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Move to Vegas and become a dealer - WRONG !

Discussion in 'Living in Sin (City that is)' started by LV local, Apr 21, 2015.

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  1. LV local

    LV local Tourist

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    I see this topic posted a lot and some nimrods ALWAYS post replies like "Do it dewd; you can do anything you set your mind to in America, Bro" Well i set my mind on being an NFL quarterback, but something about being 5'9" and 165 lbs. didn't let it work out - "sorry dewd".

    So I thought i'd give my first hand experience to dispel this mindless crap. i moved here with my girlfriend less than a year ago and the 2 of us are still scraping to get by.

    Got here on a friday and i was already in dealer school the following tuesday. Dealer schools are a joke but somewhat of a necessary evil i guess. i talked to a lot of people and we all agree that:

    dealer schools will tell you whatever they need to to get you to sign up for as many classes as possible. 3 classes for $500-$600 "specials" are the norm. The teachers aren't really teachers - they're ex-dealers that sometimes can communicate in a round about way how to deal the game, more or less. You'll get about 20 minutes with one of these guys then they'll tell you to practice and move on. Anytime you need anything else you'll need to get it from one of the other students - and there will be no shortage of "know it alls" ready to tell you "the right way". Remember one thing - you need the certificate from the school to show on your resume. The school also knows this and they'll hold it over your head until they're ready to give it to you. Don't be surprised if you're "in school" for a few months until you talk them out of your certificate, regardless of how well you deal. And forget about "job placement". That just means that they will tell you the name of a pit boss at a certain casino, and guess what - you can go to the casino and ask for this info yourself. Get those "the school will get me an interview" delusions out of your head.

    You'll need to have a few interviews (with human resources) and auditions (in the pit) before you land a job. Absolutely forget about ANY casino on or near the Strip because they don't take "break-in" dealers (dealers with little or no experience). This is very easy to verify by looking at job descriptions that are posted on their websites. Any of the "good" places will require a year or more experience and Caesars, MGM Grand or Wynn is gonna want 3 or more before they'll even consider you. Instead you'll need to find a "break-in" casino - there aren't many and they are dimly lit, smoky places full of locals trying to take advantage of new dealers. Ever see pics of the slave traders on the pirate ships ? - keep them in mind.

    Regardless of where or when you get hired, it WILL be part-time or on call. It can take a year or more to get full time work and this opportunity is given on a seniorority basis. This means you'll get less than 32 hours per week; usually 2 or 3 days at minimum wage + tips ("tokes"). Typical tokes at any of the break-in places are currently running $30-$40 per day. Hey - how about getting 2 jobs ? Well, don't think one casino is gonna adjust a "break-in's" schedule just to let you work at a competitors somewhere else. Matter of fact, if some places find out, they will not hire you. My friends have done it quietly on their own and ended up with several 16 hour days per week and exhausted.

    OK. How's this all stack up for your move ? Well, you can plan on making minimum wage + $35 per day for 3 days or about $270 a week. You can rent a room in a safe neighborhood for about $500 month (including utilities) or a small apartment for about $650 (+utilities). You can get your federal REQUIRED Health insurance through the local welfare office as long as your income is less than a certain amount per month; work too much and plan to add this to your expenses.

    So, do your math and make your choices. Most of all, do your homework and don't listen to people blowing smoke. Every numnutz in every 3rd world country around the world already had the same idea and you'll be waiting in line behind them.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2015
  2. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    Like many jobs it is a supply of applicants versus jobs available. And your first point is good, just because you desire a certain job
    doesn't mean that can be your job.

    sorry it didn't work out for you
     
  3. NickPapageorgio

    NickPapageorgio OG of the Sal Sagev Hotel

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    Good post. I for one appreciate the gritty reality of the information. I have zero interest in being a dealer, but for some reason, the entire "Pick-up and move to Vegas" process amazes me. The modern day frontier spirit of those that make the move is probably 90% of it. Lots of dreams, but certainly a tough reality in Sin City these days.

    Thanks again, Nick:beer:
     
  4. Big Tip

    Big Tip VIP Whale

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    I owned a restaurant/bar for a long time. We use to laugh when people would come in wanting to be a bartender and the only "experience" they had was a certificate from a bartending school.

    Interesting post. Hopefully it will work out for you. Seems like you have to pay your dues first, then the pot of gold comes.
     
  5. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    I researched this topic for quite a bit. I am a dealer here in my state and everyone was telling me if I wanted to move to Vegas I would be able to find a job. I talked to some HR departments, researched moving there and found out basically what you posted and decided to stay put. Most of the casinos, even the one that is owned by our parent company told me that if I wanted a job, they would audition me but it would be on call and I would be lucky some weeks if I even got a day of work, I could not up root my son, sell my house and move there on a hope. Like one HR rep told me, here where I live, if you can deal you can get a job because supply is short, but in Vegas there is an unlimited pool of qualified people so it would be much harder.
     
  6. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    Thank you for your honest insight.
    I hope a permanent job comes your way, soon.
    *
    I have also read the pro comments about "picking up and moving to Vegas."
    I moved around a bit as a young man w/ no ties --- as an older point of view,now --
    Vegas doesn't seem an "easy" move.
     
