Poker as a summer job?

[luckycharms]

Ok, I have great news for myself: I've overcome the horror of tiny buy-in bad beats and plopped down the $50 to get 500BB at the Paradise $10 tables.... about 20 hours later, and I'm at the $50 and $100 tables with a $500+ bankroll /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/cool.gif Thank you Super/System!!! Anyways, a problem has come up....

I have about 80 days before I leave for college and I gotta get a job. I already have been hired for a camp counselor job /images/graemlins/crazy.gif at a local daycamp. It'd be 8-4 paying a measly $8/hr. I've only played 10 hours (three tables at a time, though) at the $50 or $100 level, but I am earning $40/hr, 5 times what I'd make at camp. I know this is short term, and may be attributed to luck, but I'd obviously clock more hours and make sure luck wasn't a factor before I turned down my camp job.

Positives:
I'd earn about $17k this summer, as opposed to about 3k working at the camp.
Super flexible hours, and I REALLY enjoy playing
I could also move up in limits or switch sites and earn even more (any recommendations?)

Cons:
My mom would KILL me if she ever found out
Blank spot on the ol' resume
My "luck" could turn sour (though I don't believe in luck, only the immutable laws of mathematics)

Any recommendations from people with similar situations? This decision will probably decide whether I get around campus on a Schwinn or a VW, so it's pretty damn important. Thank you all.



On a side note, in those 10 hours, my AA got sucked out by 99 and QQ for $112 and $184 pots, respectively, so I think the luck thing might actually be leaning against me now.


2nd, more important side note: I am finally winning consistently and poker is proving quite lucrative. I'd like to thank everyone here for their insightful posts and encouragement

[snowbank]

10 hours is no where near what you need to figure out how good you actually are. If I played 10 hours and made $1,000 that wouldn't mean I can make $100 per hour. My advice would be if you are seriously thinking about this, log AT LEAST 100 hours first. You have to understand that you may go on some losing streaks so yes, after 10 hours you may be making $40 per hour, but lets say your next 10 hours you lose $350 because of some bad beats. That means you make minus $35 an hour for your next 10 hours. Especially moving up to (think it was the .50/$1 tables, can't remember), your bankroll can't take a losing streak. I would log a lot more hours and build your bankroll more before you make any decisions.

[MicroBob]

you made a list of pros and cons which is definately a good thing. you are considering your options as objectively as possible.

i am guessing you are younger than 20.

if your 'mom would kill you if she found out' then that must mean you are living away from home (perhaps in your college-town) for the summer. it's obvious she should easily be able to find out your poker-playing if you are living under her roof.


you'll have to make a determination on how your mom would react on your own. i do not underestimate the family influence in decisions such as these....especially considering your presumably younger age.


you already brought up the short-term aspect of your results. you are not in a position to say whether or not you are going to be able to continue to win at that rate.
you already know that....just a friendly reminder /images/graemlins/smile.gif


an important consideration was completely missed in your list of pro's and con's however.
that is the social-aspect of the camp-counseling route and general learning and growing process of leading a bunch of little campers around.
far more likely to help you grow as a person.


the most important consideration of all is that there will possibly be super-cute fellow counselors of the opposite sex.
hell, i might sign-up for free just for that reason alone!!!


if you think this summer-camp thing will completely suck (maybe it's a crappy camp) then don't do it. but, overall, it sounds like a potentially fun time and may help you become a better person....consequently, money should be less of a consideration here.

[bicyclekick]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, I have great news for myself: I've overcome the horror of tiny buy-in bad beats and plopped down the $50 to get 500BB at the Paradise $10 tables.... about 20 hours later, and I'm at the $50 and $100 tables with a $500+ bankroll /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/cool.gif Thank you Super/System!!! Anyways, a problem has come up....

