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Passed Your First Actuarial Exam? Do This Next!
First off, congratulations on such a HUGE success! Passing an actuarial exam is far from easy, but you’ve done it!
Now that you’ve checked that off your list, you may be wondering what’s next. You may be surprised that I don’t recommend you immediately start studying for another exam.
That’s what many people end up doing.
However, there are other things that should be a higher priority right now.
How to Find an Actuarial Job or Internship (3 quick tips)
Looking for an actuarial job or internship? You’re in the right place!
Everyday, I’m helping people just like you to find their first actuarial internship or entry-level position. So, in this post I’ll go through the top 3 things you need to do to make sure you’re a competitive candidate for any position you apply to.
The Actuary Profession: What we do, Requirements & Salary
A career as an actuary can be incredibly fulfilling and interesting, but it’s not a career that many people have heard of before.
So what does an actuary do? An actuary is responsible for evaluating risk in an insurance company. You need a bachelor’s degree and to pass several professional exams in order to become fully qualified, but once you are you can make $150,000+ annually.
5 Things I Learned from the World’s Youngest Actuary
There’s so much conversation about how much to study; people overlook how to study.
I fell into this trap when studying for my first actuarial exams.
I set my goal for 300 study hours, and then I locked myself away for 2-3 months. I remember forgoing a spring break vacation so I could study for 4-6 hours per day. I took pride in my marathon study sessions; I took pride in being busy.
Actuarial Exam Costs (Exam Fees + Study Materials)
If you’re thinking about writing an actuary exam soon, you’re probably curious about how much it’ll cost to take the exams.
How much do actuary exams cost? The first 2 exams are $225 USD. Costs gradually increase to $1,125 USD as the exams get more and more advanced. Study material costs can range from $0 to $1,500+ depending on the exam and your choice of materials.
Can an engineer become an actuary?
If you’re an engineer looking to make a career change then becoming an actuary is definitely a career to consider.
But first off, can an engineer even become an actuary? Yes! With a bachelors degree and strong willingness to put in the effort needed, an engineer can become an actuary.
What does an actuary do?
Not sure what an actuary does? Well, you’re in the right place!
An actuary is a career professional that specializes in risk quantification. This means that they’re able to foresee the timing and financial impact of random events that may occur in the future, like a car accident or the onset of a life-threatening illness.
What Do Entry-Level Actuaries Need to Know About Excel?
Actuarial exams aren’t the only thing that employers look at when they’re considering hiring a new entry-level actuary. Excel skills are important too!
If you want to be successful on the job, you will need to know how to use Excel functions such as if-then statements, vlookups, summations and averages. Being able to use pivot tables, graphing features, named ranges, sorting capabilities, and VBA will all come in useful as well.
The 5 Major Reasons You Should Consider Being an Actuary
If you’re trying to decide whether or not the actuarial career path is a good fit for you, you’ll want to make sure you embody all 5 of these characteristics.
1. You’re interested in the concepts behind insurance.
2. You’re a problem solver.
3. You’re self-motivated, goal-oriented, and don’t give up easily.
4. You’re detail-oriented.
5. You desire a professional, high salary career with just a bachelor’s degree.
The 5 Requirements to be an Actuary and How to Fulfill Them
Becoming an actuary isn’t something that can be done quickly. There are 5 requirements that need to be met, and it takes years of hard work and dedication to do so.
So, what are the requirements to be an actuary?
1. Get a Bachelor’s degree.
2. Pass 10 actuarial exams.
3. Pass several online courses.
4. Attend conferences.
5. Continuing education.