Discussions about Hiring and Hiring Practices
 

The developers know that many of you have issues with hiring practices and they are aware of the suggestions made to date in the suggestions forum to combat the "problem". They are also aware of the fact that others are equally vehemently opposed to some of these ideas. It is unknown at this time whether or not the developers have any plans to implement these ideas. However, if you wish to continue to voice your opinions for them, please do so in the appropriate threads in the Suggestions Forum.


This thread is NOT to be used as a "name and shame" thread. Any posts including Farm or Farm Avatar names will be deleted without notice to the poster.

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oooh a new thread ive got to say hire me with alot or by myself its down to your own personal choice to do what you want on your own farm if the staff dont like it they can leave

Same for if your hired if you dont like it say thanks but no thanks and leave

I too agree about the plowing stuff. I don't typically hire the same people to harvest and plow. Sometimes I just like to plow my own farm. If people don't want to harvest my crops without complaining about plowing I would appreciate if they would just leave my farm and I will hire people who are happy to be harvesting my crops.

I'm also kind of sick of people who think they are entitled to my entire farm when I hire them. I'll hire 2-3 people depending on the conditions in the market place. I don't have time to sit around and wait for people to respond. If I don't get a quick response there I move on to hiring the next person I see there which results in, sometimes, a lot of people hired. If you don't like it leave my farm and get hired at some one elses but don't tell me how many people to hire on my farm.

Is this the thread where we are to now start discussing the practise of hiring to plow on layered farms?

I am not so concerned about stopping the hiring to endless plow...but it was handy having the thread open before to send people to learn about how to layer crops....I hire people to harvest and some of them are amazed about my new crops underneath and I would like to still be able to send them to the forum for distinct instructions on how to do this.

You still can. The original how-to thread hasn't been vaporized, just closed. A search on "unofficial layering" or "layering technique" will find it fairly quickly. Copy the URL when you find it, paste it into a blank notepad document or similar, save the document on your desktop, and you'll have it for as long as you want to refer to it.

Added: delete the words at the end of the URL (they'll be whatever words you searched on) back to the post number, that's all you really need.

Thanks for opening a discussion thread.

I still wish we had an option to fire people. I sincerely doubt the amount of people hiring just to fire is so significant that the rest of the population should be held hostage to slow, disrespectful or verbally abusive players.

hear, hear. I deliberately do not hire anyone that has a specific list of what they will plow, or that they work alone. I will hire someone else out of spite if I do it by accident.

The begging is terrible. I saw a girl say "this is why I play FarmVille" in the market - the process of hiring, the begging, etc. is not very fun.

ELLS, your top post sounds like a lawyer puked all over it, I got bored of reading it, good luck getting your message across

She isn't trying to get a message across. This is a place where other members can talk about Hiring and Hiring Practices.

yeah tthat post was a little odd and unfitting. Ells statements made perfect sence to me

i agree with what people are saying, it is a game so keep it respectful as we don't know who is on the other end. it is a diverse game of all ages, cultures etc and we don't want to role model bad behaviour for the younger players or show players from other countries that we are not respectful.

Hiring Fun
 

I've been having some fun, with the hiring process. I now present an employment 'test'. I begin by announcing that I've got crops ready for harvesting, then plots to plow:

Greetings, Farmers. I have 2 farms; I need two employees for harvesting and plowing.

Then, I remind players that they have a very useful 'tool' available to them:

But I present an employment test. Those who do not wish to participate, please click my avatar, and select 'ignore'.

I then remind the marketplace of the 'reward' for participating:

First two correct answers will be offered the employment, both harvesting and plowing


Then, I present my 'test'. The test varies, and is based on the crop that is ready. For example, overnight I usually plant squash. My 'squash' test is a riddle:

Test: Riddle: Which FarmTown crop would be best, for killing a cockroach?


When the crop is grapes and wheat, the question is based on wine and bread, taken from the Fitzgerald translation of the Rubiayat of Omar Khayyam:

Test: Fill in the blanks: "A _ _ _ of _ _ _ _, a _ _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _, and thou beside me, singing in the wilderness; and wilderness is paradise, now ..."


