Back to work? Opinions needed!

[mack23]

Fellow zoo posters and those who play or have played online for a living:

I was laid off from my $16/hr job in HR on 12/23/04. I was actually happy about this as I could no longer stand the job, was able to collect unemployment, and finally give online poker a shot as income. After a frustrating Jan and first half of Feb where bonus/rakeback made up the majority of my profit (avg $15/hr total profit during that time), I have taken off the last 6 weeks (avg $40/hr). The one setback to my play has been inconsistency, I'm only averaging about 23 hours per week. I think part of this has to do with the fact that when you combine unemployement checks with part-time poker income, I'm making comfortably more than I was at the old job. One other note is that I have not addressed the lack of benefits issue as of yet.

So this week out of nowhere I land a job interview and 2 days later an offer. It was honestly the first ad I've responded to in the 3 months since the lay off. It would be the next step up in the HR world, starting at $20/hr, so it's a significant increase over the old job. Great benefits. I should be thrilled and ready to go... But thoughts of an ugly commute and the potential of hating the job after 6 months combined with my recent jump in success playing online make this a difficult decision. I mean, just 2 days ago I had a record day online with $450 over 6 hours. I've only had 3 negative days in my last 25.

So..... for those of you who have been there and done that, can you please give some advice here? Any chance I will be happy going back into the corporate world? Can any of you still play enough for most bonuses along with a full time job? If I've left out any essential info that's needed to give an opinion just let me know. Thanks a ton for your advice!

-Mack

[wbrumfiel]

I work 40 hours a week and do most bonuses. Takes up most of my "free" time though. I say take the job. Poker to me is something I can always fall back on if needed. I mean what do you expect to happen 6 months from now if you dont like the job? You can just quit and go back to poker right?

[xxx]

Take the job.

1) Unemplyment is going to run out sooner than you think.
2) Remember taxes. Are you reporting income?
3) Downswings happen.

Just MHO

[NoTalent]

Take the job, and it's not even close.

[mosquito]

If you have to ask, you should take the job. If it
turns out sucky, you can go back to poker full time.

Playing full time, if it gets sucky....you have to
look for work.

Best, mosquito

[SinCityGuy]

The mere fact that you're asking other people what to do means that you should most definitely take the job.

[jon593]

take it eventually the medical insurance from the old job is going to go away and you will be screwed when you develop carpal tunnel

[kdog]

Take the job. I work full time, most weeks well over 40 hours and still clear ~$300 a week in bonii playing less than 20 hours.

Live off the paycheck, invest the poker earnings and retire 10 years ahead of all your friends.

[Siegmund]

Like everybody else said, take the job.

Even you hate it and wind up quitting -- it's STILL more money in your pocket. Various other reasons why you taking a job can be a good idea:

That unemployment won't last forever. You need to go back to work again if you want your 13-week clock rewound. Plan ahead now for when you quit again /images/graemlins/smile.gif

See if your new employer offers matching funds for an IRA or a 401K or anything like that. If he does, max it out. Free money is still a good thing even if you have to wait to get your hands on it.

Even if he doesn't offer a match or if you go above it, an ideal time for you to rack up savings while you have two incomes. For instance, did you contribute to your IRA in 2004? You have two weeks left to get the check in the mail before Tax Year 2004 is history!

I personally regard the fact I can make more playing poker than I can flipping burgers as a sort of unemployment insurance - spending money/retirement money while I have a good job, something to keep me from starving if I find myself between jobs unexpectedly. (And something that I can schedule around whatever interviews or opportunities come along!)

I get by in the academic world, hate the very thought of the corporate world. Maybe in a year or two's time I'll be inclined to think about quitting - but not something to do the instant you think you can get away with it.

[FlFishOn]

No mention of age or family status or future goals.

Without those puzzle pieces all advice is garbage.

[CountDuckula]

[ QUOTE ]
No mention of age or family status or future goals.

Without those puzzle pieces all advice is garbage.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I think those that are answering, "If you have to ask, take the job" are spot on. The fact that he's even asking for advice from people who are mostly strangers means that deep down, he's not really confident that he's better off relying exclusively on poker instead of a combination of a job and poker. If he's not 100% confident, how is he going to handle the pressure of trying to make a living at the game, especially when the downswings hit?

-Mike

[FlFishOn]

No, if he's 40+, single and looking to move from Sh+tkicker, WA to Florida and kick back then I got one answer. 6 kids, 3 exwives, I got another.

[olavfo]

I think this is a good principle to follow: Try not to limit your options.

You can always quit a job you don't like, but it's hard to find a good job when you really need one.

olavfo

[BradleyT]

Take the job and play 23 hours a week of poker. That's only 3 hours a day.

Edit - and interview lots of hot chicks, it'll make you look forward to going to work.

[CountDuckula]

[ QUOTE ]
No, if he's 40+, single and looking to move from Sh+tkicker, WA to Florida and kick back then I got one answer. 6 kids, 3 exwives, I got another.

