staff, regardless of whether or not they have a rank. While it's certainly beneficial to contribute to the server through monetary purchases, donating your time to improving the experience others have on the server is much more welcome.

I messaged the person who denied my application and they never messaged me back.

Most likely, you didn’t include the link to your denied application within the PM, as was instructed of you. Given the amount of applications each Recruiter can process on any given day, it can be taxing to sort through apps to find one specific one without anything else to go off of aside from a username. If everyone who PMed a Recruiter didn’t include the link to their app, we would be spending quite a lot of time each day finding apps when we frankly do not need to. If you reply to the PM with a link to your application, you will receive a response back for certain. If you did include this link in your original PM, please be patient! We aren’t always online, but we do try our best to respond in a prompt manner. Feel free to message Islendingurinn if your designated Recruiter has not answered in a punctual manner.

Can I get a personalized rejection message that points out the flaws in my application?

Due to the number of applications we receive (hundreds each week), it would simply be impossible to outline an improvement plan for every single person. Many people apply for Trainee on a whim and are not serious about reaching this goal. It would be a waste of time and effort on the Recruitment team's part to write every area of improvement only to have none of our notes be read, cared about or understood. If you PM the Recruiter who denied your application however we’d love to point out areas of improvement for you!

Why does the Recruitment team use canned/copy-pasted rejection messages?

As stated in the previous question, it would be impossible for the Recruitment team to personalize every single rejection message for every single application we receive. Believe it or not, the rejection messages used to be a lot more vague than they are now!

It's also a great sign of maturity and dedication to PM the Recruiter who rejected you and ask for ways that you can improve beyond the rejection message. This shows us that you have the drive and ambition to want to improve, which is exactly the kind of things we're looking for in potential staff members.

Would you be able to give me any general advice for the application?

The application is a place for you to let us get to know you more as a person. The more of your personality we are able to see, the better we can envision you on the staff team and know how you'd operate within it. Let us get to know you more through your application, and how you operate on a daily basis now as opposed to if you got Trainee. We get hundreds of applications everyday, and if you'd like to be considered you need to show us what qualities you have which would make you an asset to our staff team. This includes displaying unique personality traits, characteristics, and how you can use those to better the community around you!

Why was the "lack of depth" rejection reason added to replace "mediocre application"?

As a team, Recruitment decided that "mediocre application" as a reason was too vague and unfair to our candidates. There's no concrete explanation to what "mediocre" is, or where we draw the line, which muddled up some of our internal discussions about particular candidates. We feel as though "lack of depth" is easier to explain and justify, as it covers one of the basic totems of "mediocre application" while clarifying it to be easier to understand.

Can I see an example of a finished application/specific question from the application?

Sadly we do not allow candidates to view other applications besides their own. Plagiarism is a huge potential issue with this, as well as general laziness. The temptation to copy someone else’s ideas while being stuck on your own writing would be far too great for some applicants to handle. We shouldn’t have to worry about this in theory, as in a perfect world all Trainee candidates would follow the rules and be self-motivated. However, this Earth of ours is far from pristine and as such we can’t run the risk of allowing plagiarism to occur. Allowing candidates to also look at an example or accepted application encourages laziness, as they then are not putting in their own effort to learn, grow and improve but piggybacking on someone else’s effort to make their application seem stronger. As stated several times throughout this thread, the willingness to learn and improve is crucial in Trainee candidates, and as such this includes taking each rejection to heart and learning how YOU personally can improve your own writing.

How can I make my application more unique/appealing to the Recruitment team? How can I stand out more?

In order to stand out, go above and beyond the requirements listed on the ”Becoming a Trainee” thread (as well as here). The bare essentials are being over 14 years of age, having more than 2.1 days in-game time, been registered on the Mineplex Xenforo website for over two weeks, having a microphone and recording software, not having any recent punishments/warning points, and having a detailed application. To show your dedication and uniqueness, make your application so original and interesting to read that we are compelled to want you to be on our team. This goes further than simply selling yourself, you need to prove to us beyond a doubt that you have everything that it takes to be on the staff team, and that we would be remiss not to bring you on as a member. Be open, clear and honest as well; if we find any red flags it’s better to explain them in a coherent and true manner than to sweep them “under the rug” so to speak. Include your own writing style as well without sounding too casual, we’re looking for human beings, not robots. Having a clean punishment record and good forum activity, along with many accepted reports filed in the correct format is also something that can only help you. Joining the StaffRequest and ClansRequest communities in-game are also a great way to help showcase your helpful personality. As always, it’s not about how much you write but about what you write.

