Breakfast topic: Poaching
by Amanda Dean 
Jan 19th 2009 at 8:00AM
I'm working on growing our little guild. I've met with some success. I don't spam trade chat to advertise our guild bank, vent, website or or smokin' hot tabard (all of which we have). I like to get to know people a bit before I bring them into the fold. The best way that I know how to do that is to run instances with them.Since we're small, I PUG a lot, so I'm introduced to many players. I'm looking for folks that are both good at what they do and would be a good fit for what we've established. I've found that many times people pug because even though they're in a guild they can't seem to get the assistance that they need. I find that some are actively looking for a change and others just generally enjoy the experience grouping with my comrades.
I'm not one to break up a happy home. My fuzzy, ursine ears perk up when I see someone that's not already guilded. It's a potential recruit! I watch them play throughout the instance and also watch their social interaction with the group. If all goes well I ask them about their goals and try to ferret out a wee bit of their personality. Talking over vent helps too.
It's a little different when someone is already guilded. When I run PUGs with people repeatedly, I often ask them about their guilds. Many state that either their guild is small or that they're just "social." If it seems they're dissatisfied, and a good fit, I extend them a no-pressure invitation to come check us out.
I want to grow my guild with the right folks, but I don't want to be a poacher. Given the choice between all-guild runs all the time, and occasionally pugging, I will continue to group with strangers. How do you handle recruiting in pugs?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, Guilds, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Djfreddiettm Jan 19th 2009 8:19AM
Wow, a worthless first post AND a derisive epithet - all in ONE! Where do I sign up?
At any rate, back when I was in a larger guild, we actually did a combination of this and open recruiting announcements on the forums and guildrecruitment. Those whose talent we didn't find while PuGing are always put through a 'trial run' of an instance, for the exact reasons you mentioned in your article. While I transferred servers, the guild in question is still up and running, so it looks like a working formula to me.
Wrayth Jan 19th 2009 8:19AM
We're a very small, very casual guild on Stormrage... the biggest problem we have with recruiting is that we're all RL friends, which means that we're reluctant to headhunt someone we don't personally know.
We've tried a few times... once with someone in an PuG'd instance, and once with someone we grouped with to do some BC group quests before Wrath came out. Both times we took the time to chat and try and get into their minds a bit at first.
Both of the newbies left us within a month, without much of an explanation but probably due to frustration with our easy-going style, lack of regular instancing, and irregular online times... despite being explicitly warned up front that that was our culture ;)
I don't think we'd ever consider trying to 'poach' an already-guilded person.
Gareth Jan 19th 2009 10:17AM
It could be that the two people left due to feeling like outsiders then due to irregular times when people log on, I normally leave
a guild myself if it feels like a closed club.
That's the really hard thing to do with tight nit groups of friends, you will need to constantly try and involve other people in everything you do, otherwise the new members compare their treatment to that of your long standing friends.
Sharkhunt Jan 19th 2009 10:57AM
This type of thing *can* work, but there are often obstacles that prevent an outsider from having equal status or opportunity. Not only are RL F&F guilds more likely to be perceived as cliquish or likely to give preferential treatment to insiders, but they are also prone to carrying poor performers out of a sense of obligation.
Fidelis Jan 19th 2009 8:20AM
How do you handle recruiting in pugs?
I don't cause most pugs I'm in are usually pretty crap. Then again im the kinda player that everyone wants in there guild and get asked often... why must i be a healer everyone likes.
jay Jan 19th 2009 8:46AM
As long as you're above room temperature and can heal, everyone likes you.
zappo Jan 19th 2009 9:53AM
That's why you never pug more then 2 slots at once. Pugs are crap if everyone is random, but usually if you weed out the randomness a bit you can get through everything just fine.
One good method my guild found is I'm a healer decently geared, and we have a tank who can do Naxx just fine. We have a few trailing guildies that could use some regular instances . Basically as long as we get two dps who can auto-attack we can go with no problems. It's this sort of situation where you encounter a lot of people who are in guilds that don't help them, and might be looking for another guild - especially seeing over geared people helping junior members out. You may also get loot whores this way though.
This of course only works for dps, because healers don't pug and a bad tank will get you killed even if everyone else is uber (therefore I wouldn't recommend trying to pug the tank for recruitment purposes only).
