If you live in the Chicago area, you may have heard that Harrah's Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, is undergoing a huge expansion. They're looking for an additional 200 table games dealers for when the new boat opens in the next few months.

So yours truly applied for a job with them...

...and got it!

I've officially been hired into the Horseshoe Hammond's dealer school! I'll be learning how to deal blackjack and craps. They also told me that they hoped I would go on to learn roulette and the "carnival games" as well. I go in for a preliminary orientation tomorrow (Tuesday, May 20), but things don't really ramp up until June 2nd.

Their new boat is called MOAB, for "Mother of All Boats". Boy, is that an appropriate name. The total facility is 350,000 square feet, of which 108,000 is actual gambling space. That's about the same size as the casino floor space of Bellagio.

The folks from Harrah's said that MOAB has a "soft opening" planned for July 21st, with the Grand Opening on August 8, 2008. (That's 8-8-08. 8 being a lucky number in Asian cultures, the shuttlebus to Chinatown will be working overtime.)

Take care,

Tim

WTG Tim. Did you tell them you knew the difference between reality, science, and a paradox?

All Righty then!

Keep us in the loop as to how your new carreir goes! It sounds exciting, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your first day. I'm guessing your going to see some things in a different light after all of this!

Best of luck!!!!!

Very cool!
We have a friend that retired, and then went to "dealers school". He loved his second career, hope you do too!

I appreciate the encouragement, guys. Today wasn't any big deal. We all went up to the Horseshoe, filled out a boatload of paperwork (W-4's, etc.), and then drove off to a nearby hospital for a drug test. It was the kind of drug test where they collect a pretty substantial hair sample. It was all "hurry up and wait" since the testing clinic probably wasn't expecting 50-odd people to show up one after the other, so we sat in the waiting room for 90 minutes watching Regis and Maury (could have been worse, at least it wasn't The View). So far, all I have to show for my working experience with Harrah's is writer's cramp and a bald spot.

They should call me back tomorrow or Thursday to arrange a time for me to get "badged". I'll keep you up to date as things progress.

Take care,

Tim

Tim - since I live in Chicago, I'll have to check out the new MOAB when it opens. I rarely do the local casinos but I just might check this out. I'm surprised to learn how big the casino will be.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your training. One of my exDMs went to dealer school and then to work at a tribal casino - he totally loved the job. Hope you do also!

I checked in with Horseshoe Hammond about my budding employment with them and all is well and good. I start a five-day orientation period (!) on Monday, June 2, and begin dealer school in earnest on the 9th. Fortunately, it looks like I was able to get into the 8am-4pm class instead of the graveyard 10pm-6am session.

Take care,

Tim

I'm waiting to hear how they teach you to draw 21 (with 6 cards) to my pat 20 hand...all the friggen time! LOL

I wonder that myself. Like you, I'm also sure that the lessons will confirm my suspicions from my experience as a player: The more times a player has split and/or doubled down on a hand, the more likely the dealer is to make his 21! I also would like to learn how to deal a 2 when someone doubles down on 11 against my upcard of 10.

Take care,

Tim

I must have done something right because Orientation Week is over and I still have a job!

Going into this, I was really wondering how on earth they could possibly take a week. My experience with workplace "orientations" has always been something like "Welcome to XYZ, Tim. Here's the lunch room, here's the bathroom, here's your boss Howard. Do what he tells you. Orientation is now over." Now that I'm through it, I can easily see how it could have taken two weeks! The trainers, Dino and Dawn, said they normally do a two week orientation that usually involves homework and the new hires doing a presentation, capped off by a "graduation" ceremony. Since they're looking to get us ready to work on the new boat when it opens in 6 weeks, however, they cut things back a bit. Looks like I dodged a bullet there.

Orientation began Monday morning in the upstairs ballroom of the Hammond Marina, which is right next door to the MOAB. They gave us a binder and an employee handbook, and showed us one PowerPoint presentation after another, interspersed with team-building games to test our retention of what they had shown us. This would be a pretty standard pattern throughout the week. Unfortunately, the air conditioner was on the fritz for most of the time, so the temperature in the ballroom was usually in the high 80's with high humidity. Ugh. The gory details of the week follow for all who dare to read:

On the first day, we learned about the history of Harrah's, and the differences between their Harrah's, Horseshoe, and Caesar's brands. They also discussed the Total Rewards program and the World Series of Poker. Once the new boat opens, it will have a sizable poker room, and they're looking to host a WSOP event here at Horseshoe at some point. We also discussed some "inside baseball" stuff like the corporate mission statement, etc. We broke for a lunch of cold cuts and pasta salad brought in from the employee dining room, and then filled out a boatload of paperwork. When we returned from lunch, we did anti-harassment and diversity training, and then finished up with a brief overview of employee rules and regulations.