Can my application still be considered after it has been rejected?

Once an application has reached a decision made on it, it cannot and will not be further considered. We have certain criteria for a reason, and it is paramount that you not only meet but exceed every one of them. If your application was denied, the criteria we have created to ensure quality applicants being accepted was not met, and as such there are still things you can work on to improve so you could be accepted in the future.

Can anyone help me with my application?

We recommend only the applicant write, edit, and view their application. While showing it to your friends or family for feedback could be a good tool to utilize, no one else should be helping you with what to write or how to do so. The application is a place for us to get to know the candidate more, and by having someone else assist you with such, we wouldn't be receiving a fully clear image of them as a person.

Can I become a Trainee for ____ days/weeks/months to prove that I would be good at it?

In a word, no. Trainee is our trial rank for the Moderator position. It is to determine if you have the aptitude, knowledge and personality in a working environment (not just on paper like the Trainee application) to become a more permanent part of the staff team. Just as we don’t intend on and never will have a “Junior Trainee” rank or anything of the sort, we cannot and do not allow people to test out Trainee. If you think about it, having a trial rank for a trial rank sounds silly, doesn’t it? When looking for Trainee candidates, we must also determine if they have the ability to be taught further so that they could become a moderator. There are simply some things that you must already possess before becoming a staff member, and the willingness to learn is one of them. Proving yourself worthy of this rank is something you should already be doing as a regular player. You don’t need an orange tag to help people, report rule breakers and provide assistance to those who need it. Think of applying and attempting to become a Trainee as your pre-Trainee trial. ;)

About how much time does it take for an application to go from being submitted to being accepted?

If you work very hard and prove to us without a doubt that you should become a Trainee, it could realistically be accepted within 2-3 weeks. Usually however, it can take upwards of a month to six weeks.

Can I reapply before my rejection period timer is up?

No, you may under no circumstances reapply early. We have our certain time lengths before you are able to reapply for a reason, not only for the benefit of the individual in the staff team but also for the benefit of the community. Think of this time as a way to better improve yourself for your next application!

How can I be recruited onto the team?

First, being recruited is a far more difficult undertaking than going through the normal application process. However, the best way is to generally and consistently show outstanding maturity and dedication in all aspects of the network (server, forums, Discord, etc.). But don't try and "kiss up" to staff members or try to get someone to recommend you, as this method is counterproductive to your goals. We would also suggest showing outstanding customer service to any and all players that you come in contact with. If you write a stellar application, we're much more inclined to take note of your dedication and persistence and possibly begin observing you.

Can I ask to be scouted onto the team?

The scouting/recruiting process is 100% internal, so we do not allow candidates to ask to be observed or scouted to the team without applying for it. If you don’t feel like writing an application to become a Trainee, how can we know that you would be a dedicated staff member? If you know someone who you think could be a good Trainee, please do let a Recruiter know as we’re always open to hear more about the stunning community members we have (as well as read the below FAQ).

Can I recommend someone to join the staff team?

Aaaaaabsolutely! If you’ve seen someone in the community that you think has the passion and dedication to become a staff member, feel free to message a Recruiter and tell them about it! Having evidence of good-natured and helpful deeds is always appreciated, but not recommended. We do take these recommendations seriously, so please make sure that you’re submitting these suggestions seriously. Recommending your friends purely for the sake of it isn’t a good way of getting yourself taken seriously, and it could hurt both your and your friend’s standing should you want to apply for Trainee.

Will I be made aware of if I am being observed or not?

If you are under 14 going through our underage process, yes you will! However, we don't usually let applicants 14 and over know if/when they are being observed.

