Testing Session

Irish Stamp

Irish Stamp

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Received notice today (from letter dated last Friday) that I have to attend a testing session for an odds compilation job I applied for with the company i'm currently employed by tommorow afternoon.

Been really hammering the percentages, overound's, practicing on the golf 3 balls etc but does anyone have any other advice about these sort of things?

As far as I know it will be testing my betting knowledge and possibly sports knowledge (the job is primarily football related).

All help is appreciated.
 
Tricky job to prep for....I had an interview for Paddy Power a few years back - asked me how much confidence I had in my prices - think I replied "reasonably so" or "fairly confident" - interviewer's response was "how would you feel about standing one for £250,000" - think I gulped. Got offered the job but missus didn't want to move to Dublin and divorce was too costly :)

Also had an interview with Racing Research where I was asked "What are the combined odds of two 4-1 chances?" - gave the answer "6-4" and was then asked "how did you work that out" which I wasn't expecting. Best interview I ever had - went on for several hours and I missed the train from Leeds - never got the job though.

Good luck.
 
Be confident, Martin - and remember that virtually all compilers/traders are arrogant gits precisely as they are confident in their prices/trading practices, which they have to be really! :D

Early doors [not long into my career as an odds compiler] I stood a massive bet on Iris's Gift in the Gold Cup in September, hours after he had won at Market Raspberry. I wasn't impressed in the slightest with the performance in terms of that season's Gold Cup and when my boss nearly had an eppy I calmly said the horse couldn't possibly win that season's Gold Cup, not so long as he had a hole in his rear end. It was a long wait until March during which I endured a lot of ribbing but stood my ground, stating that I'd earnt the firm a nice amount, that the punter was certifiable and I wasn't worried in the slightest about the bet. The rest, as they say, is history - and the boss did at least have the good grace to admit "well laid" after the Festival! :laughing:

Seriously though, without coming across as a cocky git you must come across as confident - you will have to back up any decision made with full reasoning when challenged, not least as it may be to a punter that you end up explaining that to.

Know your stuff - mainly betting rules and the sport you are dealing with in general. Stuff like betting percentages can be learnt along the way and no-one expects a junior compiler to be completely au fait with that side of it so long as they can grasp the rudimentary basics.

Oh, and come across as keen, willing & eager to learn - ask questions about why certain things are done, it looks better than asking nothing and possibly insinuating thus that you know it all, after all most traders/compilers are fairly egotistical and it does no harm to stroke their ego a little! :D It's a fine balance to strike between appearing confident yet not cocky and a little deferential.

Good luck m'dear - knock 'em dead :)
 

Know your stuff - mainly betting rules and the sport you are dealing with in general. Stuff like betting percentages can be learnt along the way and no-one expects a junior compiler to be completely au fait with that side of it so long as they can grasp the rudimentary basics.

Oh, and come across as keen, willing & eager to learn - ask questions about why certain things are done, it looks better than asking nothing and possibly insinuating thus that you know it all, after all most traders/compilers are fairly egotistical and it does no harm to stroke their ego a little! biggrin.gif It's a fine balance to strike between appearing confident yet not cocky and a little deferential.
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In addition to SL's wise comments..........

If it is a sport specific position you have applied for, make sure you know the sport and the markets offered on that sport inside out. e.g. for football, make sure you can explain an Asian handicap and I'd expect to be given a few matches to price up.

It is also perfectly possible to be an successful compiler/trader without having an ego the size of an elephant.
 
Thanks all - did you write the test CF? :)

The exact "explain the Asian Handicap and give an example of it?" question came up along with a coupon of football games, test and 20/20 cricket, international rugby union, various scenarios/season times of Manchester United vs Chelsea matches, Super League games, the World Snooker Championship's semi's and outright, the final round of the European Open golf asking to price to a particular percentage and a series of "which ground do they play at?" "who was top scorer for Aberdeen last season?" "where do these players play?" "What league are they in?" featuring speedway, US football (Galaxy, Real Salt Lake etc), rugby league, rugby union, cricket.

All in all it was a great learning experience though and I learnt a lot about what I now know I don't know :)
 
Originally posted by Irish Stamp@Jul 20 2007, 06:46 PM
Thanks all - did you write the test CF? :)

The exact "explain the Asian Handicap and give an example of it?" question came up along with a coupon of football games, test and 20/20 cricket, international rugby union, various scenarios/season times of Manchester United vs Chelsea matches, Super League games, the World Snooker Championship's semi's and outright, the final round of the European Open golf asking to price to a particular percentage and a series of "which ground do they play at?" "who was top scorer for Aberdeen last season?" "where do these players play?" "What league are they in?" featuring speedway, US football (Galaxy, Real Salt Lake etc), rugby league, rugby union, cricket.

All in all it was a great learning experience though and I learnt a lot about what I now know I don't know :)
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Let's just say I've been in one or two similar interviews in my time ! :P

How do you think you faired overall ?
 
Honestly I don't think I did that well - I sort of ran out of time whilst some had it done after 30 minutes etc. but if I keep working on improving my knowledge of sports generally and of overound then I'm sure it will get better and I'll be better prepared for next time and know what to expect
 
You either have it or you dou dont. I dont have it and you dont. Expand your mind and **** odds compiling.
 
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