Shionia Jan 19th 2009 2:12PM
@ zappo: "because healers don't pug"
not always true. I used to be on during the day when most of my guildmates weren't. I like 5 mans, and badges/rep/emblems, so I PUGged.
when asked if I wanted to jump ship, I always replied, 'No I love my guild. But feel free to whisper me if you need a healer for something."
Phienn Jan 19th 2009 4:49PM
Unfortunately, I am a healer and must PUG due to a very small group. In fact, I have never been on a guild run, and have never once been "poached".
zappo Jan 19th 2009 4:56PM
Shionia - haha, actually I pug too. But I would say that it's hard to just run around and Pug a healer. They're in high demand, and if you're going to run someone through something, it's hard to justify holding the whole operation up for a healer when someone in your guild could already do it.
I also feel guilty about recruiting any healer that's in a guild because it happens to me all the time and it's annoying. So trying to recruit healers this way is not my cup of tea.
Zenith Jan 19th 2009 8:19AM
Well done, sir.
Amaxe Jan 19th 2009 8:29AM
"How do you handle recruiting in pugs?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In our guild (which is admittedly small, with 34 accounts), if a player in a pug seems to be of good quality, is good to be with and knows his stuff we would consider inviting him to the guild. If we thought he or she was a good match (or if someone contacted us wanting to join) we would set up a run or two with some officers to see how well he fit in in terms of game play and in terms of how the player was to be with in game and in vent.
So far, we've had good results. Quality is preferred over quantity, and with 25 man raids, we have alliances with a couple of other small guilds who we work well with
Val Jan 19th 2009 8:40AM
PUGs? I don't do them .. ever. Haven't for years. As one of the MT's for our guild I'm never short of people who want to run instances :)
Having said that, some of our guildies do PUG when bored and we have picked up a couple of recruits over the time. they still need to app and get approved but it gives them an advantage as those they have grouped with normally give the thumbs up on the forums.
Endugu Jan 19th 2009 8:42AM
My old guild found some of its best members through PUGs, it actually all began with a Molten Core PUG way back when that got the server first Lucifron kill.
There is no better way to evaluate a potential recruit than by playing with them in a setting where they don't even know you are recruiting. Often times people who are actively looking for a guild will put on their best behavior/game face in prearranged guild runs only to disappoint in the weeks following an invitation.
Dulock Jan 19th 2009 8:44AM
I'm sure we're all so glad you graced us with your presence.
SBKT Jan 19th 2009 8:46AM
I wonder if it's bad that I stole my own girlfriend out of a "600 members, only 2 ever online bank alt charlie foxtrot" guild.
Todd Jan 19th 2009 9:15AM
Sorry everyone, that was my idiot brother.
Todd Jan 19th 2009 9:17AM
"...website or or smokin' hot tabard..."
Just like to point out to Ms. Dean, "or or"
Llain Jan 19th 2009 11:23PM
strange...it sounds like trade chat in here...
i forgot how much i loved it...
Mindreaver Jan 19th 2009 9:24AM
Well, my experience is that if your guild is struggling to fill raid slots, then asking people to join you in pugs is necessary. Even advertising that you are recruiting (although having some soft of reputation is probably good, or else you'll just get mocked in trade, which is counterproductive). This would be active recruitment.
If you fill raid slots, and just need more members or want to grow a guild, I've found the best way is to put people on your friends list that you pug with, and try to pug with them more often. Bring your guildies along. Some of our best raiders asked us if we were recruiting after running a few heroics with us. You don't need to actually ASK them to join, if they are interested, they will ask.
Also, try and make a name for your guild by performing well is some PuG raids. If you guild runs 25 mans, PuG some 10 mans on the off days. People do pay attention to guilds that consistently play well. I've gotten more then a few whispers about recruitment after myself and two other guildies ran a few 10 man PuGs. It is especially helpful if you show you have good people in all slots (tanking, healing, and dps).
And for the love of god, be selective. The worst thing you can do is have a lax recruiting procedure. One bad recruit won't matter much, so long as you deal with it quickly. But if you recruit three or four in a row, people will wonder if you are just letting any idiot that whispers you in. It demoralizes the guild, and also makes potential recruits seem so much more risky.