On the morning of the second day, we went over more inside baseball, with an emphasis on how the company will inspire us and motivate us to do our jobs well. They reminded us that we now work in the entertainment industry, and said that some of these daily activities are to get you in an energetic and upbeat state of mind before going out to interact with customers. They then bussed us over to the local branch of the Indiana Gaming Commission, where we all got our Horseshoe badges. After each of us got badged, we went to the Seven Stars Lounge to kick back until everyone else was finished (sweet!) As luck would have it, I was one of the last ones to get badged, so I spent about 75 minutes in a tight, sweltering hallway with about 20 other people, and about 75 seconds in the lounge. Oh, well.

When we went back to the marina we had a surprisingly good lunch of stuffed peppers, mashed potatoes, and a mix of peas and carrots. More goodness from the employee dining room. I've got to check this place out! After lunch we had our safety and security lecture from security chief Larry, who came across as stern and as tough as nails, but still likable. I'm glad he's on our side. He covered every situation from reporting instances where someone could trip over exposed cables, to fires, hostage situations, and a Columbine-style shooting situation. He repeatedly emphasized the need to know the names of the captain of the ship and his immediate subordinates in the event of a surprise Coast Guard inspection. Someone asked him why the boat that never goes anywhere needs a captain. Larry simply said,"Because the Coast Guard says we have to have one." After his lecture, Larry had us fill out a second boatload of paperwork.

Wednesday was department-specific training; Table Games, in my case. All of us would-be blackjack dealers went over to the double-wide trailer that is currently serving as the dealer school during MOAB construction. From this trailer, we were taken on a quick tour of the main gambling facility. The supervisor conceded that most of us wouldn't finish training until after the new boat opens, so a totally new tour will be required in 6-8 weeks. Our red student-dealer badges, though, do not give us clearance to go into the "back of the house", nor do they allow us to be on the casino floor. We need to wait until we get our black badges for that. Needless to say, with 90% of the property effectively off-limits to us, it was a short tour. After the tour, we went back to the trailer and watched a video on Title 31, which deals with the laws regarding the reporting of large cash transactions. We took a mandatory test on it for the IGC, and I got a perfect score! Woohoo! This was a shorter day, so no free lunches. After the test, Dennis had us fill out our third boatload of paperwork.

On Thursday it was back to the marina for more PowerPoint presentations. We covered corporate policy regarding underage and problem gambling, and then we spent the rest of the day discussing and simulating customer interactions. They had it down to a science. We will all be spot checked on customer interaction at least once a month by both our supervisors and people from a "secret shopper"-type external firm hired as customers. There are certain very specific words and such that I must use in an interaction, and I almost have to run down a checklist in my head to keep them all straight. (Did I introduce myself? Check! Did I thank them for visiting? Check!) Given that a blackjack player's interaction with me will largely shape the gambler's opinion of the whole casino, I understand why they think this is important. I had an experience once with a single rude dealer at the Rio and it almost completely turned me off the casino entirely. Lunch was stuffed pasta shells and breadsticks, and the reputation of the employee dining room continued to increase.

Friday was the last day of orientation, and the whole morning was spent discussing Horseshoe's benefits package, and employee perks. You know those Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Seven Stars levels they have for their players? They have them for the employees as well, and we discussed what behaviors lead to these levels and the cash bonuses (!) involved. The benefits package as described is far beyond anything I had expected. I'm terrified that if I accept I'll see $1000 taken out of my paycheck every two weeks, but then again I'm used to being beaten like a rented mule by my previous employers ("Benefits? How about this: You don't complain about the 15% pay cut, and we don't fire you!") I'll find out the truth about the actual price in about 7 weeks when the formal information packet arrives.

Lunch was a bit of a let-down. They brought in croissants, and bowls of tuna salad and chicken salad from which we could scoop and make sandwiches. Really, though, the food was good and it was about the same quality as the cold cuts we had on the first day. I guess we were spoiled by the stuffed peppers and shells from the other days.

The afternoon of the last day was spent in Asian Cultural Awareness Training. Get this: Asian customers (largely from nearby Chicago) make up only 10% of the customer base at Horseshoe Hammond, but account for 25% of the gaming revenue. Sounds like high rollers to me! We learned some helpful tidbits about lucky numbers and colors, and behaviors that were considered particularly respectful and appreciative toward someone steeped in the culture. We concluded with more customer interaction training and simulations. I got a perfect 150 out of 150 on both trial runs in front of the Customer Satisfaction Director, so I'm feeling really good about the future here.

On Monday begins the real training. Bright and early at 8 a.m. in the dealers' trailer. For the first time in a long, looong time, I'm excited about going to work on Monday.

Cheers,

Tim the Dealer.