If the crop is only grapes, the 'test' is simple math -

The test: My farms yield 525 dry quarts of grapes. There are 105 dry quarts in every barrel. Each barrel yields 2 gallons of wine. How many gallons will my farms yield?

Sometimes, with grapes, the test is on American Literature:

Test: Who is the author of 'The Cask of the Amontillado'?

If the pomegranate trees are ready to pick, the test question is based on Greek Mythology:

Test: What fruit did Persephone consume, when she was being held captive by Hades in his Underworld Kingdom?

I've had great fun with some of the answers. When I get any 'irritated' players complaining that they did not 'come here to be in school', I just gently remind them that this is a game, and the developers of the game provided them with a wonderful tool, called the IGNORE button - and I recommend they employ that tool, posthaste! lol!

The hired hands are always thanked, when they arrive on the farm, for their participation in the employment test, and the usual result of the test is to stimulate a conversation with fellow FT players. I've met some very interesting people, via the 'test' and this game.

I wonder, does anyone else have any interesting ways to hire employees?

hows that fun id have just walked and thought ok ill just be polite and wait for hiring if im hiring I announce I have work and hire the firtst one to say yes please pg

"different strokes for different folks"

Not something I would enjoy but it sounds like you are finding people who do.:)

No offense, but shouldnt this thread be moved to the hiring practices sticky thingy at the top? I thought talking bout hiring was considered taboo now:confused:



Personally, I like hiring the ladies:o

I don't see anything wrong with a fun challenge as long as the hirees in the MP understand that it's a game. Otherwise as you say, hit the ignore button.

However, the following happened to me, and it was definitely wrong:

A few weeks ago I was in the MP and was hired for harvesting. The farmer in question turned out to be a complete twit, IMO. First, he PM'd me and asked me to meet him at his farm, claiming he had tons of three-day crops and he was having trouble hiring from the MP. Not a problem, I'm okay with meeting a farmer even though sometimes those invites turn out to be another way to rid the MP of competition.

So I went to his farm. He met me there and yes, his farm was loaded. He asked me to wait while his other workers showed up, and he would hire all of us at once. Okay, not a problem at all. In a few minutes, two others showed up. We all waited for the longest time, while this guy stood there without a word.

Finally, he instructed us to line up at a center fence and wait for him. Okay, strange, but what the heck. We lined up. More silence (at this point I had been on this guy's farm for over five minutes, waiting). Then he told us before he could hire us, he would have to know how many coins we already had, and what our EXP-point number was. Only then would he hire us...

I asked him why in the world he would want to know something I feel is pretty personal, that I felt uncomfortable giving out that kind of info. He replied that it was his farm, his rules, and that anyone who refused would have to leave. I then told him he was ridiculous, and left.

Yes, I could have lied to him, given him any bogus number. But at that point I figured I was dealing with a whack-doodle with a control fetish. Better to get out of it all, and leave.

I like to harvest and play this game, same as anyone else. I don't mind the little hiring games often found in the MP, as long as it's not invasive, rude, condescending or the like. But I refuse to participate in a little power/control play just so that some whack-doodle can feel like a Master of the Universe.

ElkRiverRancher, your method of hiring sounds harmless and if I ever meet you in the MP I might give it a go if you offer it. But I am proceeding with caution these days especially when someone wants to know my financial worth. What's next, asking me what color thong I wear???

Oop. TMI!

Little Wing

That's confusing, to me, SD ... I am under the impression that 'Farmtown' is a game .... soooo, 'playing games' is what all participants are doing, no? Happily, this game can be played in a number of ways.
As it happens, my employment test is an interesting way, IMHO, to see who is paying attention. Plus, with the use of the ignore button, it's also easy to 'eliminate' me from your own 'hiring method'. I also find the employment test a way to see if there are any individuals who remember anything from their school years ("Things I would have learned in school, if only I'd been paying attention ....").

