This guide was written by Hymn back in May, and we felt it was relevant to keep it stickied in the App forums. Enjoy
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When you apply to a guild, it might not be as important to you as a job application but you have to remember that any guild worth its weight probably gets a lot of applicants every week. Even if it doesn't, everyone wants to feel like you respect them, and the best way to show respect is with your time.
A typical application consists of a series of questions which usually cover the basic W's in some form. "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "What do you do?" "Why are you here?" "How can we use you?" and It's important to give each of them the respect it deserves.
An application is intended to let a guild know as much about you as possible in the least amount of time. They're looking for whether or not you'll fit in with the crowd, as well as how talented you are, not one or the other (usually). Skimping on your application sends a lot of signals, none of which are good. Guilds will think you are lazy, ignorant, disrespectful or immature.
So how does one go about applying in a way to turn heads?
Step One: Know who you're applying to. If you're applying to the best guild on the server, know that they are getting a lot of applications. You can expect that they're looking for someone with good gear and experience, but they may be swayed by an excellent personality. Don't just tout your skills, make sure to play up that you are a good, intuitive person. If you have a sketchy reputation with one of the members, be ready for a confrontation because you can bet that they'll voice their opinion on you to whoever is in charge of reading applications.
Step Two: Take your time. Read every question fully and then answer it thoroughly. Be careful not to skip any portion of the question or leave out any blemishes on your record, they will usually find them out anyway. You don't need to write an essay for each question, but show that you've written a full, intelligent answer.
Step Three: Spell Check. I can't stress this enough, if your application is posted with a load of errors, you're going to look lazy or stupid or both. Write the application in Word if you need its spell-checker, reread carefully and even have a friend look it over once before you hit "submit."
Step Four: Format. The usual format for an application consists of copy and pasting a list of questions and then entering your answers below them. If their application is not already bold when you copy it, bold their questions to separate them from your answers. Use spaces and paragraphs if necessary to make sure it is legible, no one likes to read a wall of text. You can even go so far as to use color to accent points or highlight their questions, do not go overboard on this.
Step Five: Check Back. Once you've submitted your application the guild probably isn't going to message you in game groveling for you to join them immediately. They may have follow-up questions or simply expect you to contact them. Responding to their questions or suggestions promptly is a great way to get off on a good foot with new people. If you're blanketing (submitting an application to several guilds at once) make sure you make a note of each that you've applied to so that you can check back with all of them.