I have about 80 days before I leave for college and I gotta get a job. I already have been hired for a camp counselor job /images/graemlins/crazy.gif at a local daycamp. It'd be 8-4 paying a measly $8/hr. I've only played 10 hours (three tables at a time, though) at the $50 or $100 level, but I am earning $40/hr, 5 times what I'd make at camp. I know this is short term, and may be attributed to luck, but I'd obviously clock more hours and make sure luck wasn't a factor before I turned down my camp job.

Positives:
I'd earn about $17k this summer, as opposed to about 3k working at the camp.
Super flexible hours, and I REALLY enjoy playing
I could also move up in limits or switch sites and earn even more (any recommendations?)

Cons:
My mom would KILL me if she ever found out
Blank spot on the ol' resume
My "luck" could turn sour (though I don't believe in luck, only the immutable laws of mathematics)

Any recommendations from people with similar situations? This decision will probably decide whether I get around campus on a Schwinn or a VW, so it's pretty damn important. Thank you all.



On a side note, in those 10 hours, my AA got sucked out by 99 and QQ for $112 and $184 pots, respectively, so I think the luck thing might actually be leaning against me now.


2nd, more important side note: I am finally winning consistently and poker is proving quite lucrative. I'd like to thank everyone here for their insightful posts and encouragement

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in a very similar situation to you, except that I have proven to be a winning player.

Even though poker gains me more then 10x the pay per hour of the job I'm going to be starting here in a few weeks, I chose to do the job for the only reasons of not having a blank spot on my resume and big time preasure from my parents. It's also a summer day camp job...but it's only 4 hours per day so it's not so bad. It's basically volunteer work.

This 10 hour winrate stuff you made up is silly. Even after 100 hours it's silly.

Get the job, play on the side, build up a bankroll, keep the parents happy and good luck.

[george w of poker]

i don't think you can play as a job at the $50 tables on $500. you definitly can't play on the $100. i'm a bit paranoid of busting and i maintain a 35 buy in roll. i think 15 is the bare minimum if you don't want to go bust.

i say take the job. the games suck during the day anyways.

[jasonHoldEm]

With all due respect 10 hours is nothing...nada....it's the equivalent of choosing to become a race car driver because you got your learner's permit.

(I'm not trying to be condesending here, just honest).

I didn't work the summer before I went to college, I played hockey with my high school friends...from a resume standpoint don't worry about working or not...most kids your age don't and recruiters won't look this far back into your history.

You should base your decision on money. Poker is a great part-time job while you're in college, but you need to prove that you're a winner before you can count on the that income.

Consider this...is there anything that says you can't work the camp job and play poker at night? You might be able to build yourself a nice bankroll working poker part-time over the summer (enhancing your skills and proving you're a winner in the process). Then when you go off to college you could play poker as your job instead of working a traditional job that might conflict with your studies.

Anyways, good luck whatever you decide...but give it some serious thought before you bail on a sure thing.

J

[holeplug]

If you really wanna play poker for the summer but are worried about the parents I would just get a part time job (like 20 hours a week or something). That way your parents won't wonder why your not working and you can still play a decent amount of poker.

[umdpoker]

you should do what i did...become a pimp! it is seriously the easiest money you'll ever make. a bitch-slap here, an occasional drug deal on the side.....i got a bmw now thanks to my business.

[Bob T.]

Go to camp this summer. Play enough during the next year, so that you know that you are a winning player, and play next summer.

[dirty moose]

do both? go to work then come home and play.

[ctv1116]

Poker is fun playing 1-2 hours a day; it becomes much less fun when you play 7-8 hours/day. I'm using poker as a fun second "job".

[dr_venkman]

[ QUOTE ]
Poker is fun playing 1-2 hours a day; it becomes much less fun when you play 7-8 hours/day. I'm using poker as a fun second "job".

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly right. Anyone who wants to make poker their "job" should understand the true meaning of the word <font color="blue"> grind</font>. Ten hours of play? Heck I've sat down for a single day and played ten hours. Often times at the end of that my ass is uncomfortable and I've managed to break even. Whoopee, what a fun job. If you had worked even minium wage for ten hours at least you'd be $50 up. Guaranteed.

