The Myth of the Resume Gap

[2ndGoat]

Hola Amigos,

About 2 years ago I started one of those "should I go pro" threads... in my defense, it was before one was popping up on the boards every week. Eventually I took the plunge, and I've spent the last 15 months as a pro. I had some pretty awesome times, and it was pretty much everything I hoped it could be... with the exception that I planned on stocking away a wheelbarrow full of money. I didn't make quite the hourly rate I was hoping for, and I never managed to average over 24 hours/week of play.

I've decided it's time to get back to the real world. While one reason is that the games seem to have gotten a bit tougher in the last year, the main reason is I just don't enjoy playing any more, and I need a break. There's also the business of the internet gambling ban bill picking up steam. So now I've decided to post the compliment of that original "going pro" thread, the "stopping pro" post, if you will. I never know where to put these things, it's almost like we need a "career decisions" forum.

The one big question that people always raise when discussing whether to go pro is "well what happens if you want to go back to the real world? What do you do about the resume gap?" I've listed poker on my resume just as if it were a real job. The section usually looks something like this:

"Professional Poker Player
February 2005-current
Analyzed in depth the fundamental probability, game theory, and psychology of a variety of poker games
Responsible for statistically grounded capital management, accounting, scheduling
Published (and compensated) author of poker theory essays"

When I end up with extra space on a particular resume submission, I've sometimes added the line, "Television appearance on the 2005 Partypoker.com World Open (European Union)" which did sort of impress one guy I've spoken to.

I also always mention it in the lower sections of my cover letters, something akin to the following:

"I'd like to address a non-standard career choice: for the past 15 months, I have been a professional poker player. During that time I devoted my full efforts to study and practice of the game, as well as impeccable accounting, statistically-grounded capital management, and full disclosure of income to the IRS as a small business. The endeavor has been fully legitimate; I did not participate in any activities, illegal or otherwise, that I believe would compromise my ability to pass a background investigation. I now seek to resume my previous career path in Network Security with a position that will provide a greater variety of daily challenges than poker can offer."

The field I'm mostly looking in, network security, is one where poker is likely more of a problem than in most fields, especially since I'm looking in the DC area. A lot of the jobs are government related, and either require a clearance or require getting one. While I don't believe I've compromised my ability to qualify for a clearance, I think the clearance-oriented culture in particular would see that in a negative light, and even those that don't involve the government may be a bit squeamish in trusting their confidential networks to a former pro gambler. Despite that, I still decided to throw my resume (with 1.5 years full-time experience, a bunch of internships, and a BS in comp sci) to the 4 corners of the internet, talk to every networking contact I've got, and put on open resume on Monster.

So how has it worked out for me? Well I don't have a job yet, but things are going very well. After deciding to quit poker as a profession exactly one week ago, I've got 2 interviews today and a recruiter currently lining up a third... and not one of them has been from a networking contact! 1 is from a job I specifically applied to, 2 have been cold contacts based on my monster.com posting. (Beyond that, I've had a smattering of un-targeted financial planner stuff, etc.) Every one of them has asked about poker during the initial phone call, and none of them have had a problem with it after I've explained that I had a great run but "I'm now ready to resume a position with a greater variety of daily challenges." Now, to be fair, one of the positions is a coding contract which involves the gambling industry (I've been asked keep details private), and I consider those guys finding me on monster.com to be a rather freak occurance. That odd stroke of fortune notwithstanding, I've still got two other possibilites in the security field, one that would require a background investigation and one that would eventually lead to a secret clearance. I've got two interviews today, and both companies seem very interested in my services.

So the moral of the story, for those that have thought of taking the plunge, is that you CAN go back. Well, at least if you have marketable skills and know how to market yourself. Obviously I'd be looking for positions with higher pay and more responsibility if my resume had 3 years at my former employer rather than 1.5 there and 1.5 at poker, but all things considered, I'm really happy with the way it's gone.

2nd

[Gregatron]

For the tl:dr crowd: this is a good post that is at least worth a skim.

