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[savemyskin]

I'm seriously considering playing much less poker going forward. My results have been terrible for about six months now and poker is not fun at all for me right now. So, what the hell should I do with myself? I have enough money that I don't need to find an income right away, though I will have to find one at some point. I would love to start or

Comments

[sabyl]

I actually really like having gone back to school. Granted, I went back for my bachelors, but I took grad school classes too. It definitely opens up more possibilities later. But I also like learning and engaging in class seminars and the like - so I am a geek.

As for a job that's suited to your interests, my friend Bill Chen works for Susquehana, www.susq.com and you might be suited to go in as a trader. From what Bill says, there is a high potential to earn money and they value poker players.

[savemyskin]

i don't mind learning and the classroom environment if it's something i'm interested in. but what is it that i'm interested in? sigh.

if i decide to look into financials, i will get in touch with bill. thanks.

[gaamblor]

yeah go work for Bill/SIG and report back and/or get me a job in a year

[savemyskin]

from what i've heard, you could get a job there if you wanted. do you want help with that?

[jonathankaplan]

I worked for Susq on the chicago floors from 1996 until 2002. In every major office SIG has a game room, with multiple tables. It was a rare day that didn't have a poker game (and backgammon) going after work.
I was the poker teacher on the CBOE. It was part of my job to play poker with the assistant traders, teaching game all the while.
Every year there was a company poker tournament, EVERYONE played, and we would have poker seminars for all the non-gamers for months beforehand. The winner got expense paid trip for two to Hawaii, as I recall.
SIG hires (in part) on the gaming skills of its applicants. Gaming is decision-making, and all sorts of gaming were considered practice ground for the "real world" of trading.
Just talking about it, I miss it. It was an incredibly fun atmosphere.

[savemyskin]

you make the company sound pretty awesome. can i ask why you left?

my main concern about a job in finance is the insane hours that everyone seems to work, especially new hires. was this the case at susq?

i appreciate your help.

[jonathankaplan]

I apologize for not seeing this, but I have been away from my computer for the last few weeks.

SIG was always very good to me. Pretty awesome is a good summation.

I left because my health deteriorated to the point they had to (pretty much) drag me off the exchange floor kicking and screaming. If it weren't for the health issues, I would still be there (very happily, and probably as a real bigwig). I miss it greatly.

SIG is as laidback as a larger finance firm can be, and I am sure if they want you, you won't feel their hours as oppressive. A trading firm is a bit different from other finance firms, most of the hours of most of the employees are centered on the times of the trading floors. Even the new hires don't really work too much (unless you count playing poker in the game room as work...smile...)
Expect a different kind of finance firm if you look at SIG.