Take the camp job. Sitting around playing poker alone indoors 8hrs a day versus being active outdoors and paid for it...

The novelty of this game can wear off very fast. In order to play poker well you have to have a winning attitude all the time. Just my opinion, but that's very hard to do when you don't get to see the sun.... /images/graemlins/cool.gif

But do what you like. You're going to anyway.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

I vote for working the camp job. You've got the rest of your life to make money. You don't want to blow your whole summer sitting inside when you could be out getting experience and actually interacting with people. You'll soon find out how awesome that summer break is/was when you get into the 'real' world. Take advantage of it and have a good time with it now. Get something on your resume that'll help you get a job after school. I don't know what you're in or how much a camp job helps, but it's gotta be better than saying you played online poker all summer. Also, it's not so much that the camp job helps you get your after college job, but it's definitely a plus for getting next summer's job, which leads to the one the summer after, which leads to the next summer's and your after-college job. If you don't start now, you'll be starting at the camp level next summer and you're that much more behind. Money should be secondary to experience, fun, and chicks at this point. Not having money is what college is about and getting around campus on a bike is far from the worst thing in the world (unless you went to school where I did and the winter would kill your bike - then you walk or drive a '93 Chevy that you can more than afford on a summer job's pay).

All that on top of your ridiculously small sample size, probably limited bankroll with nothing to replenish it, and potential for the game to get to be work and kill your hobby.

I'd say take a legitimate job and play poker in your spare time, but not *all* your spare time. When you get back to campus, get yourself in a few poker games there and supplement your beer money with your winnings off the frat boys. Finally, please don't blow your cash on a VW - there are much better ways to spend money on a car.

[Joe826]

"Finally, please don't blow your cash on a VW - there are much better ways to spend money on a car. "

This is the only bad advice in this post /images/graemlins/shocked.gif.

[LikesToLose]

[ QUOTE ]
Cons:
My mom would KILL me if she ever found out
Blank spot on the ol' resume
My "luck" could turn sour (though I don't believe in luck, only the immutable laws of mathematics)


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to disagree with the masses. I think you should play poker for your summer job.

Of your 3 cons, ignore #1 especially if you don't live at home. If you do, she will kill all ability to play poker.

#2: Gap on the resume: Don't worry about a summer gap. In fact put it on your resume as Poker Professional. If you treat it as a business with accurate records and study, it is more valuable than the work experience you get baby sitting at camp. Can be used to show organizational skills, intelligent risk taking, and will make every interviewer remember you.

#3: Very realistic possibility of busting out. 20 buyins is what I consider the minimum to avoid playing bad or busting out. Be ready to move down if it gets to 10 buyins.

The rest of your life is a long time to wish you had taken your shot. Take it now when you don't have that much to lose.

[Kevroc]

you mean playing 7 tables at a time and watching 3 baseball games on the dish (with wagers on all of them) while listening to your Realplayer blasting out tunes for 7-8 hours a day is boring? I must be mental.... /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[thecoldvein]

[ QUOTE ]
In fact put it on your resume as Poker Professional. If you treat it as a business with accurate records and study, it is more valuable than the work experience you get baby sitting at camp. Can be used to show organizational skills, intelligent risk taking, and will make every interviewer remember you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd love to know if this would leave the good impression you think. There's still a huge stigma attached to poker playing that I think this would be apt to get you laughed out of a job by most people, at least in the average job.

[scrub]

If you want a pat on the back for running hot for a while, this probably isn't the place to go looking for it.

If you actually want advice, get a job.

If you have to ask, you shouldn't be doing it.

scrub

[kiemo]

Is it me or are all the "I started playing poker 3 days ago and I have won alot of money, now I am playing 10/20 or $100 NL. Do you think I am ready to play for living?" from persons right around 20 years of age?

