Making plans to become an actuary? Good for you. However, before you continue on with those plans, do two things. Get a calendar and mark off the next six to ten years of your life, and make sure you look in the mirror and tell yourself over and over again that you really do love mathematics and/or have math skills as well as an interest in finance. Oh, sorry folks; almost forgot to mention that a bachelor’s degree, certifications, and some on-the-job training are usually some of the more common requirements for this type of career. Well, if this first paragraph hasn’t scared you off, and you’re still determined, remember that when all the blue skies and green lights come back and you have a nice job at some large insurance company making a bucketful of those green pieces of paper with the picture of dead president on the front…..you’ll be happy and glad you chose to become a full-pledged ACTUARY! We’re proud of you.
Respect? Let’s Count The Ways!
At the beginning, you might think you’re the only person in the actuary boat. What you may not grasp at this stage of your life, is that you are paddling your way to one of the best jobs in this country. In short, it means there are plenty of advantages to joining the actuarial ranks. Job outlook and earning potential come to mind. Then there are also several other things you will gain like respect from colleagues, a substantial variety in your work, and influence with clients and employers. That said, once you are moving along your chosen actuary path, your job outlook many times will target the insurance industry and use mathematical models to help clients and employers analyze financial risk. Why you may ask? Look at it this way. Actuarial work is not only rich in variety, it’s important. Companies rely on actuaries to remain competitive and protect the public from unfair and sometimes unlawful products.
Ergo, if this article on how to become an actuary has tugged on your coat long enough, and you have taken the necessary steps toward pursuing actuarial science as a major, please consider these few advice suggestions:
* Aggressively pursue an internship that can smooth the transition from being just a student to being a real professional. Actually, many companies offer internship opportunities with an eye toward hiring some of the most promising students for a full-time position upon graduation. You should also keep in mind that a future employer is always looking down-the-road for students with an ability to take the initiative, apply actuarial ideas to real-life conundrums as well as contributing to the organization. There is no doubt about it, folks. An internship is one of the more effective ways to advance a career.
Note: This article has covered many thoughts about becoming an actuary. However, you may have noticed that many of the arrows tossed to the dartboard had to deal with a reputation for integrity. The fact is that actuaries, without question, are some of the most ethical professionals in America. Actuaries will be required to make the hard but correct decisions when they could have taken the easy way out. Yes, it is a proud profession, but the long path won’t be easy.