My app may not have met the underage standards, but can I be observed based on other factors?

Generally, no. It’s very important that our underaged candidates are well-rounded enough to adjust to the learning curve of becoming a Trainee, and having a good command of writing skills and the English language is an important part of this.

Who would mentor me? How would I be assigned a mentor?

Mentors are assigned based on timezone, availability and preferable characteristics. You would be assigned to a member of the Staff Management team for whatever server you have applied on (Java or Bedrock). The Mentoring Manager HuskieALS will think about what characteristics you have and what preference for a mentor would work best for you. After this consideration, they assign you to the mentor who would best fit your needs. However, if you don't feel that your mentor is supporting you in the way that they should be, you can request to change to a different mentor.

How professional must staff members act?

Staff members must always place being courteous and professional above being casual, but that’s not to say you can’t relax and have fun. As long as you are capable of always prioritizing customer service over whatever else you’re doing, you can act however casual you would like.

Who should I contact if I have issues with a Recruiter?

You can contact Islendingurinn with your concerns.

Could I be given a “practice interview” by you or another Recruiter?

No members of the Recruitment team are allowed to give you advice or practice with you while you have a currently pending application, and we are under no circumstances allowed to provide practice interviews. We are not allowed to give anyone an ‘upper hand’ in a mock interview as such, but if you would ask one of your friends or parents to do so that would be acceptable.

Will you open Bedrock open interviews again?

It's highly unlikely.

Will you open Java open interviews?

At this moment in time there are no plans to open up Java open interviews, nor to open up the discussion for it.

Can you give me tips or guidance about preparing for the interview, or making sure I have a good interview?

Let us get to know you and what drives you both individually and specifically. Definitely try either answering the application questions verbally without looking at your written answers, or interacting with more people vocally (whether this be at school, work, home, or on Discord). The biggest piece of advice I can give to you is to relax. The Recruiters will do everything in their power to make sure you are comfortable and in an environment/with a person who will bring out the best in you. If you have any special needs for the interview, please let your interviewer know as soon as possible so they can do their best to accommodate you. However, we can only go so far to make you relaxed, as no one has direct influence over what you say besides yourself.

If I have social anxiety or another debilitating condition that prevents me from verbally speaking during an interview, can I be accommodated?

Yes, of course! In the past the two most prominent cases we’ve had have been for people with extreme social anxiety, or people who are physically mute. Verbally communicating in these situations can range from being excruciatingly painful, to literally impossible. The Recruitment team is more than willing to give aid in such situations, but the main stipulation is that no other avenue is available, and that the conditions are known in advance. Citing social anxiety after the interview has taken place works for no one, as the candidate hasn’t had a good experience due to their anxiety, and the interviewers, unbeknownst of this, aren’t able to provide a suitable environment in the first place. If we know of these conditions ahead of time, we’re always willing to work with our applicants. The main reasons that we conduct verbal interviews are for convenience and to “strip away” some of the facets people usually put up online. It’s possible to cheat and be fake through either avenue, but there’s much more nuance vocally than there is with typing. To make a long explanation short, the Recruitment team is always willing to listen to feedback and to hopefully accommodate applicants in a suitable way, but we do not exempt anyone from meeting our criteria. Our specific accommodations are at the discretion of the interviewer specifically, so please PM whoever is interviewing you beforehand so that they can help provide a suitable environment.

Why was the “poor interview” rejection reason added?

Overall, we have seen many cases where candidates would apply, reach the interview stage and repeat their same poor performances in several interviews back-to-back with no breathing room in between. This led to many frustrating interviews, both for the interviewer and the interviewee because no progress was made in the rejection period time. As this stage is vitally important and not something that can be directly fixed or changed in such a short period of time, we felt it best to let everyone have a longer period of time for reflection and improvement. Hopefully applicants will be able to show their determination and dedication to this position by putting in the work necessary to improve their interview skills.

If I am denied for a poor interview and another reason, do I still have to wait one month?

Yes, combining a poor interview with any other number of factors doesn’t mean you had a flawless interview, on the contrary rather. The longest amount of time before you can reapply should always hold the highest precedence, and as one month is the higher severity you would need to wait for one month before you can reapply again.