Is it just a impatient youth thing?

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it me or are all the "I started playing poker 3 days ago and I have won alot of money, now I am playing 10/20 or $100 NL. Do you think I am ready to play for living?" from persons right around 20 years of age?

Is it just a impatient youth thing?

[/ QUOTE ]
It's also ego / brashness, neither of which are in short supply among 16-30 year old males.

[PITTM]

all of your calculations seem to be based on short term winnings. i guarantee you wont make 17k playing poker online this summer if youre basing that off of a hot run. There will be a cold streak in there somewhere and you will have to account for those. That being said, i was a camp counselor my senior year of high school, i just finished my junior year of college. I still have a regular job and i still find pleanty of time to play poker. I would say work at the camp, have fun and come home and play an hour or two of poker on the side.

rj

[Blarg]

All it takes is one cute girl or one fun experience to make a summer you'll remember for the rest of your life. Even the best of poker all washes into the same old blur after a while.

[MicroBob]

yeah.....and those girls can look pretty damn cute wearing those short camp-counselor shorts!!

'can i help you with your mosquito repllent??'


i agree....if it's just a day-camp and you get to spend time at home then there's no reason why you can't play a little poker on the side when you're not flirting with cute camp-counselors.

[Joe826]

Don't set the boy up for a fall he can't take, I would say the odds of a hot girl working with you is about 40%. If you're roughly as good with girls as I am i'd say it's a -EV situation. But maybe that's just because I say things like "-EV situation" when poker isn't the subject.

[ML4L]

Hey lucky,

I know that the allure of having a ton of spending money is powerful at your age, but I can't recommend strongly enough that you don't make poker your summer job. Off the top of my head,

1) I don't know your career plans, but the "blank" on the resume means more than you might think if you're planning to intern or apply for any remotely competitive job after your first year in college.

2) Doing something like this behind your parents' back is generally not a good idea. I'm not even sure how you're going to keep the money and things that you buy concealed or that you're playing on your computer all day instead of going to work. But, I'm sure that you've probably already figured something out... /images/graemlins/wink.gif

3) Turning to the poker side, you have ABSOLUTELY no way of knowing what your success will be like after such a short time. A very good player will probably earn 10-15 BBs/hr per table in NL ring games (I got the impression that this is your game?). If you are as inexperienced as you seem, I think 5 BB/hr is probably a better guess. So, keep that in mind when you estimate how much you will make.

4) The "luck" that you speak of is really one of the "immutable laws of mathematics." It's called variance. Variance is the reason that, in the short term, it is IMPOSSIBLE to tell if you are a winning player at your new level. It is also the reason why even very good players have terrible downswings. Your bankroll is not large enough to handle even a moderate downswing. If it runs bad a month from now and you bust, you probably won't be able to get a replacement job. So, you'll be broke and sitting on your ass for the rest of the summer. This probably won't happen, but do you want to risk it, especially considering the two "real life" reasons argue against playing poker?

Keep working on your game and building your bankroll, and then maybe NEXT summer you should try it. And you'll have plenty of time for online poker when you get to college... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

ML4L

[MarkBeyer]

The social issues raised by MicroBob should be critical to your analysis. And don't underestimate how growth as a person now will make you a better poker player for the rest of your life.

[PITTM]

haha, i think like this all the time, its kind of like homer's "mmm, doughnuts" actually. someone will say something like, "man, he really bellyflopped into that pool" and ill think, "mmm, flop" haha.

rj

[BusterStacks]

Dude, the summer job is not about the money, it's about having a JOB. Do you realize how unhealthy your lifestyle will be if you never work a real job in your life? Seriously, do both if you must, but working a job where you have to be on time, having a boss, making crappy money, these are life lessons that make you a better person. BTW, the only VW worth a dime of your money is the new R32, and even that is overpriced for what it is.

