Rejected to be an editor by DMOZ

[eightfifteen]

Yesterday, I applied to be an editor for the category:

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketi...ull_Service/V/

Today I got the decline email, but there was no information provided by the editor that reviewed my application as to why I was declined. The email had some generic text regarding possible reasons, but nothing concrete. I posted the question to http://resource-zone.com/forum which said that there is no way of telling what the reasoning was.

This was not the first time I applied. Previously it was noted that my site's description tag (which I included as a sample to be added) had some language that was not going along with their guidlelines. I made what I thought were the appropriate changes and reapplied to be turned down again today.

I was completely up front with the information that I was associated with a site that is pending approval for that category.

I know you guys have more important things to do, but could someone please take a look at what I had submitted and let me know what you think the reasoning could have been?

User name: eightfifteen
Category: http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketi...ull_Service/V/
Date Applied: 04/22/04


Thanks

[cbp]

I have no "inside" info on this.

To get a decline one day after applying is remarkably fast - applications normally take weeks - so there must have been something obvious about your application.

Its a very small category and there is probably very few sites that could be added (I am only having a guess here) - so applying to such a category could have indicated that you are more interested/motivated about adding your own site than building the category (I know you did mention that in the application).

Did you submit 3 sample URL's & descriptions? - a lot of people trip up at this step (eg spelling; inappropriate for category; promotional language in description; etc) - DMOZ does not want editors that get it wrong, as it takes more time of another editor to go in and corrext mistakes etc (takes them away from the backlog of submissions)

CBP

[eightfifteen]

I supplied them with 2 (including mine). The application requests 2-3 sites as samples.

You are right…it is a small category, without many other sites that I could find to add as a sample. I figured that I would try to go in and clean up that section, build a little bit of a track record, and then request a second section.

[cbp]

I supplied them with 2 (including mine). The application requests 2-3 sites as samples.

build a little bit of a track record

My guess is that maybe what the problem is - if ou only suggested 2 sample URL's, the meta that looked at your application may have reached a conslusion that if you can only find 2 sites, then there can't be much out there to add to the category, so the motivation may be more linked to getting own site listed. It would be hard to build a track record if you can only find 2 sites....

Maybe resubmit the application - make sure you include 3 ... in the application maybe state where you are going to get other sites from, how you are going to find them? (in the category I edit, the submitted sites is the worst source for new sites to add - I add more from elsewhere).

CBP

[eightfifteen]

I guess I never realized that you you could add a site without it being submitted. I assumed that it must be submitted first, and the request to list three sites was so they can find out if you understand the guidelines.

If you become an editor, can you contact sites that would otherwise be a good addition, but just have some issues with description tags, etc?


Thanks for all the information.

[cbp]

I guess I never realized that you you could add a site without it being submitted

I add more sites by searching Google. The list of submitted sites is very inefficient way to list sites. The editors responsibility is to build a category that is a useful resource - whi cares where the sites come from?

If you become an editor, can you contact sites that would otherwise be a good addition, but just have some issues with description tags, etc?

As editor you can give a site whatever title and description you like - provides it complies with the guidelines. >50% of the sites submitted to my category get rejected. Of those listed - I have to change the description on almost all of them.

CBP

[podman]

I guess I never realized that you you could add a site without it being submitted.

Most people don't realize that. I have whole categories where no-one ever submitted a site, and I added hundreds. Also other categories where maybe 5% were submitted, and the rest I added by looking around.

I also have categories where I have no strong interest, and only deal with submitted ones, and never add any sites by myself.

[crashingflwrgrl]

To get a decline one day after applying is remarkably fast - applications normally take weeks

I submitted my application and was accepted that same day...I must have been lucky?!

[cbp]

I must have been lucky?!

Yes

CBP

[MrOwen]

DMOZ looks for editors who dig deeper than what Google already has in their index. There are lots of great sites that have never been picked up, but it takes some time to find them. I am an editor and I spent about 5 hours submitting my application and finding quality sites. To do this I visited obscure industry portals where lots of information was kept. The portal itself was even hard to find. They want editors who are willing to uncover the vast amount of deep web that is still yet to be indexed. Applications that are submitted very fast and include sites that the applicant was involved with will always get denied, that is of course my opinion and nor do I review applications so I'm not 100% sure of this.

My advice is this.... get rid of the "I want my site included fast so I want to be an editor" mentality and approach being an editor like any other job you would perform. You wouldn't spend 20 minutes filling out a job application for a $75,000 a year corporate job and even though this is voluntary work the same effort should be made. You must remove your self from any personal gain from being an editor. Even to the point of actively seeking out and including competitors sites if they meet DMOZ guidelines.

Being an editor is serious business so think of it like this. As a DMOZ editor you have the right to control a certain portion of the directory even to the point of censorship. If this is how DMOZ was run it wouldn't be used by Google and other organizations because it wouldn't be useful information.

DMOZ does not censor and although there are certain instances where editors are abusing their powers, it isn't a global issue. There are thousands of categories and many of them go unedited for more than a year as was the case in my category. In fact, the oldest submission was from 2001.

So, if you want to be an editor take it seriously and dedicate time to the cause that DMOZ undertook many years ago. This attitude will be reflected in your application and it will garner a serious look from those editors who review applications.

There are no guarantees that you'll be an editor, I was denied for an additional category even after being an editor because I wasn't able to dedicate enough time to the category and nor did I have enough industry knowledge. There are categories with well over 300 - 500 listings in queue that need to be overhauled and would take at least a weeks worth of work to complete.

Until you become an editor you may not realize how much work and consideration is involved to objectively analyze and review websites within your category. In the end you'll probably realize that being able to include your link wouldn't be worth it anyway.

Just my two cents worth....