Life’s a game, but game’s not a life. Unless you spend a long night in Vegas–one that you’d like to forget, or remember forever. Depending on how much you lose… In Vegas alone we have 136 casinos. And most of them will be full every evening. People playing blackjack, roulette, poker and other table games, a dealer standing in the middle of them. Can you be that dealer, making money, regardless of whether others are winning or losing their fortunes?
Casinos won’t employ just anyone as their new dealer. You should have a clear criminal record, demonstrate a sense of responsibility, right attitude to customers, and of course your ability to handle the job (perhaps with a certificate from a dealer school), or with an experience from another casino in town. Let’s have a look at 10 questions you may face while interviewing for this interesting job.
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Why do you want to work as a Table Games Dealer?
Try to say what you want to bring onboard, and also what you expect from the job. The second one is easier. You love the environment of the busy casino, and enjoy dealing cards (or taking care of other things dealers take care of). What’s more, with your education (and lack of experience) you can hardly get a better paid job. Summing it up, in this stage of your life, with your education and experience, it seems like a perfect choice for you.
Now to the first question–what you want to bring onboard. You can say that you are very responsible, do not struggle to stay vigilant on a long night, believe to have good customer service skills, and basically feel that the casino would benefit from having you in the team.
Do you also play? Do you frequent any casinos in the city?
In my experience, it is better to say that you don’t play. Because once you play you may have your pals and perhaps help here and there to turn a losing streak into a winning one, if you know what I mean. Or at least you can face such a temptation…
It’s okay saying that you had a long night or two in the casinos–just like everyone else who’s been to Vegas (or other major gambling city). But you prefer dealing to playing, and you are definitely not a gambler.
Why did you leave your last job?
This one can be both simple and difficult, depending on the reasons why you left (or why they threw you away). Remember that all bigger casinos will do their background check. And there is something like a central register of dealers in Vegas, so if you worked in another casino before, they will always find out. There’s no reason to lie really.
But you can always explain the same outcome in different ways. Maybe you were fired–you made some stupid mistake–stealing, helping someone cheat, etc. Everyone makes mistakes. As long as you ensure the interviewers that you regret it deeply and learned from your mistake, and will never repeat it again, you may get a chance.
But if you lie and say that you left your former place just because you felt like you needed a change, and then the hiring managers call your former employer and find out that you were fired, you know what the outcome will be… You can also check 7 sample answers to this tricky question.
From all the casinos, why have you picked our place?
You have probably applied with more places, or simply chose the one that advertised the vacancy at the moment. But you should said more than that. Try to praise their casino for something.
Maybe you really like the vibe of the place, or you read excellent reviews online from former dealers, or the place offers better employment conditions for their people. One way or another, they should get an impression that you did your homework, and that their place is your first choice.
Tell us about a time when you had to handle a rude customer.
Rude customer is still a customer, especially if they are betting (and losing) a lot of money. Ensure the interviewers that unless they disturbed the other players, you tried your best to stay courteous, and simply continued doing your job.
If they went over the line, however, you did not take any heroic action. You simply called a security guard (there are many of them in every casino), and they took care of the situation.
You can also add that you know that many people are drunk in the casinos, that it is a part of the experience, and hence they can definitely be rude, angry, way too loud, or whatever. It belongs to the job, you count with it, and it will not shake with your composure.
* May also interest you: Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer.
In your opinion, what can the dealers do to detect cheaters?
In each modern casino there are dozens (or hundreds) of security cameras. Watching every table from different angles, certain staff members have no other responsibility than detecting cheaters.
And yet you should show that you care, and will try your best to spot when someone is cheating. Say that you keep an eye on each customer, especially the one who keeps winning. Observing their behavior, gestures, hand movements, communication, you will look for any indications of teaching. If you spot something, you will notify the surveillance staff immediately.
Are you a team player, or do you prefer to work alone?
Casinos try to build a team culture in the workplace, especially because the job can feel pretty lonely at times. Say that you love belonging to a hard-working team, and definitely take interest in your colleagues, their feelings and needs.
At the same time, however, you can say that once dealing cards you do not mind being alone at the table. Maybe you even prefer it, because you like to be 100% focused on your job. That’s the perfect combination for most casinos.
Where do you see yourself in three years time? How long you want to have this job?
You know how it goes in Vegas… One night you are dealing cards at Ceasars, and another one you are dating a millionaire, or lying in a ditch next to the road, with a bullet in your head.
That’s an extreme example maybe, but what I tried to convey is that temptations are plentiful, and we cannot talk much about stability in the world of casinos. And for sure you do not want to still be dealing cards in ten years from now.
In an interview, however, you should say them what they want to hear from you. It doesn’t mean to tell them an outright lie, for example that you dream of working in a casino until your retirement. But you can at least say that you are serious about your application, and at the moment do not have any plans of leaving the city, or making profound changes in your life.
You like the job of a table games dealer, and it’s exactly what you want to do in the foreseeable future.
What are your salary expectations?
This one is a bit tricky and you should definitely do your research. Dealers can earn anything from $20K to $100K annually, depending on whether they keep the tips from players, share them with their colleagues (waitresses etc), or have to hand them over to the casino at the end of each shift.
Try to have a number in your mind, but do not be extremely ambitious. You can always say that you understand salaries vary between casinos, and you’ll be fine earning as much as the other new dealers, as long as it is over $XXXX per month, a sum you need to cover your expenses and pay your bills.
Do you have any questions?
You can ask about shift patterns, training program, what games you will normally deal, how it goes with tips from players, or anything else.
A rule of a thumb says it is good to ask some questions, since it demonstrates your interest for the job. In my opinion, however, you do not have to force the issue. If you feel that things went well and they explained you everything clearly, you can simply thank them for the interview and ask about the next steps of the hiring process.
Interview for a job of a table games dealer is relatively easy. Prepare for the questions, and show some enthusiasm for working in a casino, and an outgoing friendly personality. If you manage to do that, you will succeed. I wish you good luck!
Matthew
May also interest you:
- Salary negotiation tips – How much you will earn as a card dealer depends partially on your negotiation skills. Learn how to get the most out of this opportunity.
- How to overcome interview nerves – Feeling nervous before the start of your interview? Learn how to overcome your anxiety and show them your very best on the big day.
- Body language in an interview – What do your gestures tell about you? How to say the right things without words?