[Punker]

Can you afford to not make any money this summer? ie, what will happen to you if you say screw the camp, play poker, and go broke 3 weeks later?

[Schneids]

I am pretty much living the Summer right now that you are questioning about whether you should...

As others have already said, you have no way of gauging yet whether you're actually a winning player, and in full honesty I would say you probably have not played long enough yet to even know to what extent you enjoy the game.

That said, I'll pose a few things for you to consider when it comes down to playing poker as your job:

1) What kind of schedule do you desire to keep? Most of the best games can be found from 10pm-3am eastern time... Are you prepared to devote some hours during that time of the night?

2) In the past how well have you been able to handle tough defeats? Have you played on any sports teams and had heart breaking defeats where it feels like the ref screwed you on a call or where the opposition makes a miracle half court three at the buzzer to give them the win, or where you personally made an error on a routine ground ball that cost your team the game? It doesn't even have to be sports related, but I think that's the easiest example to provide... I pose this because until you play on a daily basis for hours at a time you really cannot comprehend how much tough spells are capable of messing with your head. If you're the type that can handle difficult moments really well, then that is a good sign. If not, you may wanna shy away from playing poker as your only job.

3) Do you tend to become to the point of obsession when you get going into something...? Both a good and bad thing with poker -- but in the case of you and me both, it's something we need to control in our life since damnit, we're living what'll amount to be some of the best years of our lives... Will you let poker take over your life to the point where you don't go out as much as you should with friends? Where you don't get much exercise? Where you lose your focus on anything and everything but thinking about the game? These are important considerations and if you think you'll take your dedication to an extreme too far on either end it might be a game to shy away from anything more than a recreational basis.

4) This will sound contradictory to number 3, but are you prepared to give up a weekend night once or twice a month just for poker? Best games happen then... Your earn can be greatly enhanced by playing in them.


Whatever choice you make, I wish you the best of luck and fortune in all the different forms you desire them.

[Siingo]

I think you are wrong there! If I have a hot chick to work with at the sommer in small shorts =) then my life gets atleast 3* better. And if it is 40% chance that I will do that, then it is a +EV situation. Is it not?!

I love hot chicks!!!

[Kenrick]

When it comes down to it, the bottom line is simply that you haven't played anywhere near enough to know if you are capable of winning anything, much less winning $40 an hour. Even knowing for sure you play better than your opponents doesn't mean you won't get smoked a decent amount of the time. Plan on getting a job. You can always play poker during the wintertime.

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is it me or are all the "I started playing poker 3 days ago and I have won alot of money, now I am playing 10/20 or $100 NL. Do you think I am ready to play for living?" from persons right around 20 years of age?

Is it just a impatient youth thing?

[/ QUOTE ]
It's also ego / brashness, neither of which are in short supply among 16-30 year old males.

[/ QUOTE ]

word. i have a friend who will win at $5/10 and then all of the sudden play $15/30 on a $1k bankroll, win a grand and then lose $1500.....doh! he sees me continually winning and utilizing common bankroll sense and for whatever reason decides to play upper limits without any regard to the money he is going to lose. next year he is going to be one of my housemates and my goal is to set him straight on the path to not totally losing all his money!

[ewile]

camp...poker on the side. You'll be able to play poker for the rest of your life.

[luckycharms]

[ QUOTE ]
I know that the allure of having a ton of spending money is powerful at your age

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the main thing... all of my friends have their own cars, cell phones, etc. and I have none of that. I am so sick of having to bum rides and having to wait around for an hour doing nothing waiting for a ride. I'm not trying to make this into a pity story, I don't want pity, but it just seems like such an incredible opportunity... I mean, it's going to be sooooooo hard to tollerate a bunch of screaming kids knowing that I could (probably) be earning FIVE TIMES that amount doing something I enjoy.