Could I be taught the commands that Mineplex uses for staff purposes?

Due to the Mineplex Staff Policy, we are unable to disclose specific information regarding the punishment system and the commands used by staff.

Can someone monitor me to see that I am qualified for this position?

We already have a system in place for this in our Observations phase. If you’re referring to being monitored instead of writing an application, we do regularly scout community members for staff positions. It’s solely at our discretion who we decide to monitor however. You will not be informed of if you are being monitored at any time, ever. Part of showing your qualifications include being articulate and descriptive in an application as well. Make sure you put your best foot forward when writing so we can get a clear image of yourself as a candidate!

Can I have a mentor even though I’m not a Trainee to help me?

Staff Management does not mentor non-staff members in order to “train” them to become staff. We’re so busy already with the staff team that unfortunately we don’t really have time to do outside consulting so to speak. However, we do have a community-based program called the Community Mentoring Program (CMP) that can aid you in reaching and achieving your goals on Mineplex to become a better person! This team is currently ran by Its_Tims and Marzie, and it features a variety of caring and helpful mentors to guide you through your time here on Mineplex. Please note that mentors of the program are strictly prohibited from helping you with any part of the application process. If you’re looking to have a constructive mentor who can motivate and guide you with your goals on Mineplex, then this is definitely an option to consider.

Would I be able to play with friends and at the same time be moderating chat and players?

Absolutely! As long as you focus on rule breakers too and don’t ignore them just to have fun.

How many apps are sent in to the recruitment board?

Every week we get around 100 - 200 applications by my estimate, and less than ten make it to the recruitment board every Saturday.

Are applications initially processed by a computer?

At no point in time does a machine ever process apps. 100% of the processing, from first submission to final acceptance is done by human people (that being the Recruiters). As machines are not able to determine such factors as detail, clarity and quality, it would be very difficult and ill-fated to implement a program designed for such a task. Think about it this way as well: if your application was accidentally rejected, would you rather speak about it to a human who has the empathy to understand how you feel and the humility to make it right, or a computer that doesn't even understand how it would make that mistake in the first place.

If I were to pass both the app and interview stage, what happens next?

You would wait for the final determination made on your application. This could take some time, so our best advice would be to be patient and active on the server.

Why is the age requirement 14?

Through many months on the Applications team, the staff Recruitment team has noticed that most of the candidates under 15 ended up being rather immature during their trials, and as a way to provide better quality staff to the player base (who won't rage ban, who know the rules, etc.), we decided to implement an age requirement of 15. However, we saw shortly after this that many applicants who were 14 also provided quality apps, so we lowered it to 14.
We do know of many underage candidates who exhibit maturity and dedication, which is why we're still accepting those who are under 14. If you can prove that you exhibit qualities we look for on the staff team, then we will most certainly be interested in your application.
If you'd like to know more about the age requirement, please head over here to check out the posts made on September 18, 2015 and October 9, 2015. You can also read this thread for more information.

If I had been 14 or over would I be accepted?

Even if you had met the age requirement, there's a lot more to what you see behind an accepted application than just the application itself. A lot of different factors all come into play, so it's not just what you write that impacts your chances for Trainee. As such, based solely on your age and application a determination could not have been made without an interview and observations.

I’m under 14, why should I even bother applying?

It is indeed very possible for you to become a staff member if you are under 14. Writing an excellent app and showcasing your maturity and activity throughout the network are great ways to prove yourself! We won't know if you're interested in the position or not unless you continually re-apply for it while improving so we can see that you're always making progress and are dedicated to Mineplex. We've made the process more open and efficient to weed out the truly dedicated candidates, so it's easier than ever to show how you stand out!

How will I know if I am allowed to bypass the age requirement?

It's not so much about bypassing the age requirement now as much as it is about proving yourself to be a qualified candidate. While the process is a little different now, it leaves a lot of room for growth and talent to shine through.

Why is catching hackers the wrong intentions?

