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Can I Put Professional Poker on a Resume?

 There are some things that just look terrible on a resume, but is poker always one of them?

This article is designed for people who have played professional poker. This is not for novice poker players who want to list it as a hobby. As a rule, you shouldn’t list gambling on your list of hobbies.

This article is designed strictly for those people who played poker professionally and need to explain career gaps.

Professional Poker Player?

It’s more common now then it was years ago, but even now many people might not know that there are people who play poker as their primary source of income.

While poker is gambling, it’s one of the few skill games. Along with blackjack, and sports better, poker is the primary example of a form of gambling that can be profitable long term by skilled people.

There are no long term slots or roulette pros. That’s just fiction.

If you’re a pro poker player or a former one, you already know this. You’ve had to explain it to your family, friends, girlfriend/boyfriend over and over. You probably have used the term “variance” “edge” and “equity” more than you can remember.

So, this brief into is more for those folks who did not know that you can be a pro poker player.

The bigger question is if you should include poker on your resume and if so, how.

How To Include Poker on a Resume

poker on a resume

Very delicately. If at all. Remember, most people consider poker a pure form of gambling.

If you send in a resume that says you were a professional poker player for x number of years, odds are that your resume is getting tossed in the trash.

A little later down we will discuss if it’s a good idea for certain people applying for certain types of jobs to include poker on it.

But let’s say you do want to include poker on your resume. Well, make it legit.

Don’t just say that you were a professional poker player. Back it up and make it relatable. Link to a Hendon Mob database link with your results. Or perhaps bullet point them.

For instance, if you were a top ranked player in a certain region, or you cashed for a very impressive sum, then list those out.

Also, try and make it relatable to things outside of poker. For example, highlight the incredible analytic analysis needed to be profitable. Professional poker player utilizes database (PokerTracker, HoldEm, etc..) and equity calculation tools such as ProPokerTools and even advanced game theory based engines such as Snowie.

Don’t just say you played poker, delve deep into the math and analytic analysis needed to be a successful player. Spreedsheets (Excel) seem like kids stuff when compared to the work most pros put into their daily game.

Are There Jobs Where Poker Looks Good on a Resume?

Certain jobs do respect poker. If you’re a current or former poker pro, you’ve probably read about poker games being played during interviews at hedge funds. And undoubtedly you know of people like Gaelan Hall, Vanessa Seblst, and Jasson Straser who transitioned from poker to finance.

Of course, these poker pros were outliers during their poker career, but that doesn’t negate the point that former poker pros have made their way into many high-powered careers.

The NY Times even took a form online poker grinder who never made much of a splash in the TV poker world and took his writing on election forecasting and turned it into the basis of an entire division.

In general, if you’re looking at a finance role, a private equity firm, anything involving trading or securities in any manner, then you can list professional poker player on your resume—especially if it explains a career gap.

Of course, it won’t land you a job. That’s mostly due to connections and networking, but it is fine to put it on a resume if you have gone to a good school, have decent scores, and have a solid understanding of basic economics. If, however, you studied pre-med and simply grinded 100nl or small stakes SNGS for a few years while living with roommates in a low cost of living state—then it’s not going to get you into a decent firm.

How To List Poker on a Resume

As mentioned, you’re not going to want to list it in a skills or hobbies section. Treat your professional poker playing like any other job.

That means that you have to have beginning and ending dates. Make it as precise as possible.

Then, underneath the title (Professional Poker Player) list organizations, events, and anything else that is tangible.

Were you a Supernova (old term, I know) with PokerStars? Were you a participant in multiple WSOP events?

Make several bullet points and make them align with professional organizations (HendonMob, WSOP, Circuit Events, etc…)

Be Prepared to Prove It: Don’t Bluff

poker on a resume

The absolute worst thing you could do is to lie about being a professional poker player. There are very, very few employers who will look kindly on a real pro poker player. But imagine the catastrophe if they do start grilling you during the interview?

If you’re not a poker pro, you’re going to look like a fool. They might look up your non-existent Hendon Mob results (and see you cashed once for a few thousand at a local casino event).

Or they might themselves be a poker enthusiast themselves and start grilling you:

“What is your opening range in the cutoff?” “What’s your 3 bet defense percentage on the button when facing a tight 4 bettor?”

If you’re not sure how to answer those questions, or if you don’t answer fast enough you’ll be caught in a cringe worthy situation, and you won’t have a shot at the job.

So, moral of the story is, don’t bluff about playing poker on a resume or job interview.

*Special thanks to my friend Kelly who provided insight about the unique Poker community and the ability to transition to finance. This blog post was inspired by the hilarious stories she had while working in talent acquisition for two separate finance firms (private equity and a hedge fund, but I'll keep it vauge). The amount of posers who came in claiming to have been successful poker pros was apparently pretty high. Unfortunately for the posers, the firms had "methods" of sussing out legitimate professionals and fanboys who watched WSOP in their dorms and played Nickle and dime games online.

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