Casino and Its Gaming Career
Education can mean the difference between a career and a job.
While the terms career and job are used synonymously, in the context of educational preparation they take on separate connotations.
In this sense, references to a gaming industry 'career' reflect the idea of a planned progression in responsibility an expertise, as in 'climbing the career ladder'.
Often a career involves one or more college degrees in preparation for a profession such as accounting or administration.
This does not contradict the fact most hospitality graduates can expect to begin in an entry-level role.
Also, from an entry position, it is not unusual for a gaming career to span a wide range of diverse roles from dealing cards to supervising security, numerous departments, and several parent companies.
But each experience can provide exposure to and understanding of complementary and competing operations, and about a variety of strategies and styles to support a successful long-term career.
In contrast to career, the term job refers less to an occupation and more to entry-level, repetitive tasks or relatively modest status or prestige.
Typically, the wage for a job is relatively low, and in patron service jobs income may derive substantially from tips.
Gaming examples of jobs include serving beverages, cleaning gaming devices, cashiering, and operating games that require little skill to present.
For those interested in gaming management and education, it is important to consider some reasons that individuals often stay in entry-level jobs for much of their working life.
First, elective education, including technical school or college, is not affordable to all.
Nor does such schooling appeal to everyone. Instead, individuals are often sufficiently comfortable with the earnings, expectations, and working conditions that a repetitive, predictable job offers.
Second, many individuals lack the basic language and mathematical skills, or have physical, emotional, or mental limitations such that an entry-level job suits their needs or abilities.
Third, some employees genuinely lack the time for self-development or job hunting, perhaps because they are a single parent, work multiple jobs, or have other intense time demands.
Additionally, some employees remain in entry-level jobs because they believe the have 'topped out' and simply have no idea of how to progress.
Unfortunately, there also is always a group that seems to lack the courage to move ahead, refusing to study, seek promotions and transfers, or apply for other alternatives, fearing failure or reprisal.
Finally, particularly difficult are those who have poor performance records and are therefore either unsuitable for promotion or do not remain with one employer long enough to progress.