How to Get a Las Vegas Casino Tip Job

Thousands of people visit Las Vegas and some even stay.  Las Vegas is one of the United States' most rapidly growing cities.  Las Vegas casinos and hotels employ thousands of people each.  I worked at a casino on the center of the strip and when the shift changed 1000 workers came off and 1000 workers came on.  It is quite an amazing thing if you have never worked for a large institution before.  The Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas is like its own city with every kind of employee from Yoga instructors, to chefs, to medical staff.  They truly have everything and everyone under the sun working for them.

Good jobs in Las Vegas are hard to find, people who find good jobs seldom leave them and when they do it is for a better position.  That being said there are jobs for beginners and those with prior experience.  It all comes down to connections and a little luck and persistence.  First, you should decide what positions you feel that best suit you and your previous work experience.  Next, you should start applying.  It can take a long time to find a job in Las Vegas as many people are applying for the same jobs you are and since the economy hasn't been that hot for the last couple of years the hiring rate is lower than it has been in awhile.  That being said, huge casinos and hotels are still being created right and left and they will need staff to operate them.

When of the best ways to get a Casino job or Las Vegas hotel position is to know someone, the all important connection. Knowing someone who is already employed and in good standing with a casino will be your best bet to get your foot in the door. Connections on the inside can also let you know when there are openings. Publicized openings will draw lots of applicants, but if you have the inside track then your chances of getting hired will improve dramatically.

One way to get a Las Vegas connection is to talk to staff members. If you happen to be inside a casino you can try to get friendly with some of the many staff on the casino floor. Or if you go out on the town it is very likely that the bars and clubs off the strip will be filled with people who work for Casinos. There is no harm in meeting them and if they happen to work at Harrah's or MGM to ask if they know of any openings.

You will be surprised how easily casino workers will give you inside information. You can also try this technique in casino bars in the middle of the day when it is slow, sometimes bar staff know of openings for bar waitstaff positions or cocktail waitress positions. For gaming positions I would not try this technique as it is a more serious and secure position. Your best bet to become a dealer is to first learn the table games and start at small casinos off the strip until you can work your way to the larger more prestigious casinos.

The other ways to get casino jobs are the same for other jobs. Use online resources, local classified ads, and whatever you can to find out where the openings are. You may even trying to call the hotel or casino human resources department to see if and when they anticipate openings in your area of expertise. Remember, there are many different positions in a casino. When applied I for a bar-back position, that a bartender told me about, I found out that it had been already filled, but they asked if I was interested in room service. I jumped on it and of course said, "Yes!" because room service staff earns tips- and that is where you are going to make your money in a Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

The cocktail waitresses make the most money of the normal working staff, this does not include managers and business professionals, but in general the right cocktail waitress will take home the most money in tips each day. The second group of high tip earners are the bellmen. These guys work hard and also have the hook-ups for whatever a guest might need. Las Vegas Bellmen jobs are really hard to find because they pay well and no one wants to leave them once they get it. Dealers can make a lot of money as well of course but it really depends on the Casino and the shift they are working. Obviously, most dealers working the 8am -2pm shift are going to make less than the 2pm-10pm guys (the last shift is graveyard 10pm-8am). Room service and any other waitstaff like Banquet staff, waitresses, valet, and bartenders tend to do pretty well in the tip department also, this can vary of course with the calender and the location of the Casino. Obviously, you will make more tips at Paris Hotel and Casino than Slots-O-Fun.

There are a lot of perks to working in a Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, one of which is meals. Most casino employees get at least one free meal from the casino and generally they are pretty good. Employees have their own cafeteria that resembles in some cases the buffets that customers and guests use. Often they will have cooks as well that will cook whatever you want (providing you tip them out).

You also get a decent salary, insurance, and a fairly stable work environment. The tips can be great especially during holidays. Some nights I would walk away with over $200 in tips, other nights $50, and I am sure others made much more, but I was happy with what I made. There are many other perks, but most of them have to do with making money and doing something that you enjoy. Most visitors to the Las Vegas Hotels and Casinos are on vacation, so most people are in a good mood and easy to deal with (of course, not all the time, but the majority are), which makes your job enjoyable.