[ QUOTE ]
Turning to the poker side, you have ABSOLUTELY no way of knowing what your success will be like after such a short time. A very good player will probably earn 10-15 BBs/hr per table in NL ring games (I got the impression that this is your game?). If you are as inexperienced as you seem, I think 5 BB/hr is probably a better guess. So, keep that in mind when you estimate how much you will make.


[/ QUOTE ]

Is 80 BB all that hard to do if you're playing 3 super-weak NL tables at a time? I think I can do it for an extended period of time successfully. Maybe I'm on a "hot streak" right now, but I'm going to try to log 100 hours in the next 2 weeks to even out the odds. How fair of a representation is 100 hours?

By the way, I should also add that I haven't just played 10 hours total, only 10 hours on Paradise. I logged another 100 or so semi-successful hours on UB and probably another 200 very successful hours of live play. I have also read up quite a bit.

[judgesmails]

I don't think you will find much support or understanding from HR staff explaining your "Poker Professional" position. It holds a definate stigma in the professional world. I live in Vegas and work for one of the large homebuilders and love to play poker in my spare time. The few people I have shared my hobby with look at me incredulously when I tell them what I like to do with my free time and wonder how I can be a "gambler".

I am not a very good poker player, so I would never recommend playing full-time to anyone. Besides my mediocre results, the social stigma and pressures associated with poker would be enough to prevent me from playing full-time even if I could earn a comparable living.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

You haven't played enough to know if you are any good.

$500+ is a poor BR.

Nobody will care about the hole in your summer resume as a college student. You can always have taken off the summer to travel.

[Arnie]

I think poker players in general around the 20 year old mark (I am 20) need to realize that poker is not something people can be naturauly good at. No one is born a future WSOP champion. There are people born with natural talents that give them an advantage at the table. You can't expect to live off your poker winnings for awhile down the road.

For example:
Last summer, I played in a weekly/bi-weekly home game with a bunch of friends or friends-of-friends. For the most part it was a relaxed game, although it did get quite competitive at times. One night a new kid, we'll call him Bob, cashed in at our game, not a very smart poker player, but Bob loved talking about how much he learned by watching the WSOP. He won a few hands, and caught some crazy draws and ended up the big winner for the night. So...the next week, Bob come strolling in with a cowboyhat and Oakleys, but this time he brought a friend. Its taking all my strength to keep a straight face. Evidently, this is Bob's friends first time playing poker. So we sit down and start playing. Bob starts talking about how he had cashed in for 50, and made 800 dollars the day before playing 1/2NL online. From there he goes on to say how hes going to start playing poker professionally online, until he turns 21, and by the time he is 21 he'll have to 10,000 buy-in for the WSOP. At this point he turns to his friend and says, "Heres how you can play poker as well as I do..."then he began to give his friend a list of tips...here are some of them:

-Always check-raise any pair after the flop, because with 52 cards in the deck it's rare that more than one person pairs up.

-Invest in clothing that hides your movements, baggy clothes, sunglasses, and hats...because (direct quote)"natural poker players, like myself, have the ability to read your two pocket cards based on how you hold them"

-A8o is the best starting hand because Aces can be high or low and 8 is right in the middle, so you have a better chance of hitting a straight, and since they are two differnt suits, you have a chance to hit two flushes, Also it had a 79% chance of winning.(I think he got this from watching WSOP and a A8o was a 79% favorite over another hand)

I was dumbfounded...anyway Bob ended up losing quite a bit of money that night.

Moral of the rather boring story..
Poker is a game of swings, just because you start out on an upswing doesn't mean you are God's gift to poker...get over it. Get a summer job, play poker in your spare time. Poker is a great hobby, because it can support itself. Play poker for fun (you can still be serious about it, in fact you should be serious about it) or play poker to make money. If your playing poker to boost your ego, your in trouble.

Enjoy your life, I love being 20 years old, I can play poker 40 hours a week when im retired from a real job

Just my two cents....