ROTFL! You are probably 75 more seconds ahead of most people in that Seven Seas lounge<g>. I was laughing about the idea of your shorebound boat requiring a captain - right up to the point where I remembered reading about casino boats being moved to avoid bad weather.

Thank you for a fascinating series behind the scenes! I'm sure a lot of the info you were given is proprietary, but I'd be interested in anything you could post of behaviors that are deemed disrepectful towards Asians or any other culture. I'm not THAT politically correct<g>, but I really don't like insulting people accidentally due to my ignorance.

LOL, I'm excited about you going to work too!

Very interesting Tim. Sounds like that employee dining room might be a great benefit.

Tim - this is fascinating. Thanks for sharing all of this. I look forward to your future exploits!

Now I know why every cocktail waitress at Harrahs Las Vegas said "thank you for choosing Harrahs" or something like that.. but the cw's and bartenders did not get that message at the Flamingo or IP.


Keep it coming, Tim - as much as you're permitted to share. As a side benefit, I find when I write something down I remember it much easier - so anything you share with us will stick in your head and help you ace more of those tests!

DaisyDeuces,

Here are some of the truly helpful hints I picked up from the Asian training:

1) The concept of Guanxi (Gwaan-shee) -- this is basically the state of being well-connected and able to exert your influence on behalf of someone else. To this end, I've been told to make a serious effort to remember the names of our Asian guests, and to greet them by name when I see them. I should also feel free to call over a supervisor to help the customer, because the Asian customer feels more valued when the casino bosses are personally attentive and show respect. This leads into the next concept:

2) The concept of Mianzi (Mintz) -- this represents the social perceptions of a person's prestige. This is important to the Chinese in particular, and it's similar to what we would call "saving face". Little white "polite lies" are acceptable and even expected if they are done to prevent embarrassment and avoid conflict. Do NOT under ANY circumstances, ever embarrass or challenge them, PARTICULARLY in front of their friends or family.

3) Asians like to concentrate and focus more seriously on their gambling, and they tend not to like interruptions. When a Chinese guest tells a cocktail waitress "I'll call for you if I need you," he really means it. He would prefer that the waitress not come around every 15 minutes to ask if he is okay or needs another drink; he will take no insult at all if you don't come until he specifically asks.

4) Asians feel a strong sense of respect for their elders. If a group of them comes up to you, it is considered an important sign of respect to address the eldest in the group.

5) Even though Asians are used to being in tighter quarters that what we in Western cultures are used to, they do not like to be touched by strangers, even if it is meant to be kind. No patting people on the back or arm unless you have a really good, familiar, long-term relationship with the customer.

6) They do not customarily maintain strong eye contact; they prefer to lower their eyes from a person's face rather than hold a gaze. Return the favor.

7) Another gesture that is considered polite and respectful is to hand over a item using both hands, rather than just one. Do this only, though, if the customer is older than you.

8) If they do not speak fluent English, don't speak more slowly or speak louder. Rather, speak in soft and pleasant tones, and stick to simple sentences.

Also, our guests are fond of Asian holidays, so at the Horseshoe we will celebrate Lunar New Year festivities right along with them. We will even have a Dancing Lion in the casino for Chinese New Year. We will also have Asian pop singers, concerts, Chinese opera, and karaoke parties at the new facility.

Lastly, table games manager Dennis related to us a funny anecdote regarding Chinese lucky numbers and symbols. Jade is a sign of good luck, so a well-meaning dealer decided to wear jade earrings and a matching pendant during the casino's Chinese New Year celebration. The Asian guests avoided playing at her table as if she had the plague. Eventually, one of the Chinese customers asked her why she would wear jade. She said, "because I want you to think that playing at my table will bring you good luck." The customer pointed out that by wearing the jade, the good luck was not with the players, but with her, the dealer! Since the dealer was wearing jade, the dealer would have good luck against the players and would thus be beating them all day! She promptly removed the jade jewelry on her next break, and when she went back out on the floor, she was no longer contagious.

Hope this helps, DaisyDeuces!

Cheers,

Tim the Dealer

Tim,

Thanks for the detailed info, great read.

Hope all continues positively for you.

Loved it! Keep it coming! Thanks so much!

Tim...This is great stuff!

Now I know exactly how to irratate my asian tablemates....Hmmmm, I'm thinking of maybe buying a jade ring! LOL

Thank you, Tim ... that was fascinating info. I have seen gifts handed over with two hands, but I never realized it was a gesture of respect - and I could probably make similiar comments about most of your other points. Your list clarified several points where I only knew half the story. Great stuff!

LOL, Lee - we are in some ways evil twins. I already own a couple of jade rings, so I'm going to hog the luck! Hmmmm, I wonder if I stopped wearing them about the time I stopped hitting Royals every month<g>? Whatever, I'll be in full battle armor for my next trip!