There's a lot more that goes into becoming a Trainee than just catching rule breakers and hackers, and if that's the main focal point of your application we need to deny it due to misunderstanding of the position. It's definitely not what our Trainees are instructed to make the job of their trials, and it can also show a bit of a tendency to only want the position for its' power in the ability to punish other players. Overall, the best thing a Trainee can do is provide excellent customer service to everyone on the server, forums and on Discord. If you only think that your asset as a Trainee would be to catch hackers and rule breakers, then we don't think you know what the position is really about nor are you ready to take on the responsibilities that come with it.

I don’t have a microphone/recording software right now, but I will in the future!

Both of these components are required to become a Trainee, and not having one when applying for this position shows us that either you don’t fully understand/are dedicated to the position. The microphone is integral to the application process itself and is essential for your interview, whereas your recording device will be heavily used as a Trainee. Even if you are getting a new microphone or recording software in a few days, we need to make sure that the application process goes smoothly and efficiently, and we cannot wait around for you to obtain the tools you need before proceeding.

How do I become staff on both Java and Bedrock?

You would need to first apply for one server, become accepted, pass your Trainee trial, and then pass your Mod mentoring period in order to be eligible to apply for the other server.

What are the requirements to be staff on both Java and Bedrock?

You’re going to need an exemplary record on your server of origin, which includes having high activity, great knowledge, good maturity, and relatively few problems occurring during your time as staff.

What if I am denied in the application process for the new server?

Keep trying, and don’t give up! We really will be more harsh generally with the criteria for our simultaneous staff members, so try your best to prove that you’re the sort of person who can balance roles on both servers well.

Can I reapply to the new server after I am denied?

Certainly!

If I don’t like being staff on both servers, am I allowed to resign on one server but stay as staff on the other?

Yes!

If I get demoted during my Trainee trial on my newest server, will I get demoted from my original server?

It depends on why you were demoted, but as a whole, you should be fine!

If I get demoted from Mod+ on my original server, will I get demoted from my newest server?

Once again, it depends on why you were demoted. We would recommend contacting your admin(s) to see what your case entails.

Is it possible to become a Sr. Mod on both servers?

Unfortunately not at this time. The Sr. Mods that are currently on both servers are legacy staff members, in that they were able to join in the infancy of the Bedrock server to ensure a smooth transition. In the future, we look to entirely separate the specific teams of each server.

I’m an ex-staff member eligible for reinstatement, can I apply for Trainee?

As the Recruitment division is in charge to the reinstatement program, we highly encourage all ex-staff members eligible for reinstatement to apply via the reinstatement form rather than the Trainee application. It’s easier on both parties, and that way you won’t have to go through the entire Trainee process again! With that said, you will be rejected in the Trainee application process if you are still eligible for reinstatement and choose not to apply via that method.

Am I on the blacklist?

If you were to be placed on the blacklist, you would receive a PM from the Blacklist Manager (that being me), who would detail to you what circumstances placed you on the blacklist.

Can I get off of the blacklist?

Yes! However, a substantial change must be present in your behavior for this to occur, as well as reversing whatever issues landed you on the list in the first place. I periodically revise and thoroughly check every person on the blacklist for improvement, and the process could take several months. Asking to be taken off of the blacklist could further increase your stay on it, but asking to be reviewed will not do any harm.