Arnie

[BarronVangorToth]

You're young, and while I personally don't think your best bet (pardon the pun) is to forsake "real life" to try a go at poker, there are many things in life you'll regret later, but not taking a summer job probably won't be one of them, but wondering "what if..." probably will be.

Financially, professionally, it's not the best decision to play poker, based solely on my impression of your lack of hard table time over a long period of time, HOWEVER, with that said, you know, what the hell, you're young, like I said -- GO FOR IT. (And let me know when you'll be at Foxwoods, I need a new washer.)

Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com (http://www.BarronVangorToth.com)
"When Will It End?"

[mackthefork]

[ QUOTE ]
If you're roughly as good with girls as I am i'd say it's a -EV situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel your pain. lol /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[lefty rosen]

I have a feeling if you hit a cold streak, you will panic and tilt or become a rabbit and freeze up. If you play pro poker for material possesions good luck in riding out a cold streak. If you have a students bank account/ roll earning enough money to buy a car used/ or close to new will severly cut into your profits. I know from experience once you are living off your profits and not saving for a rainy day you are heading for oblivion if you hit a cold streak. Whether you decide to work or play for a job your goal should be to save money first and spend second.......

[eric5148]

Keep in mind I'm about your age, here's my 2 cents:

I can't believe you are even considering going to some kiddie camp. What could you possibly get out of that? Will there not be girls at your college, or at the job you get after college, or in your neighborhood? What will a chick be more impressed with: you cleaning up an 8 year old's vomit or you telling them your a poker pro?

If there's a hole in your resume, just make up some BS.

If your parents don't approve, then you can always get some other part time job to keep them happy.

Other posters in this thread keep talking about "life experience." Well, what about poker experience? The more poker you play, the better you'll get. How are you going to find out if you could/want to be a pro if you don't make it a priority in your life, and be able to put in the effort required? I don't mean to sound harsh to the other posters here, just giving my opinion.

[Warik]

Here is my opinion. I will give it assuming you are good enough to end up with more than $0.00 by the end of summer playing poker.

----------------------

Do not worry or pay attention to anything about a "gap in your resume." What's your major? Psychology? Computer Science? History? Education? Finance? Whatever it is - I don't see what value a summer job at camp will add to your resume. What are 2-3 months at a low-experience, low-income job going to tell a potential employer about your ability to perform the duties of a job that requires a 4-year degree?

You'd be better off saying you took time off to study.

Heck, you'd be better off saying nothing because nobody is going to ask you why you didn't work the summer before you started college. Nobody.

Any human resources or management people out there? How many young men/women have you asked the hope-crushing question to? "So young man/lady... I see here that you didn't work the summer before you started college. What's the meaning of this?" Please...

I've interviewed dozens of young people for sales jobs (which don't require a 4-year degree) and I don't even ask about summer jobs. There was this one girl who couldn't resist talking about her retail store experience, though. Yup... she worked that register like a pro and knew what aisles everything was in. Fine... that's great... whatever... but this isn't a retail store, it's telephone sales. I don't care. Talk to me about something that will show me that you are good for this job.

If you plan on being a camp counselor until you're 65, I highly recommend you don't pass up this wonderful opportunity, otherwise.... play poker, make more money, spend the time you won't have to spend working due to your higher hourly rate to go out and have fun!!!

You have the rest of your life to play poker? Hogwash. You have the rest of your life to work.

[swami]

I agree, as someone stuck in a job with long hours and loads of stress, you will have your whole life to work. Poker is a great summer job if you can make money (I will not comment on your playing abilities). You can sleep in, have your days free to be outside and get exercise and socialize. You can play poker from 7 or 8 until 2 or 3 in the morning. You can take a night or two off as well to go out at night also. Also while you are playing you can watch movies or sports as well, if you enjoy that sort of thing.

