I think we needed one of these. I've had many people ask me what they should do to find a team. I don't want to go into detail each time so I decided to make a thread. I also made this because of... you know who.
Before you make a looking thread, keep in mind that TF2 teams generally start scrimming at 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST and end anytime from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM EST. Some teams scrim from Mondays to Thursdays. Some teams scrim from Sunday to Thursdays. Some rarely scrim. If you want to play competitive TF2, you will have to put in the time and effort. You will not get good overnight. Not everyone starts at the same skill level so don't be discouraged.
Title
You should include your class and the division you wish to play in. Remember to be realistic.
Examples:
Scout LFT Low Open
Roamer LFT Mid Open
Pocket LFT High Open
Choosing the correct section
Remember to choose "Recruitment" as the category. It is easy to forget about this because it is set to "General Discussion" by default. Choosing the correct section will prevent people from posting "wrong section" in your looking thread. If you do this, you will have a better chance of maintaining the beauty of your looking thread.
What to include in your thread
Tell us about yourself. Anything interesting. If not, just give facts.
At what level do you want to play? At what level do you think are currently at? At what level do you want to be at by the end of the season?
Point out some things that you wish to work on as a player. Talk about goals that you wish to achieve as a player. This will show that you are willing to improve. Be realistic and honest.
What is your schedule like? How often do you play TF2? How many days of the week are you willing to commit to TF2?
What kind of competitive experience do you have? How long have you been pubbing? How long have you been playing in tf2lobby.com/#tf2mix/#tf2.pug.na/#tf2.pug.nahl?
Tips
Don't be immature. This is obvious. No one wants to play with someone that is annoying. You don't have to take pickup games or pubs seriously, but no one wants to play competitively with people who fuck around all of the time. Prove that you are all business when it comes to actually playing with a team.
You might get a lot of different replies. Some people will give you compliments and tell you that you are worth trying out. Some people will troll you. Some people will call you immature. The important thing is to stay positive and ignore the trolls. Don't insult anyone. Thank people for constructive criticism and let everyone know that you want to improve whatever you are criticized for.