Interesting stuff dude. Thanks for sharing. I thought this:

[ QUOTE ]
"Professional Poker Player
February 2005-current
Analyzed in depth the fundamental probability, game theory, and psychology of a variety of poker games
Responsible for statistically grounded capital management, accounting, scheduling
Published (and compensated) author of poker theory essays"

[/ QUOTE ]
Was especially clever.

[The Young Gun]

You do know that playing online is illegal right?

[joe c]

[ QUOTE ]
You do know that playing online is illegal right?

[/ QUOTE ]

you are a moron sir.

very nice post OP, a good read.

[chief444]

Interesting post. I think though it's still very debateable to say the least as to whether you should include poker on your resume. I just left a gap and got several interviews and accepted a position offered within less than a week. My gap however was more easily explained since I relocated and had to wait for immigration. Either way it's not really a myth. Clearly either a gap or poker will not help getting back to work compared to steady work experience relative to your field. Much of it depends on other factors as well. For me I'm in an area with a great economy and labor shortage right now so it didn't really matter. If I tried getting back in my field in the area I lived previously I believe the gap would have been an issue and it would have been much more difficult.

I'm not really sure why you're surprised that the security clearance doesn't seem to be an issue after playing poker.

Good luck.

[Fishy McDonk]

[ QUOTE ]


So the moral of the story, for those that have thought of taking the plunge, is that you CAN go back.

[/ QUOTE ]


No offense, but you're not BACK yet. Getting interviews is not the same as getting a job offer. I think anything would be better than putting "poker player" on the resume. Better to fill the gap with a lie.

The fact is, most people put gamblers in the same category as prostitutes and drug dealers. Even if you find a sympathetic or understanding manager in one of your interviews, the cya syndrome would prevent him from hiring you. In the event you don't work out, he gets the flack for hiring someone with an "obvious flaw" when the case is reviewed. All managers think about this when they make their hiring decisions and they will go with the "safe" candidate, even if he might not be the best candidate.

[2ndGoat]

[ QUOTE ]

No offense, but you're not BACK yet. Getting interviews is not the same as getting a job offer. I think anything would be better than putting "poker player" on the resume. Better to fill the gap with a lie.

The fact is, most people put gamblers in the same category as prostitutes and drug dealers. Even if you find a sympathetic or understanding manager in one of your interviews, the cya syndrome would prevent him from hiring you. In the event you don't work out, he gets the flack for hiring someone with an "obvious flaw" when the case is reviewed. All managers think about this when they make their hiring decisions and they will go with the "safe" candidate, even if he might not be the best candidate.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've already spoken on the phone to the hiring managers from all 3 leads, and I'm very confident that I will have an offer from at least one of them. As for the rest of your statement... I guess you're entitled to your opinion.

And yes, guys, I know the resume gap isn't actually a "myth." But it hasn't been a problem so far.

2nd

[Fishy McDonk]

OK, Good luck. Give us an update when you get a job offer.

[chief444]

I think his point is valid. I know at my last position I was responsible for hiring new personel for most positions in the facility. I'm not saying I wouldn't hire someone with a similar experience on the resume. But if two candidates were pretty close in qualifications I certainly would have chosen the other for that exact reason. And honestly I'd rather have the gap in the resume that goes in the file and let them just explain the poker to me in the interview when I asked about the gap.

[dustyn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


So the moral of the story, for those that have thought of taking the plunge, is that you CAN go back.

[/ QUOTE ]


No offense, but you're not BACK yet. Getting interviews is not the same as getting a job offer. I think anything would be better than putting "poker player" on the resume. Better to fill the gap with a lie.

The fact is, most people put gamblers in the same category as prostitutes and drug dealers. Even if you find a sympathetic or understanding manager in one of your interviews, the cya syndrome would prevent him from hiring you. In the event you don't work out, he gets the flack for hiring someone with an "obvious flaw" when the case is reviewed. All managers think about this when they make their hiring decisions and they will go with the "safe" candidate, even if he might not be the best candidate.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is just blatently untrue, especially in this job market.