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Poker on your CV

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  1. jerro jerro is offline

    Posts: 425
    Joined: Feb 06

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 4:00pm)

    Hey, I've seen this topic come up before, but has anyone actually put poker player on a resume? I've just finished College majoring in Economics. Unlike most of the people I'll be in competition with, I've played poker during the summer months as opposed to getting an internship, or course related job. Hence it kinda looks like I just sat at home for the last couple of years instead of working(well I guess I did).

    I'm mainly asking because I took an extensive course in game theory in my final year, and I was thinking I could link it in somehow...

    I can't help feeling that the second someone sees Poker, if they are not conversant with the game, they will think I'm a degenerate who will most likely torch the building...

    So...Has anyone put poker down on a resume, or mentioned it in an interview? If so do you think it helped, how did you approach the topic etc. Thanks
  2. englishkid19 englishkid19 is offline

    Matlock
    United Kingdom

    Posts: 211
    Joined: Mar 05

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 4:26pm) in reply to jerro

    I wouldnt bother unless it comes up in the interview somehow after your potential employer asks you what INVESTING you did during college summer months LOL! my big thing about this is , how much did you play? do u have a ROI grapph or anything solid you can back up your claims with? do ya get wat im saying cos if you put on CV was a succesful investor in online poker instead of internship guaranteed some jobworth gonna pull out " are u sure u didnt play above your expectation ? and werent just lucky ?" if you can then say well no cos of AB and C it looks way better ! ive been caught in interviews about stuff when you can tell they think you are lieing and just said googe this or that and find out! BASICALLY BRO WORD IT RIGHT IF YOU DO !
  3. steely steely is offline

    Delray Beach, FL
    United States

    Posts: 1,800
    Joined: Mar 05

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 4:37pm) in reply to jerro

    I work in finance and we like poker players -- we like to see it on the CV -- though we like it more as a hobby. If you played for a summer job, I would want to see proof that you are a winning player because it would show questionable judgment to stay home and play poker instead of getting some real world experience unless it was demonstrably profitable.
     
  4. Borkus Borkus is offline

    United States

    Posts: 55
    Joined: Nov 07

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 4:39pm) in reply to jerro

    1. It depends on what type of company you want to work for. If you want to work at a top level VC firm, Investment Bank, or any other career where you have to be intelligent, driven, functional, I would NOT mention it.

    2. I interview and hire people for my company, and even as a poker player, I would not ever hire someone who mentions poker in a job interview. Among the gambling community, poker players are seen as more than plain old gamblers; however, normal society doesn't play poker and thinks of it as a novelty act and as a lowlife passtime (not saying i agree, but lets be honest)

    Summary,

    Explain your absence from the real world through travel one year, and as a family tragedy as the next. As someone who hires, trust me when I say there is no way to verify travel and there is no appropriate way to verify a family tragedy.

    Lying is okay, as long as you can pull off the bluff.
  5. wurion wurion is offline

    Iowa City, IA
    United States

    Posts: 82
    Joined: Sep 07

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 4:42pm) in reply to jerro

    My best friend (MIT Math/Econ grad) was hired on the spot for a competitive position at Getco @ Chicago Board of Trade after discussing his poker career. I'm not sure I would put it on a resume unless you have solid proof of performance, but definitely not a bad thing to bring up during an interview if you have been successful.
  6. peacebrother peacebrother is offline

    Tulsa, OK
    United States

    Posts: 800
    Joined: Feb 06

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 5:04pm) in reply to jerro

    Dont do it, I am sure it would not help and any good player should be able to run a bluff on your resume
  7. Run Screamin Run Screamin is offline

    Mexico
    Mexico

    Posts: 386
    Joined: Oct 05

    Jul 31st, 2008 (7/31/2008 6:07pm) in reply to jerro

    It has no business on your resume. For college hire, recruiters (not hiring managers) sift through tons of resumes every day. They look for key words that would qualify you and key words that would disqualify you. They then pass you on to a hiring manager.

    Usually they are judged on the quality of the resumes they provide to the hiring manager. Unless they know for a fact that the hiring manager plays poker (and normally they would not know because they are not personal friends), they are not going to take a chance on you.

    Please do not put it on your 'out of college', first job resume. It is more likely to harm you. You might land a job because of it, but on the whole, is negative expectation.
    1
  8. jetpoker jetpoker is offline

    Australia

    Posts: 222
    Joined: Sep 07

    Aug 1st, 2008 (8/1/2008 11:46am) in reply to Run Screamin

    Dont be silly, most people see poker, winning player or not as gambling I think it would be really dumb to put that on your CV.
  9. Peabob Peabob is offline

    Hayes
    United Kingdom

    Posts: 8
    Joined: Aug 08

    Aug 1st, 2008 (8/1/2008 11:55am) in reply to englishkid19

    I do mention it briefly in my CV, but it focusses more on the poker society which I ran rather than the actual playing. I'm trying to demonstrate my ability to manage people and events, and handling responsibility.

    Aslo due to gaps in my employment while at university I mention I played SEMI-professionally, meaing it paid for all food and nights out, not rent etc. A couple of employers have asked about it saying they like playing poker too, so it's been a positive thing in building relationships with them. I wouldn't bang on about it too much though until after you've got to know them.
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