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Changelog

• January 15th, 2016- Originally created.
• January 17th, 2016- Fixed minor spelling and grammatical errors.
• January 23rd, 2016- Leon_ resigned from Recruitment and the staff team, was removed from list of Recruiters.
• January 25th, 2016- Added changelog and three new questions (“Can I get a personalized rejection message that points out the flaws in my application?”, “Why does the Recruitment team use canned/copy-pasted rejection messages?” and “Are applications initially processed by a computer?”).
• February 5th, 2016- Replaced Leon_'s head with blabbermouth129's head in the title picture. Added an update about non-premium players being able to apply on a trial basis for one month starting today.
• February 29th, 2016- Changed JennaCats to AquaTechMC for the TM Mentoring Manager. Shoutout to coolstick for reminding me!
• March 14th, 2016- TheJoshXGames resigned from Recruitment and the staff team, was removed from list of Recruiters and the title picture. Updated the non-premium members being able to apply announcement. Added two new questions (“Can I become a Trainee for ____ days/weeks/months to prove that I would be good at it?”, and “Can I see an example of a finished application/specific question from the application?”). Included video to the March 11th, 2016 TM Q&A held at TAP.
• March 15th, 2016- Merged "Lack of Clarity" and "Mediocre Application" rejection messages to alleviate some confusion and hopefully make content-related questions more focused.
• March 19th, 2016- Fixed a tiny spelling error. Shoutout to Brenardo for finding it!
• April 5th, 2016- Added Dogester and PrincessLivi to the list of Recruiters (and blabbermouth129, whoops!) and the title picture. Shoutout to JeffDaDerp for reminding me!
• April 12th, 2016- Included information about new rejection wait time for poor interview reason in the update and "Poor Interview" rejection message sections, as well as adding (“Why was the rejection wait time extended from two weeks to one month for a poor interview?”, “Was the idea of extending the rejection period after a denial for “poor interview” made rashly or in haste?”, “This new waiting time for a poor interview isn’t fair and I demand to wait for only two weeks!”, “Can you give me tips or guidance about preparing for the interview, or making sure I have a good interview?”, “Would you consider lowering the poor interview rejection time back to two weeks?”, “Will the change from two weeks to one month for a poor interview affect any other rejection reasons?”, and “If I am denied for a poor interview and another reason, do I still have to wait one month?”) to the frequently asked questions section.
• April 16th, 2016- Fixed a few minor spelling/context errors, shoutout to DanielW231 and Exameter for reminding me!
• December 7th, 2016- Updated the Recruiters list.
• May 16th, 2017- Edited title picture, edited introductory text, updated links list, updated the list of Recruiters, removed “poor interview” message from update list, edited candidate’s process information, added denial reasons “No PC account” and “Applying for PC and PE Simultaneously”, edited/removed/added some FAQs, fixed grammatical and spelling errors.
• May 17th, 2017- Updated changelog date from May 16th, 2016 to May 16th, 2017. Whoops, sorry about the clerical error! Shoutout to Cartx for letting me know!
• June 9th, 2017- JustZerooo, Karinuh, and _H2O were all promoted to full Recruiters! Congratulations to them!
• June 19th, 2017- Added "Can someone monitor me to see that I am qualified for this position?" and "Can I have a mentor even though I’m not a Trainee to help me?” to the FAQ. Let me know if you have any other burning questions that haven't been answered in this thread!
• July 4th, 2017- Raech was promoted to Senior Recruiter on June 23rd, 2017. Congratulations! Added updated information about the new changes to the underage application process, changed some grammatical inconsistencies, and added "Would having a rank boost my chances of being accepted?" to the FAQ.
• July 6th, 2017- Changed Trainee tag color from teal to orange, whoops! Thank you to boomerzap for reminding me! Edited some syntax for the underaged process and questions, thanks to Islendingurinn for reminding me!
• July 9th, 2017- Updated the Community Mentoring Program information and link, thank you to Vanessa1375 for reminding me!
• August 9th, 2017- Glitz was promoted to PE Recruiter on August 4th, 2017. Congratulations! Added Glitz to the title picture, updated information about the Trainee interview, adjusted and updated the "Can I reuse my application?" FAQ question and "Copy/Paste" denial reason, adjusted "The Process" section for more clarity, and added "Will you open PE open interviews again?" and "Will you open PC open interviews?" to the FAQ.
