Casino Enterprise Management

Objective
Requiring resumes has been a staple of every management team I've ever joined. Resumes provide an opportunity for achievement while enhancing writing, organizing and presentation skills. All these abilities represent areas that will assist the day-to-day functions of our department's operation while allowing us to assist our team members' growth. Our goal in management is to help people develop career skills that will assist them throughout their lives.

Experience
As gaming leaders, we have the opportunity to provide staff members with skills that last a lifetime. That is why our table games department only accepts resumes from those wishing to apply for candidacy toward promotion once they become part of our team. This may sound a bit over the top, being that transfer slips are accepted in every other department, but it is an essential part of building pride and morale.

Preparing and writing resumes provides our team members with the basic tools needed to compete in today's casino marketplace—or any job market for that matter. This simple standard creates opportunities for staff members. As influential leaders, we want our employees to have any opportunity they desire, whether it is with us or someplace else. You see, we genuinely want all of our people to succeed. Do we lose some of our team members? Not often, because we build something that transpires into amazing loyalty. People appreciate management that helps everyone grow. At the end of the day, people simply do not want to leave this type of environment. Here's the kicker: In providing this level of support, we actually create a larger hiring pool for our department because everyone wants to grow. Word travels fast when positive attributes happen within a department.

Creating a resume provides excellent opportunities not every employee has had the luxury to experience before. We believe this is a fundamental tool. We are dedicated to providing resources to every employee looking to gain knowledge and an edge toward achieving his or her overall goals. The experience of creating a resume builds confidence, and we are looking to promote confident people. The overall experience of building a resume is one that nobody can ever take away from our employees; that makes this project important.

Education
Our resume requirement does not provide any limitations to our team members because our managers are always willing to teach and assist any dealer or supervisor who wants to learn how to develop a proper resume.

Fairness is another standard for our department. Again, our goal is to provide educational growth skills to everyone. There is not a single person on our staff who will get left behind when an opportunity toward growth and achievement presents itself. We stand steadfast behind our staff members, for as they have grown, so has our entire department.

Resumes can provide a window of opportunity to let employees know that management truly cares—enough to help them strive for the pinnacles of success. We are not just interested in developing casino careers, but are supplying life skills and education. Our thought is: If a person is going to take the time to apply for job advancement, they may as well do it properly and learn something in the process.

Interests
Our table games personnel make our department successful. Developing career skills within those employees has created more opportunities for everyone, including the department as a whole. Our team members have developed a true sense of professional pride, not to mention a resume they can use in the future.

The people who ultimately win from this simple professional enhancement are our valued guests. High morale filters to the gaming floor and is considered essential for establishing success and heightened guest service. Guest service is our key responsibility. Is there anyone better to provide the highest level of guest satisfaction then a satisfied employee? Our two main interests both center on people: our employees and our guests.

Tips
Management should not create resumes for employees, but should instead provide assistance when needed. Most often, providing tips from what you have learned during your own career development is all the help an employee needs. I wish someone had helped me in this fashion early in my career. Instead, I paid handsomely to have a professional resume prepared. The resume turned out wonderful. I enhanced the presentation by stopping by the local Office Max store and purchasing quality paper, resume folders and special resume envelopes, which cost about $15. The name of the game when wanting to stand out against the rest for a job opportunity is quality presentation. Each resume I submitted received a response; most often, the response was positive. Attention to detail brings attention to a resume. Because the initial cost of having a resume professionally prepared was expensive (it does not have to be), I utilized this format to create my own updated versions as my resume grew.

Today, most everyone owns a computer or, at the very least, can access one at work. Microsoft Word is an extremely common program found on most computers. Word has resume templates built into the program that provide an excellent foundation on which to begin a resume. There is also a mass of information available on the Internet to assist people looking to build a solid resume. The research alone provides employees with more basic-but-essential tools needed in the workplace.

My final tip for helping create a resume: A resume should consist of significant information that sets a candidate apart from others. Far too often prospective job candidates write job descriptions as resumes, and being in the business, we all already know the job descriptions. Employees should highlight achievements that enhanced their value to their job positions, rather than the exact details of the job.

A resume is often the first opportunity to make an introduction as a solid candidate for a position. Make sure employees understand that although "in-house" management utilizes other tools and intangibles when reviewing candidacy toward a promotion, after resumes are submitted and interviews are performed, we review details like an employee's work history record, attendance, attitude, work ethic, teamwork and skilled abilities. Resumes typically provide a first chance to make an impression. Teach employees to go the extra mile in all areas of their careers because, realistically, we always want our employees to leave lasting impressions on our guests. Our casino's motto is "Expect the Best," and this should apply to all aspects of our operation.

Helping employees create resumes provides an excellent opportunity to develop teamwork, interact closely with employees, and build foundations for high-level rapport and trust. A vitally important part of management is to develop people; whether they are aware of the fact you're assisting them or not, it is an immediate priority.

One of my all-time favorite movies is Field of Dreams. Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, is a corn farmer in Iowa. He hears a mysterious yet reverent voice one day while working in the fields that states, "If you build it, he will come." Ray, receiving much criticism, plows down his crop and erects a baseball field in its place. The voice is heard again saying, "Go the distance." Ray dedicated himself to his belief and created his ultimate dream: A baseball field where family mattered. Everybody gravitated toward the mysterious baseball field, where they were always welcome to enjoy America's favorite pastime in vintage style. Management should hear the inner voice, too, that says "If you build them, they will succeed." Go the distance for your people; they are the creators of your casino's success.

Jeff Murphy is the Director of Table Games for Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort located in Canyonville, Ore. He can be reached at (541) 839-1171 or jmurphy[at]sevenfeathers.com.