Casino-job hunters bet on skills coaching

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

After years doing construction work and then trying his hand at selling insurance, Robert Berkheimer is hoping Ohio’s first casino means a better job and future for him, but he’s got plenty of competition.

The state’s first casino opens in March in economically hard-luck Cleveland, where 10.5 percent unemployment has created long odds for Berkheimer and others flocking to become poker dealers.

The casino said 11,800 people applied for the 500 jobs by Friday’s application deadline.

“It sounds like there’s a lot of competition, and it’s going to come down to, from what I’ve heard, personality is a big plus,” said Berkheimer, who lives in suburban Brunswick.

Berkheimer, 42, tried to improve his chance of getting hired by polishing his r sum -writing and interview skills at coaching classes at Cuyahoga Community College. The class was offered as part of the college’s job-training outreach.

The casino “would be a fun atmosphere for myself, and I’m just looking for a steady job with good income, medical benefits and retirement,” Berkheimer said outside class.

“I do believe a casino will bring in a lot of jobs and help the economy and restaurants and all the other businesses that surround it,” he said.

The full-time jobs as table game/poker dealers will pay about $17 to $22 hourly, plus benefits, according to the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland website. The pay range is comparable to the average salary for welders, machinists and crane operators in the region, according to a state estimate.

The Cleveland casino will employ 1,600 people. Overall, casinos in Cleveland and those opening later in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo will provide more than 6,000 jobs.

In 2009, Ohio voters approved casinos, which were pitched as a much-needed new source of employment in a state hit hard by the loss of manufacturing jobs. Statewide, the unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in August, with more than 519,000 people out of work.

Berkheimer was among about 30 people, some unemployed and some looking for a better life, who attended free two-hour classes meant to help people in their casino job hunt.

Tom Euerle, 24, of Parma, who handles billing for a landscaping company, said the coaching helped him emphasize parts of his experience that might appeal to a casino — handling money and security issues.

Euerle learned to highlight items such as “customer service” and “hospitality” in his r sum and interview.

“Most of it is attitude, just conveying you’re happy, you’re positive, willing to please,” Euerle said.