Playing team sports can help you cooperate with others while delving into the arts can help you learn how to respond to constructive criticism. But, playing poker can also help you gain valuable skills in an area that might not be initially apparent: landing that dream job. The skills that you rely on to succeed at the poker table reflect the skills necessary to ace a job interview.
Source: Pixabay Skills learnt through playing poker can be key to securing the job of your dreams.
Reading Body Language
When it comes to a job interview, at the end of the day, most jobs are won or lost on the impression you make. Your CV may provide evidence of your experience and skill set for the role, but anyone achieving the interview stage has a strong possibility of getting the job – as long as they are the right fit as a person. But how does this relate to skills learnt from playing poker? Well, from Texas Hold ‘Em to Seven Card Stud and Omaha Hi-Lo, there is a need to have to read other people. By reading other people through their body language and micro-expressions, we can pick up clues as to whether they have a strong hand or not, which can than feed into our own poker strategy. Moreover, in the job interview, reading social cues as to how you are coming across and what might impress the person interviewing you could be crucial in turning the interview round in your favor. Indeed, poker players need to be able to read the two key expressions from body language – positive reactions and negative reactions. Poker players also need to be able to identify if someone is bluffing and, as a result, will be better at concealing their own emotions. This could work out well in interviews for the parts of your CV, job history, or previous roles that should be glossed over or that require some choice wording in order to really sell them as an extension of your own skills. Indeed, Wayne Bridge tells 888poker that the footballing colleagues he would like to see play poker are the ones that are likely to either be entertaining or get into people’s heads. Both would be required for a job interview in order to analyze the interviewer and their needs and prove yourself as a key future member of their team.
Confidence and Risk Taking
A job interview is proving to your potential employer that you have the skills necessary to do the job. But, sheer talent in a field isn’t enough – and may not even be the most important factor when attempting to secure a job. In fact, appearing to have the confidence to rise to the challenge is far more important than being the most skillful person at the job. Skills can be learnt; confidence usually can’t. That is, unless you rely on gaming to attain these skills. Playing poker relies not only on the confidence to come across as a strong player even when presenting a potentially weak hand but also on being confident in yourself to see your hands through to the end of the game. In a job interview, appearing confident may be crucial, but succeeding in the job afterwards requires some practice in being confident. Playing poker can help achieve this level of confidence through the potential risks involved. Playing a hand as a bluff comes with a risk of being found out. Trusting your instincts about other players requires confidence and comes with the risk of being wrong. Ultimately, poker can help desensitize you to risk-taking and being confident so, when you’re in the interview situation, you may be more likely to focus on areas of your previous professional life that sound impressive, even if you might not feel as confident in them. The risk/reward that comes with poker is also present in the act of the job interview. You have one chance to make a strong impression and really sell yourself as capable of taking on the role. You are forced to rely on yourself and your own instincts, which is tantamount to playing poker well.
Source: Pixabay Keeping calm under pressure, as learned through poker, can help you succeed in interviews.
Social Skills in a High-Pressure Environment
Few job interviews are not accompanied by at least some jitters. Indeed, 65% of interviewees claim nerves prevented them from showcasing their full talents. Having nerves before an interview not only shows to yourself that you care about the outcome of the interview but it also can help galvanize you to do better. Indeed, the adrenaline that comes from a high-pressure environment can be utilized and turned into confidence, power, and excitement. But the high-pressure environment created by your own nerves is also an area where poker skills come into play. When playing poker, even on a friendly capacity, there is an element of excitement and a frisson of pressure in the air. Keeping your cool in this high-pressure environment is similar to keeping your cool in the job interview. It’s important to ensure that you don’t come across as full of nerves and that each question is carefully answered and your overall impression is one of a cool and confident person to complete the job requirements. This ability to stay calm under pressure can be learnt through playing poker, especially as the rounds go on, the stakes are raised and you have a shot at coming out as the victor. The same could be said for the job interview, which calls upon a similar level of social interaction while maintaining the nerves that are bubbling away inside. Plus, most jobs require an element of calmness under pressure, so showing the interview hasn’t fazed you could be the perfect way to show and not have to tell your potential employer that you can do this.
Job interviews can be difficult and taxing but, if we look at them the way we would look at a poker game, we can help ensure they are less formidable to come up against. By transferring skills from the poker table to the boardroom, you could bluff your way to the job of your dreams.
