Poker on CV?
I played poker (pretty seriously) for roughly 6 years while in undergrad and in grad school and profited roughly $500k in that time span.
Should this be out on my CV for ER roles? I have it on there now and think it’s unique and shows a bit of character. No one has really made any comments on it, but have a feeling it could rub people the wrong way or send a negative perception.
FWIW - I used to say I profited $500k but changed that to my win rate (bb/100) over the number of hands played in my career.
Any one have advice?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, including poker experience on your CV for Equity Research (ER) roles can indeed be a unique point of discussion and demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills. However, it's important to frame it correctly to avoid any negative perceptions. Here are some tips:
Quantify Your Experience: You've done well by mentioning your win rate over the number of hands played. This presents your poker experience in a more analytical light.
Highlight Relevant Skills: Emphasize the skills from poker that are applicable to ER, such as risk management, decision-making under uncertainty, and probabilistic thinking.
Professional Presentation: Ensure that the way you present this information on your CV is professional. It should not come across as casual gambling but rather as a strategic and analytical pursuit.
Be Prepared to Discuss: If you include poker on your CV, be ready to talk about it in a way that ties back to the skills and demands of an ER role. Be prepared to discuss how poker has honed your analytical abilities and how it can be an asset in the ER field.
Consider the Culture: Research the company culture where you're applying. Some may appreciate the unique experience, while others may be more conservative.
Seek Feedback: If possible, get feedback from mentors or peers in the industry. They can provide insight into how this might be perceived by hiring managers in ER.
Remember, the key is to make sure that your poker experience is seen as an asset and not a liability. It should complement your other qualifications and experiences that are directly relevant to the role you're applying for.
Sources: From poker to prop-trading, Poker playing experience in buy-side interview, Investment Banking Resume Template - Official WSO CV Example, 3 Key Tips for Getting an ER Interview, Filtering resumes - what I looked for when screening 200+ resumes
Bump
I never really care what kids put in their other interests section, so it’s fine to include. But never put your 500k profit, that could annoy someone. Putting your bb win rate is fine.
Yea for sure - appreciate the response.
I’m only 1 year into the industry and have it listed under work experience where I go into more detail of the analytical parts of poker (few bullets). Is that overkill?
As a poker pro with less experience and lifetime PnL than you (<2 years since graduation), I listed my results when applying for quant/HF junior trading roles (and have now been hired as a trader in a HF), but I never mentioned bb/100 because the majority of CV reviewers and interviewers won't be familiar with the terminology unless they have a poker background themselves. I also described the quantitative problem solving aspects of poker e.g. running PioSolver sims and adapting game theory optimal strategies into human implementable strategies to exploit player pool weaknesses and human psychological biases. This created a lot of good discussion points for interviews as nearly all interviewers found poker interesting to ask about. I should caveat by saying I also have top grades from an obvious target university so I'm not claiming poker alone got me interviews, just that it helped to make my profile stand out.
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