Discussions about Hiring and Hiring Practices

[Scooterbratt]

Originally Posted by ElkRiverRancher

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?

I love the idea

[Scooterbratt]

Originally Posted by Sheila Buttercup

I need to rant...sorry!

I am fed up with...people who come to harvest and don't read instructions given to them....I have a lot of crops under the trees etc....I ask for them to turn the trees off...send them personal messages...send them notes...almost always totally ignored....IT DRIVES ME MAD...I even stipulate what is needed when I hire them, and ask them to ask for work by my name...just to make sure they can read and understand....still ignored.

Then on the other hand....I hate going to work for other farmers who hire a number of workers...who end up falling over one another and getting very little for the pleasure.

Sorry folks ...Rant over

It took me awhile to find out how to do the tree, building hiding thing. Now I love it

[Violet Blooms]

It would be great if additional messages could be added similar to the current status choices - these would indicate the specific job(s) wanted; the amount of time available/required to complete the job - maybe the market could be divided into quadrants according to job wanted?

[rodneycs]

Originally Posted by CynthiaSue

I think the hiring process is probably the most time consuming part of the game for me. Finding someone willing to do trees, etc. is sometimes nearly impossible. If they could come up with a way to match employer with employee better, it would really help.

I agree getting someone to do anything other than harvest crops is very difficult. You often have to hire multiple people to get even a littlebit donebut with the new categories maybe this will be easier.

[loveko2]

Originally Posted by Scooterbratt

I have a different type of question about hiring for someone to answer. I am at the highest level and sometimes will go into the work area to get some work. My comment is for the multi-hire farmers. I get hired, for example, to work a farm. I get to the farm and there are other farmers. I don't have a problem with that at all. Because I am at a higher level and want to see other lower level farmers get leveled up as well, I try to let them do the harvesting as much as possible. I popped into this forum because I'm have a little issue and was looking for a thread and saw this one. I never want to make the owner of the farm mad or anything, but for me it's to help the other employees and not make the owner of the farm upset. Question though, when hiring multiple people, how does the bonus come into play? Does all the farmers get it, or no one? My biggest issue as the "employer" is that people will come in and do half a job and leave. I go in to plant and the job is not done. I personally have spent 4 hours on a farm on one occasion just to finish a job I was hired for. I have gotten to the point that I don't even bother hiring people anymore.

there is no bonus to an unfinished job.

[daisy too]

Question though, when hiring multiple people, how does the bonus come into play? Does all the farmers get it, or no one?

As far as i can tell - each worker accrues bonus money in a treasure chest, according to the work they do. Once ALL the work on a farm is done, each worker can collect their individual bonus. The amount will vary, depending on the amount of work.
If workers are hired for separate jobs - say one is harvesting and plowing, and another is fishing only - each one collects when the job they were hired to do is done.

[max_river]

is there a place where people who work can complain about the boss. some of the boss are rude and nuts and abusive. when i hire i tell them what i need done and i make sure i have lots of time for them to do the work. do not hire if you need some thing done quick because that is some time the issues come from

[jghchurch]

i got hire to do muilty, all done but 3 fish that will not let me get. now i lose the coins and everything ealse. please fix this. its not right. just like getting kicked out of a farm and not getting to go back to finish.

[KnightRider]

Originally Posted by jghchurch

i got hire to do muilty, all done but 3 fish that will not let me get. now i lose the coins and everything ealse. please fix this. its not right. just like getting kicked out of a farm and not getting to go back to finish.

I have heard several people say that if you click on the diamond of the farm that you are on to refresh your current farm, you will then be able to get the remaining fish so that you can get the coins.

[Ginny Daylily]

Yes, refreshing the farm lets you finish getting the fish!