GuidesMost servers hire their first staff the wrong way: a #staff-applications channel, a wall of DMs, and a gut call. That works at 500 members and falls apart at 5,000. Here is a process that scales.
When to hire
- Reports sit unanswered for hours, or you are moderating at 3am yourself.
- You need timezone coverage your current team cannot give.
- A skill gap is holding you back: nobody can build the bot, make the emotes, or run the events.
Write a real listing
- Name the role and the hours. "Moderator, about 10 hours per week, EU evenings" filters better than any application form.
- State compensation, even when it is volunteer. Honesty attracts the people who stay.
- Add interview questions to the listing. Structured answers are far easier to compare than free-form DMs.
Screening applicants
- Look at their answers before their level or follower count. Specific beats impressive.
- Check their Discord profile and shared history. Staff represent your community.
- Trial period first. Two weeks with limited permissions tells you more than any interview.
- Tell people no. Applicants on discordjoblist see your decision, and servers that respond get better applicants next time.
Keeping good staff
Staff churn is the hidden cost of running a big server. Pay what you can, credit publicly, write down expectations, and promote from within. A senior moderator who grew up in your community outperforms any external hire.
Still stuck? Ask in our support server and a human will help you out.