They do not, as of this writing, verify applicants' claims about their backgrounds, but they are considering doing this, at least for health-related sites. Even so, the application itself and the three weeks of training weed out people who are not what they say they are, Taller says. Half of the applicants are rejected before training, and only about half the trainees graduate. Guides learn how to develop content using editorial templates, giving the sites a consistent look and feel. Guides' sites must pass a quality control check before they can go live.
Staff editors oversee the content, but freelancers often surprise everyone.
Take Princess Diana's death, which happened over Labor Day weekend, when editorial staff had a day off. The Mining Co.'s veterinary guide, who happens to live in London, started posting pictures and text of the Buckingham Palace scene. Stocks guide Mike Griffis, a business consultant who works at home, says he was drawn to The Mining Co. because he thought he could make some extra money. His site has frequently been in The Mining Co.'s top 25. The site has traditional advertisers.