• August 30th, 2017- Karinuh resigned from the staff team on August 15th, we wish her the best of luck in the future (thanks to DaniloPlayer for reminding me)! Geothermal resigned from the staff team on August 19th, we wish him the best of luck in the future (thanks to Sequela for reminding me)! Added "Can anyone help me with my application?" to the FAQ, thanks to xPossum for the suggestion! Included information about bi-weekly TAP.
• September 13th, 2017- PrincessLivi and Lowve resigned on September 4th, Jadeleaf resigned on September 8th, and MisiLica resigned on September 12th. We wish them all the best of luck with their futures and thank them for everything they've done. Edited the list of Recruiters, thank you to xAlonzo for reminding me!
• October 10th, 2017- HuskieALS, Islendingurinn, Squirrelflight05, and xLeopard were all promoted to Jr. Recruiters on October 6th, congratulations to them! _H2O resigned on October 8th. We will miss her dearly and we wish her luck with her future endeavors. Tarn_ left the Bedrock Recruitment team. Edited the list of Recruiters as well as the title picture. Updated the "No Microphone" denial explanation. Minor grammatical corrections, such as changing "PC" to "Java" and "PE" to "Bedrock".
• October 30th, 2017- _H2O was still listed under the list of Recruiters, whoops! Corrected that, thank you to Hammie for reminding me!
• December 8th, 2017- HuskieALS, Islendingurinn, and Squirrelflight05 have all been promoted to full Recruiters! Felicitations to them!
• December 22nd, 2017- xLeopard has resigned from the Recruitment team on December 20th, 2017. We wish her the best of luck with her future on the staff team! The last TAP was held on December 15th, 2017. Subsequent information was added to this thread regarding the cancellation of TAP. xLeopard was removed from the list of Recruiters and the title picture, and the leader of CMP was changed to Its_Tims, thanks to DjKing03 for reminding me!
• December 26th, 2017- Whoops, I forgot to change the bit about TAP in the process explanation! Updated said information, thank you to Geothermal for reminding me!
• January 9th, 2018- Lots to cover in this change! Yukimarimo was promoted to Bedrock Junior Recruitmentor on January 5th, congratulations to him! Updated the title picture and list of Bedrock Recruiters. Many links to example images were broken, thanks to Kapinski for letting me know! All of said images were updated (there’s too many to list individually). Included HuskieALS being the Mentoring Manager for TM. Included information about the /history, /phistory, and /ph commands. General information added to some FAQ questions, and some rejection reasons. Added Mineplex logo to end of post.
• January 21st, 2018- Included information and a FAQ about the "lack of depth" rejection reason, as well as retiring the "mediocre application" rejection reason.
• February 13th, 2018- Tarn_Tara resigned from the staff team on February 2nd, we wish them all the best of luck with their future plans. Look_Dan was invited to the Recruitment team on February 11th as a Jr. Recruiter, congratulations to him! Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters.
• February 18th, 2018- The acceptance of new Trainees was changed from Friday to Saturday, keeping the same time in tact.
• February 23rd, 2018- Information about the second Bedrock open interview event was included.
• March 14th, 2018- Information about the second Bedrock open interview event was removed. Reorganized the underage update to fit within the application processes. Included information about becoming staff on both Java and Bedrock and added several FAQs regarding this, as well as some requested interview topics. Changed a few instances of “PC and PE” to “Java and Bedrock” respectively.
• April 23rd, 2018- The Recruitment Assistance team was reinstated on April 14th. Look_Dan has departed from the Recruitment team on April 18th. We wish him luck with his mentoring duties! Included some FAQ questions about the application form itself, updated some copy/paste rejection reasons, included information on the interview Discord server, as well as general information added to some FAQ questions, and some rejection reasons. Fixed minor spelling and grammatical errors. Missed adding an RA to the list, thanks Enunciate_ for reminding me!
• May 6th, 2018- Nuclear_Poptart no longer posts new Trainees on her wall, and as such she was removed from the thread as a whole. Thank you to HeyItsYoshi for reminding me!
• May 18th, 2018- Yukimarimo resigned from the staff team on May 12th, we wish him all the best of luck with his future goals! Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters respectively.
• June 5th, 2018- Due to the Staff Management merge and subsequent split from Recruitment, HuskieALS resigned from Recruitment on May 20th, we wish him all the best of luck as the Mentoring Assistant and Documents Lead! Squirrelflight05 resigned from the staff team on May 30th, we wish her all the best of luck on her future goals. Due to the merge, Assassind312 has joined the Bedrock team as a Jr. Recruiter, and Bjd1126 has joined as a Recruiter Assistant. Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters respectively, included adding Toki as the Mentoring Manager.
