Betfair and Employers

[LinusP]

Hi Guys,

I am currently applying for graduate schemes and am in the dilemma of whether to mention that I trade on betfair. I was therefore wondering if anyone has experience from mentioning trading on betfair to potential employees?

I am applying for data analyst roles so what I do on betfair is very relevant especially as I specialise in automation/excel/SQL e.t.c. But as soon as I mention gambling people think I have a problem

Anyone got any tips on making it look impressive rather than a problem?

[LeTiss]

Have you been self-employed as a trader, or has it been a sideline for you?

[barlorca]

Show them your profit and loss results! (If favourable!)

[LinusP]

Have you been self-employed as a trader, or has it been a sideline for you?

I am doing a masters at the moment so this has been on the side, so no gaps in my CV and tbh this is what fuelled my interest in being a data analyst.

Show them your profit and loss results! (If favourable!)

I could do but anyone can make a p&l graph up Its the skills and experience that I want to get across and not how much I have made.

[LeTiss]

In that case, just tell them that

When you've been doing it for 5 years as a job, that's when they lose the ability to comprehend it (in my experience anyway)

[mugsgame]

If you mention anything to do with Gambling (however successful) beware. It gives a negative image.

You are a risk taker
Money launderer
Guesser
Unreliable
Lazy
etc

This is what I was told by a recruitment consultant

Remember to "outsiders" who don't understand what we do and how we do it we are no better than drug dealers and pimps

[LinusP]

If you mention anything to do with Gambling (however successful) beware. It gives a negative image.

You are a risk taker
Money launderer
Guesser
Unreliable
Lazy
etc

This is what I was told by a recruitment consultant

Remember to "outsiders" who don't understand what we do and how we do it we are no better than drug dealers and pimps

Yeh thats the problem with it, but ironically trading is the only the thing I have done which has involved managing risk!

[woodhousejj]

As you have been studying perhaps you could present your experience/skills as part of a project you had to undertake as part of your acedemic course - think of a BS title for your proejct like "Behavioural Data Analysis of Market Trading in Sports Prices" - just a suggestion.

[EyePeaSea]

If you mention anything to do with Gambling (however successful) beware. It gives a negative image.

You are a risk taker
Money launderer
Guesser
Unreliable
Lazy
etc

Unless you're going for a job a UBS, Bank of Ireland, Societe Generale, Allfirst (the list goes on). In which case, you'll be welcomed and find yourself fitting straight in.

[Euler]

I've given a few references out to former traders. So even if you state what you did it seems to be OK. I haven't heard of anybody getting turned down.

[Wyndon]

It's not just employers. I was in need of a loan to help with a sudden rush of unforeseen expenditure several years ago. Despite being with my bank for over 20 years and never giving them a moment's anxiety, they turned me down because of the number of transactions with bookmakers that appeared in my account. "Have you added them up?", I asked (at that time I was coming to the end of a purple patch). It made no difference. It grates a bit to be lectured by a bank on the speculative nature of my activities! Fortunately my credit card company advanced me £20K at 0%, which I was able to repay after 1 year.

[LeTiss]

Yes, excellent point Wyndon

These are the same banks that were gambling with our money on the stock exchange

[LinusP]

Yeh I had that problem, I wasn't allowed a student overdraft for the same reasons. I have since opened another bank account and run my trading activities from that just in case the same happens again for a mortgage.