Any farmers at the marketplace who don't understand that it's a game are confusing 'Farmtown' with real farming ... something that just strikes me as absurd ...

Oh, I am sooo with you, LW - this individual was beyond the pale - and sounds a bit like a Nazi SS personality, IMHO. I would have run like a frightened bunny - but here's something that might not have occurred to you ... anyone at the marketplace can find out your level, and your xp, just by visiting your farm (they need no invitation, you understand ... just clicking the player's avatar, one can visit the player's farm[s]). I don't confuse someone asking me how much 'coin' I have at FT with asking me how much 'coin' I have, in 'real' life! lol That said, I can just imagine what this 'individual' was doing, whilst he was lining up all his potential victims! lol


I find the employment test stimulates conversation ... and IMHO, this game was developed with a 'chat' window for just that purpose. Otherwise, why have the potential to have 'conversations', at all? Farmville is the place for those 'players' who don't wish to communicate with other players, no?

Well, speaking of employment, etc., I have two farms, ready to reap and plow. TTFN!

To each his/her own, Elk. More power to you. But you DO realize that you can't exactly commandeer a marketplace for your hiring test don't you? Seeing that people pop in all the time, regardless of your announcement to put you on ignore.

Personally, I prefer not to jump through hoops to get a harvest/plow job. After all, this IS just a game. Being asked to play another one within it is redundant.

If you're ever curious as to how much trivia I've retained from my school days, feel free to PM me with a pop quiz. But if we encounter each other at the MP I'll probably not bother putting you on ignore, just pop out to another MP while you quiz whoever has the patience to put up with it (bless their hearts).

<g> Oh, I knew he wanted the total of my FT coinage, most likely because he's just plain nosy. That was the 'personal info' I was talking about. Sure, anyone can click on my little avatar and find out my level and points, no big secret nor do I care if they have that info. But my FT money is not up for discussion. Heck, even my neighbors - who know this info thanks to the 'neighbors link'- would not chat me up in front of other unfamiliar FT-ers and ask me that kind of thing!

It's a fun game and thanks to the inventiveness of all who play Farm Town, additional layers of fun are added daily. Nothing wrong with any of it, 'tis all good. :)

Little Wing

I agree. Most people aren't in the MP for test period. Frankly I graduated a long time ago and just want to relax and "play a game" on my computer before starting my housework for the day. And..TBH, I haven't even heard of some of the stuff you are asking about. Some of it sounds a little religious, which, if what I have heard about FT is true, most people are from everywhere in the world, of all different religions so they probably won't get hired. And, in the real world, if that's what we are basing on, wouldn't that also be discrimination on the basis of religion? :0)

(BTW, in case you hadn't figured it out yet, I am messing with you on the last point. Please don't take it seriously and bash me..as this IS just a game, right>?)

Commandeer? Hardly .... and for commandeering, you really can't 'beat' the players who use both avatar names that take up more than 'one line' (I've seen as much as three, regularly), and then use one line for each letter:

• P
• L
• O
• W
• I
• N
• G

or for 'begging':

• hire me PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
• hire me PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
• hire me PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
• hire me PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

So, I think writing a single sentence, then following it with the 'riddle', is hardly commandeering.

Well, just a 'click and ignore' seems easier to me, but as you say, to each, their own.

Oh wait! What about the ones that do those AND type in all caps AND do what you said with the multiples of the same letter for like twenty time so that it takes up the whole chat box and when you try to scroll past it, they keep it up. I have tried to use the ignore feature, but when you didn't catch the name the first time and they keep doing it so that the scroll won't work, it's kinda hard to ignore them.
AND the ones that jump in front of you..I mean RIGHT in front of you so that your avatar is hidden either behind or IN theirs as if they think that makes them more appealing to a prospective boss.

*stumbles in & laughs her *ahem* butt off*

He he he, your butt jiggles when you laugh it off:p

just for you!:D

lmao, babys got back!

