Carbine Studios, the company bringing us the highly anticipated game WildStar, is looking for a Community Manager. Currently, NC Soft has a listing for the position up on their website.
What Is A Community Manager:
A Community Manager is actively involved in the day-to-day happenings of the forums. Posting threads, discussing topics, answering questions, and much more. For a good example of the kinds of things a Community Manager’s involved in, check out Bayohne’s work on the developer’s blog for FFXIV or Megan Marie’s work for Square Enix.
There are many things that Community Managers do behind the scenes as well. Talking with developers about the game and communicating with other teams from around the world. This position isn’t for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time to put into the work.
Things To Consider:
If you’re looking at pursuing this kind of position there are many things to consider. A big thing to take into consideration is the internet can be an unfriendly place. You have to be willing to take the bad with the good, without sacrificing professionalism. You’ll often come across information you’re not allowed to talk about yet so you need to know how to avoid saying things you shouldn’t.
Game knowledge is kind of a big deal. A Community Manager needs to know what they’re talking about; if you aren’t familiar with the game then the community will tear you apart.
How To Bring A Community Together:
Another big thing a Community Manager is responsible for is bringing the community together in positive ways. There are many ways to do this; the method I prefer is hold in-game events. Actually playing with the community helps foster a positive attitude among the players. You don’t need to be good, just have fun with the community. The GMs in TERA were a good example of this–they’d hop in and PvP with players and host in-game contests.
What Is Carbine Looking For:
Carbine is looking for an individual to be on the ball with up-to-date information. Able to work flexible hours and have a constant presence on the forums. Must be able to give a weekly feedback report and have knowledge of programs such as Movable Type, which is basically a website management program like WIX.
If you think you have what it takes to fill this position, and meet all the requirements that are listed on the job listing make sure you apply. Remember there will likely be many people applying for this position, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it. Good luck to all who apply.
