I traveled to Las Vegas several times a year from Dallas, before I moved to Las Vegas almost a year ago. The number one question people ask me when they are thinking about moving to Las Vegas is how easy is it to become a dealer or bartender? Well in today’s economy either choice could be difficult, let’s look at both options.
Las Vegas Casino Dealer
Out of the two choices this is probably the most chosen. There are literally thousand of dealers who work in Las Vegas. There are shifts that cover every hour of every day year round. The pay range of Dealers can vary greatly from twenty thousand to over a hundred thousand dollars a year. Most dealers will get started in a break in casino which are located off the strip in some of the lesser known casinos, and most new dealers also start out as part time, or full time covering different shifts.
The best way to break into a Casino Dealing job in Las Vegas is to go to a reputable Casino Dealers School, which has a good reputation of job placement and getting their students job auditions at Casinos. Make sure and visit several schools and even talk to current and former students before making a commitment to a school.
Las Vegas Bartender
Bartending jobs in Las Vegas can be very good, and very hard to get. Top bartenders in Vegas can earn more than a hundred thousand dollars a year. These jobs are also hard to get. Most bartenders at major casinos on and off the strip are unionized meaning you have to belong to the union and usually have to start as a bar back or apprentice bartenders. Some casinos get around the union calling their bartenders entertainers, so if you have flair skills or look like a runway model you may have a better chance getting a job.
In a recent non-union casino that opened here, they where looking for female bartenders and required them to interview in bikinis. So if you are a good looking female you have a better chance of being hired as a bartender than most, hey it is Vegas!
It can be equally daunting to get a job in a local bar, almost all local bars have video poker machines, and require gaming cards just like casinos. Even in local bars you will see them advertise for female only bartenders, or require two years of Las Vegas gaming bartending experience. Be wary of local bartending schools, there are quite a few and I meet graduates of these schools working all kinds of jobs, but not bartending.
In summary, you can get a bartending job in Las Vegas but you will have to be persistent because it will not happen overnight. Casino dealing jobs are easier to get, but it will not pay a lot when you start, but can turn into a nice career over the long haul with experience. Always check out any of the Dealer and Bartending schools in Vegas before you make a commitment, do your homework.