[/ QUOTE ]

If he were in a such a position that he could "kick back" and ride the ups and downs without worrying about how to meet whatever obligations and needs he currently has, I doubt he would have asked, 'Should I take a chance on poker or play it safe and take the job?' More likely, he would have asked questions relating to how to go about making a living at poker. The fact that he asked the question he did means that he has concerns about whether poker will provide a sufficiently steady income for his circumstances. Even very good players sometimes have downswings that last for weeks or months; if you don't have the resources to deal with that, you shouldn't be relying on poker as virtually your sole source of income. Unemployment is a stop-gap, and if you don't actively search for a job, and turn down jobs without very good reasons, they take it away; I've been unemployed for long stretches, and I had to file reports under penalty of perjury explaining what I did to find a job (or get training to help me do so) during the past week or two.

-Mike

[bball904]

I do play online for a living for the past 8 months after leaving a much better job than you're talking about here. There is one statement you make that jumps out at me that makes it clear that you need to take the job.

[ QUOTE ]
The one setback to my play has been inconsistency, I'm only averaging about 23 hours per week. I think part of this has to do with the fact that when you combine unemployement checks with part-time poker income, I'm making comfortably more than I was at the old job.

[/ QUOTE ]

You clearly do not have what it takes to be a grinder. Losing streaks will come and you have to be willing to put in 50+ hr weeks to be successful playing for a living.

You also need the health benefits as you're being very irresponsible letting those slide. I assume you're young and think you won't need them anytime soon, but that is a disaster waiting to happen. Good luck with the job!

[josie_wales]

Take the job.

Simply put..

It is better to regret something you do, than something you do not do.

jw

[reubenf]

If you have to ask, take the job.

You may just be running hot, take the job.

Unemployment runs out, take the job.

You haven't addressed the critical issue of benefits, take the job.

Job to Poker is easier than Poker to Job, take the job.

If you're letting a single day's results influence your decision, take the job.

Take the job, take the job, take the job.

[FlFishOn]

Still defending a moronic opinion. What a head case.

Ten assumptions deep and you can't see just how stupid you look.

[winchips]

dont take the job, i want to keep paying your unemployment while you sit on your ass and play poker

[mack23]

Thanks Siegmund for this well thought out and meaningful reply!

-Mack

[TheMetetron]

[ QUOTE ]
you have to be willing to put in 50+ hr weeks to be successful playing for a living.

[/ QUOTE ]


AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!




....hold for it......





HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!




I needed a good laugh.

[mack23]

FlFishOn,

I'm 28, married, 2 year old son. I can't give you future goals though... When my 3rd HR job in 4 years became boring/overworked/underpaid just like the other 2 did, I starting seriously thinking about playing online. Beyond that I really don't know. Thanks for the reply.

-Mack

[mack23]

Dukula,

Thanks for the reply. You're pretty close here. To clarify a little, I don't consider people here to be complete strangers, as we correspond all the time and about topics that we have in common. I posted this story here as this is an internet gambling forum, and honestly I was expecting a few people would tell me about how great their life is since they quit work for poker. NOT ONE OF THOSE YET! If anyone was going to advise to keep playing, it woulda been here as of course none of the friends or family understand the difference between poker and casino gambling. Every single reply says "take the job." This leads me to believe that in the info I give initially, there must be something in there to cause concern among you poker players to advise against playing for a living. Even though I'm red hot right now and these past 3 months have been much happier times than the 2 years in the job before that... Oh well I would be a fool to pass this job up and like some have said, if it doesn't work out poker will still be there! Thanks again.

-Mack

[mack23]

LOL! This sounds like a plan, interviewing hot chicks never gets old.

-Mack

[Baulucky]

I would never go back to a job now, but I would have if a job were offered to me when I was in your same situation. MAybe you can do the job and and you like it, and you can still play 3-4 hrs in the evenings and weekends.

I'd say the best course of action is to take the job and see if you like it and keep at the best bonuses/games in the evenings (or even better during the job hours!). Nothing like getting paid twice for the same time on earth...

Of course, if you hate the job and benefits, you can always quit.

[FlFishOn]

It takes a special kind of wife to understand pro poker played for the rent. Back to the grind dude.

I, however, will continue to play poker and fish nearly every damn day in the Florida sunshine. For a daily laugh I look at the Seattle weather in the paper. Suckers!

[mack23]

Baulucky,

Thanks for the response, I like the way you put it. Makes perfect sense. Bottom line is that I'm not quite confident enough in a poker career at this point even though it's been going great as of late. Bonuses and weekend games won't be going anywhere at least.

BACK TO THE CORPORATE LIFE, for now...

[SinCityGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
Losing streaks will come and you have to be willing to put in 50+ hr weeks to be successful playing for a living.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yikes! I guess I'll have to start doubling my hours to be successful.

[Baulucky]

[ QUOTE ]
Losing streaks will come and you have to be willing to put in 50+ hr weeks to be successful playing for a living.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just cut my hours in half to less than 25 a week and I'm making more than ever at higher stakes...still a bunch of hands though.