Applications close Monday 30 November.
I'm
incredibly excited to announce that we're now taking applications to be a
Moderator!
Mods are crucial to the functioning of the ATARnotes community - in some ways that are highly visible and some others that are less so. Before we dive into that, here's some of the benefits of becoming a mod:
✅ Get involved with AN behind the scenes, and really significantly help forge the direction of ATAR Notes in the future
✅ Can lead to other, also brilliant, opportunities -
see here E.g. I'm now an author and have lectured for AN
✅ Help improve the education of thousands of students (yes,
thousands is right)
✅ Amazing banter in hidden sections of the forums
✅ Looks fantastic on résumés/LinkedIn
Continuing on:
Should I apply?Absolutely! There's no
rule where you can only apply if you have a certain number of posts, or have been on ATAR Notes for a certain period of time. However, we do expect state moderators to have shown a reasonable level of activity and contributions in the past - feel free to apply if you're unsure and we'll make the call. We're looking for people who can take their allocated boards to the next level. People who are happy to lead and be innovative. People who are passionate about ATAR Notes
You don't need to have graduated. In fact, there's no restriction on year level. A lot of moderators are in uni atm but having some more diversity in there would be good. If you're passionate about it, apply!
Additionally, scores aren't that important. If you want to help out in a subject board it's useful to know the content, syllabus etc. well and a study score is one way of showing that but there's more to being a mod than just answering subject questions. For example, part of being a mod is about being adaptable and helping shape the direction of the community. The important thing isn't whether you got/get a <30 ATAR, it's about how you contribute to the community.
What are the responsibilities?Jamon wrote
this about responsibilities for new mods & it's very accurate so go check that out
For a more metaphorical description, I once wrote this:
Our job as moderators is not to reach the grandest destinations but to provide support during the journey. We've all got our different approaches: some say "here's how you read the map, this is where you're at" (technical score discussion), same say "this is where you could aim for" (uni and admissions advice), some say "for this section, you might want to take this path, pack your bag this way" (subject and studying advice), some say "I'll bring you some distraction and levity" (games and casual chat), and many more. We take on a combination of different roles
Is secret mod banter really good enough to be a benefit?Absolutely - you should go find out for yourself
When's the deadline?Applications close at the end of November - 30th November exactly. This is because we wanted to be able to give people plenty of time (especially with exams) and also be able to get back with the results before next year.
Are you looking for a certain number of moderators?No; we'll assess each application on a case-by-case basis. We're not going to say "we need two more!" or "we need ten more!" because that would be restrictive. We are conscious of not overloading the forums with too many mods but we haven't set a max or min.
What if I don't get in?We encourage applications from lots of people - and you should
absolutely apply and part of this also means that each year some people who apply won't get in. If you don't get in that doesn't mean we dislike you or that you aren't a valuable user, it just means that at that point in time the decision was that the role wouldn't be a good fit for you. This does
not mean we don't see mod potential in you, but although there is no cap on numbers, we can't mod everyone. I would encourage people to take a mindset of being able to apply in future years if you don't get it now - so you may as well try now, right?
Know somebody who you think would be perfect for the role?Give them a shout-out in this thread! Please also use this thread to ask any questions about the process - we will certainly be happy to help provide some clarity