Yes this is a game but this to me is just manipulative. I don't understand why people have to play such games with others in the game. I play this GAME to farm not to answer trivia questions and I have a feeling that you have a hard time finding workers.


Like I said above farm town is a game that I play but I am playing a farming game not a trivia game, if I wanted to answer trivia questions I would play a trivia game. I have a feeling that the other poster doesn't get a lot of workers that way.

I can't stand when a person harvests or plows and does half and stops. Also today I hired someone to harvest and plow and they agreed to both then during plowing had the nerve to message me and ask if I was going to help them plow???? i thought that was why I hired them.

I don't mind the practice of giving hiring tests, but ElkRiverRancher's questions are just too difficult to me... LOL As a Chinese who's born and grows up in Hong Kong, it's just not really possible for me to know so much about American literature... Just like I'm not going to ask "Which Emperor ordered the unification of writing characters in China?", even though it's pretty common knowledge in the place where I live. (The answer is Qin Shi Huang, by the way.) Even if I did ask, I doubt I was ever going to receive an answer. I'm not really motivated to google something like that just for a job in a game, either, especially when somebody else is probably hired already during the time when I do my research...

As a matter of fact I used to hand out hiring tests too, but it was usually a mathematics question, so basically no information research is required. (And it's not stuff like "what is the square root of 45905 times the sum of 1298 and 4333 minus sin80", just simple stuff like "1+5*9") BUT then one day...

I gave out a math question, say, 1+5*9, by saying "I'll hire the first person who answers 1+5*9=? correctly".
I got a couple of answers saying 54.
I thought, well that's incorrect, but since nobody did get it correctly, so I hired the first person who answered anyway.
We went to my farm, and I started a chat by saying "the correct answer is 46 because in mathematics you should do multiplication and division before addition and subtraction".
And the person I hired replied, "Oh I never knew that. Never taught this at school."
CULTURAL SHOCK!!! In Hong Kong, "multiplication and division first, addition and subtraction later" is something that's taught in primary schools...

After this incident, I realize that handing out hiring test doesn't really work.
FarmTown is an international game. If even mathematics is not universal, I don't know what's a fair hiring test. LOL

By the way, once I also got someone who replied "I played this game for fun, not for doing mathematics". Well, to each their own, but to me, being challenged by single-digit multiplication is pretty lame, unless you are born or hit with some special conditions. And that's actually quite a rude response, too.


After I gave up handing out tests, each time I need to hire someone from the marketplace I simply ask, "Who wants to harvest?" "Who wants to plow?" "I need a person to FIRST harvest my trees and THEN plow. Anyone?" Then I hire the first 1-2 person who responds, depending on the size of the job.

Sometimes it still amazes me that I can get NO response even with such direct questions/offers, though. I'd think, are they not interested in the work I have to offer? (But that not even ONE person shows up is still quite unbelievable) Even if your usual strategy is waiting quietly, it's still pretty clear that under THIS circumstance you have to actually respond to get a job.

If I get no response, I just hit "go home" and go to another marketplace. I don't hire people who are mute because I'm afraid they may not actually be playing at that moment.

The people I hire with this strategy are all satisfactory workers so far, so I'm sticking to it. :)

Help! I'm so confused!
 

I'm trying to hire someone to plow my fields - just 3 plots. I keep going to the marketplace and clicking on someone & according to the directions, they're supposed to let me know if they will do it. Where am I supposed to be getting this notification? How do they get to my farm? Do I need to have machinery for them to work for me (because I don't, I just have the hand tools)? Thanks for the help!

Hi there. Here is a link that will take you too a thread that will explain everything about plowing. :)

http://www.slashkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144618

Hiring Season
 

Just i want to know in which season the hiring begans during the rich
cultivation or at theharvesting time? Can someone clarify this...

No, Jas, I have not had what I would consider to be any trouble finding employees - and I do have some interactive fun with some of the answers, whether they're correct or incorrect.




Yup, it is a farming game, which is why my questions are always based on the crop that will be harvested. Happily, players at the MP are just as free to pay me no attention as I am free to pay the beggers no attention.