• June 30th, 2018- Due to the Staff Management "grandfather" program (for lack of a better term), HuskieALS has returned to Recruitment on June 22nd, welcome back! Additionally, _H2O was invited back to the Recruitment team on June 23rd, we're glad to have her back! New Recruiter Assistants were added on June 23rd. Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters and RAs respectively, included a few more FAQs, minor grammatical corrections.
• July 3rd, 2018- Assassind312 has resigned from the staff team on June 30th, 2018. We wish him the best of luck! Due to the rumor of ex-staff being rejected for “not ready” on their first applications after returning, the “not ready” rejection reason has been edited with information regarding this. Due to similar recent events, the “mentioned interview” rejection reason has been edited with information regarding revealing specific interview questions. Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters.
• August 2nd, 2018- Raech has resigned from the staff team on July 20th, 2018. We wish her the best of luck in the future! Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters. Changed an instance of TeamSpeak to Discord, thanks to ItsDiqmond_ for reminding me! Included a little bit of information about reinstatements in the rejection reasons and FAQ, as well as updating some information regarding the interview stage.
• August 22nd, 2018- AGLThree and FuzzyJunior were both promoted to Java Recruiters on August 4th, congratulations and welcome aboard! Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters. A few new Bedrock RAs also joined the team and were added as well. Fixed a few incorrect instances of times and phrases, thanks to xVanessa for pointing those out! Added “Can I recommend someone to join the staff team?”, “Can I ask to be scouted onto the team?”, 
“What parts of my old application can I reuse for next time?”, “In what specific scenarios can I reuse my application?”, and “In what specific scenarios can I not reuse my application?” to the FAQ, and included more information about why reusing an application after the interview stage isn’t allowed to the “Can I reuse my application?” FAQ. Hotfix: Hooo boy, how did all those “TeamSpeak” instances get in here?! Thanks to Sophie_OGrady’s detective skills for helping save the day!
• September 10th, 2018- Welcome to the new Xenforo website! The thread has been updated accordingly with new-and-improved links, users, colors, and more. I tried my best to fix everything I could find, but I’m sure you super sleuths out there will spot some errors I missed. As always, please PM them to me so they can be fixed!
• September 13th, 2018- Fixed a few broken links, thanks to KawaiiLovi for pointing those out! A few things on the thread will be adjusted after the beta period of the new website has ended, but keep your suggestions comin’!
• September 25th, 2018- JustZerooo resigned from staff on September 15th, Glitz left the staff team on September 16th, Senpai_Anna resigned from staff on September 19th, and _H2O resigned from Recruitment on September 23rd, we wish them all luck in the future! Updated the title picture and list of Recruiters and RAs. Included information on playtime requirement for Bedrock, as well as clarifying a few cross-platform FAQs, and fixed information about CMP. Removed mentions of the Recruitment division Enjin account. Changed all images in thread from Enjin to Xenforo formatting, let me know if there’s anything I missed!
• February 22nd, 2019- It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Various changes to the Recruiter and RA teams were made, the lists were updated as such. I’m currently working on a few overhauls for this thread so if you have suggestions or ideas please PM me!
• August 9th, 2019- Long time, no update! But now there is one. Recruiter and RA lists were updated (and will be again soon), and various changes were made removing outdated rejection reasons and information that has since become irrelevant. A few grammatical corrections here and there too. We will be updating the images and a few other things Soon™. Thank you to the multitude of people who requested for the thread to be updated!
• January 8th, 2020- Recruiter and RA lists have been updated. A couple of updates to out of date FAQs along with additional information concerning the forums.
• January 16th, 2020- The thread has been updated to reflect the resignation of FireStar891.
• January 18th, 2020- neotheater and epicbuilder435 got promoted to Recruiters today! Congrats to them. Updated the thread to reflect that.
• February 2nd, 2020- Accepted new RAs, congrats to them!
• May 26th, 2020- Updated the thread to reflect new promotions and resignations. Additionally, updated a few statements to better reflect some internal changes.
• June 3th, 2020- As Islendingurinn takes on the Admin role, AGLThree has been promoted to RA Manager and Arjun has been promoted to Reinstatement Manager!

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