As the number of new MUDs showing up on the internet continues to grow faster than the available pool of builders and coders, admins often find themselves accepting just about anyone who shows an interest in a desperate attempt to build a staff.  It's important though that understand how destructive this can be.  The tips outlined here are based on my personal experience.  Names have been changed to protect the guilty err...I mean innocent.


 
Simple fact is, no matter what rank an immortal is, they are perceived to be a representative of you and your MUD.  If I login to your MUD I really don't care if the immortal who just popped into the room and kept chain healing his buddy while he killed me is an assistant builder or an admin.  The effect is the same.  I doubt I am alone in my feelings.  In fact, I'd be willing to bet if it happened to you, you'd feel the same way I do.  There are a few ways to avoid this type of situation and a few tell tale signs to look out for.
 If you are hiring builders, consider setting up a building port which is isolated from the rest of the MUD.  This is simply a second copy of your MUD where players are not allowed.  Only builders.  All building is done there and then the areas are moved over to the "live" MUD when they are completed.  If someone is really there to build this shouldn't be a problem.  If they are there to power trip and bully your players, they won't find this appealing since it won't fit their needs.  They will therefore go off and find someone else's MUD to ruin.  You kill two birds with one stone.  First, you protect your users.  Second, you cripple the competition.   
 Spend some time talking to applicants before you give them immortal access.  Present them with a few different potential scenarios and ask how they would react.  Don't promote them too quickly.  Make them prove themselves.  It will not only protect you, but also usually results in them respecting you a little more.
 Beware of people who are already building on other MUDs.  A commmon occurance is for people who lack the imagination to create their own areas but want the power and thrill of being an immortal to join several MUDs as immortals.  They then swap areas between them, claiming them as their own.  True story, this happened on a MUD I used to work on as an assistant admin.  The admin from another MUD came in and chewed us out for stealing areas from his MUD.  Funny thing is, all the areas he was talking about were written by ME personally.  Even if this is not the case though, there is still the danger of them spreading themselves too thin or just plain burning themselves out.
 Always keep your finger on the big red button, ready to nuke at the first sign of trouble.  A poor immortal staff is like a cancer.  If you don't catch it early and extract it from the healthy staff, it will infect the rest of the staff and kill your MUD.  Nothing will destroy a MUD quicker than a power tripping immortal.  Make sure you watch over your immortals, especially the new ones.  Make sure they KNOW you are watching.  
 During your interview with your potential immortals you absolutely must ask them the question, "If you could have any position you wanted on the MUD, what would it be?"  If they answer something to the effect of "Enforcer" or "LAW" or "Policy Immortal" or anything of that sort, thank them for their interest and bid them a good day.  Yes, this is a much needed position on any MUD, but it should not be the chief interest of anyone.  It's the classic sign of someone who just wants to flex their immortal muscles.  Also, if they say "Lead Admin" or something like that, you should treat it the same way.  I mean, come on, you're the lead admin, right?  Do you really want to hire someone who's main aspiration is to take your job?
 Beware the stranger bearing gifts.  If someone comes in and offers you a "collection of areas" if you hire them, you can rest assured they are probably stolen.  Explain that you are looking only for unique areas and are not really interested in areas submitted to other MUDs.  This makes the contribution a non-issue without you having to accuse them.  After all, if they really did create an entire collection of areas, you don't want to offend them and drive them away.  Besides, many builders who take pride in their work would actually appreciate this and respect you for your desire to see unique areas.
 Avoid the person who tries to bully you into hiring them or acts like you need them or are doomed to iminent failure.  If they are bullying you, how likely do you think it is they'll bully your players as well?
 Above all else, trust your insticts.  If someone rubs you the wrong way, don't hire them.  It's your MUD.  You do what you feel in your heart is right.  If you should find yourself in a position where you have to remove an immortal for mistreatment of players, do it very publicly.  Make it clear to the players that you don't endorse the actions.  This will serve to help save your remaining player base and serve as a reminder to your other immortals of the consequences of acting up. 
