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What’s it like to be an Actuary?

I am currently a high school senior in Erie, PA hoping to become an actuary. I have a job shadow coming up in the next couple days, and i was trying to find things to look out for. I enjoy math and statistics so a career in actuarial science interests me.

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Donna’s Answer

Great idea and you will hopefully gain many useful insights on the actuarial profession by the job shadowing. Lots will depend on the person you shadow and how much time he or she can devote to making your experience meaningful. The actuarial profession can take a person in many directions and one size doesn't fit everyone so be cognizant that the typical day of the person you shadow might be very different from what you end up doing. Ask the person how their career has changed over time and how they decided on the area they are working in which could be life, pension, health, casualty, risk management, and others. Also, I would ask them about their training and education - - what actuarial exams they pursued, how they found the time to work the necessary studying into their lives. Did they get support from their employer in terms of study time and reimbursement for materials, courses? How were promotions and pay increases impacted by exam success? Meeting others in the office and seeing what their days are like in terms of interactions with peers, supervisors, clients, time to problem solve on their own and resources available will be valuable. Seeing how much their math background is actually used day to day will also be interesting to find out. Introductory positions can often seem tedious and perhaps not all that exciting but understanding the trajectory of one's career and understanding the importance of on the job experiences, even those that aren't all that exciting, will be helpful.
Good luck and hope your experience is meaningful. Even if it isn't perfect, don't let this one exploration sour you on the career. There are so many different types of jobs and places to work as an actuary and with your interest in math and statistics, you would likely find many that would suit you. I always suggest going to the websites of the various actuarial professional organizations to gain understanding of the field,the credentialing requirements, and the directions an actuarial career can take you. Two websites I recommend are www.soa.org and www.casact.org.
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Dana’s Answer

The actuarial profession is a very rewarding one, if you commit up front to the exams. In addition to the actuarial science knowledge (check out universities that offer this as a major), actuaries need cutting edge knowledge of AI, cloud computing, and data. Once you move past the exams and become qualified, your career can take you in many directions - technical, managerial, executive, or non-traditional actuarial routes, such as climate modeling. Check out beanactuary.org for more information online.
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