  7. bjpcyclone

    bjpcyclone High-Roller

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    It's not easy to move anywhere without a job and hope to walk into something right away, no matter what profession you are in. But planning can be a big help. If you want to deal in Vegas, get a year or two of experience dealing at a local casino. That way you'll have a head start against the break-in dealers.

    Huge life and career changes aren't easy. But they aren't as impossible as you make them sound either.
     
  8. Piggylane

    Piggylane Well-Known Member

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    Very sorry this didn't work out for you. Sometimes we have dreams that get shattered. I got suckered in a business deal, cost me nearly $1M and now I work for somebody else for the rest of my life because I'm now business risk averse.

    Learn from this. I get the sense from your letter you are still young. This experience sure made you smarter, your post here is clear evidence of that. While dealing may be a passion, how many rich dealers do you know? Maybe those dealing in MGM's Mansion area but what are the chances of progressing that far and how long will it take to get there? How many magicians are there? How many rich magicians are there? Less than 0.1% is the answer to that last question.

    People rob banks because that's where the money is. There is a difference in having a job where you make money and having a job you enjoy. Finding the balance between your skills, education, passion and experience is tough but don't give up!
     
  9. UTE

    UTE Plastics

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    Las Vegas does not hide itself or pretend to be something it's not. This city does not eat people. Instead, people come in unprepared and with unrealistic expectations - setting themselves up to be disappointed. That can happen anywhere but it seems to be more of a theme in Las Vegas.

    Bill
     
  10. Ty

    Ty ?

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    Good info, thanks for sharing.
    If I may ask. What kind of work did you and GF do before Vegas?
     
  11. TyrC

    TyrC Tourist

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    It's not just casino's that forbid employee's from working at a competitor. If you want to work at another non competing business that's fine. It's actualy understandable.
     
  12. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Any move in a vacuum can be a tough move. Vegas is just so much more marginal and marginalizing than many places. I'm not saying it's easy heading to Simi or St. Paul on a whim and with a finite skill set. Vegas just seems to have an aura and those drawn to it the mindset that is more than a bit moth/flame. And then take in the infrastructure, health care and educational problems up there. There are gobs of McMansions all over Summerlin and the Henderson foothills, there is money and success to be had (or purchased). But there's a huge gap down to the working masses. It's a monocultural and marginal metropolis.
     
  13. Iceicecool

    Iceicecool Low-Roller

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    There are only two ways to get a decent dealing job in Vegas. You either have juice (close friend who can get you hired somewhere) or you are very attractive. Being attractive will get you very far in Vegas. The pleasure pit at Planet Hollywood will hire attractive females with zero dealing experience. There's dealers at dive casinos downtown like El Cortez and 4 Queens that have been dealing for 20 years and will never be able to get a dealing job anywhere else because they are a 60 year old Asian. I know 20 somethings white guys who got their first dealing job at nice off strip properties like Sunset Station or The Orleans. When a new Mega Resort opens on the Strip I think they usually get something like 100K applications. They hire attractive people and people they're friends with.
     
  14. NickPapageorgio

    NickPapageorgio OG of the Sal Sagev Hotel

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    I agree completely that people come to Vegas with false hopes and dreams, but the city does eat people. Vegas is unforgiving. Most unforgiving on the dreamers of course, but Vegas eats many new residents and visitors that enter the gates knowing the risks and running clean their entire lives. It happens in Vegas more than anywhere i've ever seen.

    Nick:beer:
     
  15. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Sorry this didn't work out as planned, you set your goal to be a NFL Quarterback.......don't forget there's 21 other positions on the field, maybe one of those fits your skill sets better? Hotel front desk, food service, security.........get your foot in the door and shine. Good Luck, sometimes 90% of the job is showing up.
     
  16. NickPapageorgio

    NickPapageorgio OG of the Sal Sagev Hotel

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    Table game dealer is now synonymous with the level of the most sacred position in sports? Dealers are fairly low on the totem pole.

    Nick:beer:
     
  17. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    I would agree, I think the job sucks but the OP used this QB term in his second sentence. He has his sights set on one position, yet there may be others that would be more attainable.
     
  18. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    Those dealers aren't rich.

    No dealers are rich.

    Sure they take home a decent wage and occasionally a nice bonus from a big tipper but they're nowhere near rich.
     
  19. Mooda

    Mooda Low-Roller

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    Thanks for such an honest post. Sorry it didn't work out as planned.
     
  20. slimmy28

    slimmy28 Low-Roller

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    I am not a dealer, but when I moved to Vegas and was conducting my job search, probably the biggest surprise to me was the high percentage of jobs that are part time or on call. Go to any property's careers site and my guess it's something like 60% to 40% part-time/on-call to full time. The casinos are also very big into the "seniority" way of moving people up. More so than any other city or industry I've been a part of. I have some strong thoughts, but don't want to go too far off topic. If anyone asks me if they should move, I always tell them to spend a couple hours checking out a few job boards, the amount of "PT or OC" jobs usually opens their eyes more than anything else. Luckily my move has worked out pretty well so far, but I can totally understand what the OP is trying to say.
     
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