[LikesToLose]

It seems logic is being thrown out the window here. Good. Probably sums it up the best:

[ QUOTE ]
You have the rest of your life to work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have quite a few years of work under my belt. The year after high school, I had a part time job that gave me spending money, I hung out a lot and had a great time. It sucks to have to get up early to go to work everyday when your 18-20. I think my time was better spent wasting it than working the summer after high school. Next summer will be much different.

For all the people who talk about you busting out, going broke etc, they are probably right. But of course you don't believe it. You are 18 and bullet proof. I hope that you experience bone crushing defeat and I mean that in the nicest way possible. It will teach you far more than summer camp or winning. Just don't tap into credit cards and you really won't lose anything financially.

Please, update us.

[Warik]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems logic is being thrown out the window here.

[/ QUOTE ]

How so?

[ QUOTE ]
I have quite a few years of work under my belt.

[/ QUOTE ]

As do I... depending on your definition of "quite a few."

[ QUOTE ]
The year after high school, I had a part time job that gave me spending money

[/ QUOTE ]

Poker would do the same for him (if he's good enough).

[ QUOTE ]
I hung out a lot and had a great time.

[/ QUOTE ]

So would he, since the fewer hours playing poker to make the same money would give him more time to hang out and have fun.

[ QUOTE ]
It sucks to have to get up early to go to work everyday when your 18-20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure does. Good thing he'd make his own hours playing cards, isn't it?

[ QUOTE ]
I think my time was better spent wasting it than working the summer after high school. Next summer will be much different.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean your time would have been better spent? What about next summer? Are you still in school? I don't understand what you're trying to say here.

[ QUOTE ]
For all the people who talk about you busting out, going broke etc, they are probably right. But of course you don't believe it. You are 18 and bullet proof. I hope that you experience bone crushing defeat and I mean that in the nicest way possible. It will teach you far more than summer camp or winning. Just don't tap into credit cards and you really won't lose anything financially.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is also true.

Re-read your post. You've just given great reasons for him to proceed on the path that you feel throws logic out the window.

I still can't figure out which side you're on. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[LikesToLose]

[ QUOTE ]
Quote:
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It seems logic is being thrown out the window here.


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How so?

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you see where I said it was good that logic was being thrown out the window? Maybe it would have made more sense if I said 'conventional wisdom' instead of logic? What is being thrown out is 'go to school, get a job, get in debt, get married, get deeper, have kids, get WAY deeper, get divorced, declare bankrupcy, blame the ex, destroy your children, etc, etc. You know, The American Dream. Hence, it is good to throw it out the window a bit.


[ QUOTE ]
Quote:
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I think my time was better spent wasting it than working the summer after high school. Next summer will be much different.


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I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean your time would have been better spent? What about next summer? Are you still in school? I don't understand what you're trying to say here.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am saying that wasting the summer after high school having a great time was the best use of the summer possible. The following summer, after freshman year, was not the same. The long toll of working for a lifetime had already taken it's toll on a lot of people. The big 100 person parties were thrown by the high school kids and you just looked like a loser showing up at those. I mean we used to have parties like in the movies. The summer after high school is probably the best summer, so don't waste it working a crappy job, 40 hours a week if you don't have to.

I'm actually agreeing with you that he should enjoy the summer and take a stab at 'easy money'. Maybe I don't write clearly enough or you read it wrong. Probably some of both.

[ QUOTE ]
Re-read your post. You've just given great reasons for him to proceed on the path that you feel throws logic out the window.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup and yup.

[Warik]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm actually agreeing with you that he should enjoy the summer and take a stab at 'easy money'. Maybe I don't write clearly enough or you read it wrong. Probably some of both.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought you were disagreeing with me when you quoted my "You have the rest of your life to work" and said that I was throwing logic out the window. That typically has negative connotations. There might have been a better word than "logic" to use for that.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that a 2 month employment gap before employment even starts will have little or no relevance to anybody 4-8 years from now. /images/graemlins/smile.gif