Part 1: Finding the Jobs

Before we talk about about how to create a good resume and cover letter, you should first take some time to look at different job opportunities and see the kinds of skills that actuarial employers are looking for.

So, let’s first talk a little bit about the job market and where/when to look for actuarial jobs and internships.

When to Look for Jobs

In the Job Search Program, you’re not only going to be applying to job postings available online.  I’m also going to show you how to use your network (and expand your network) so that you can possibly find a position through someone you know.

However, applying to online job postings is certainly a good place to start, so let’s talk about them quickly.

Time of Year

There are actuarial and related jobs posted year round, so you should never put your job search on hold until the perfect time. Everyday new jobs are being posted, and the sooner you apply to them, the better.  (Sometimes jobs that are available aren’t even posted; that’s when your network can come in very handy).

But generally, you’ll see a big boost in job postings for both entry-level positions and internships from September to December. This is when employers usually do their job posting and interviewing for jobs and internships to start at the end of April (end of the school year). However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find postings at other times of the year, so always keep an eye out!

For example, if you want to find a summer internship in Summer 2022 for example, you’ll find the most postings from September 2021 to December 2021.

Number of Exams

Unfortunately, unless you have at least 1-2 exams passed, you’re unlikely to get an actuarial internship. To get your first full-time job, employers will probably expect you to have 2-3 (or more) exams passed.

But, even if you don’t have that many exams passed, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t apply anyway! Waiting is one of the biggest mistakes that aspiring actuaries make, because there is absolutely no harm in applying even if you don’t meet the exam requirements stated in the job posting.

I was able to get my first actuarial internship position with no exams passed. I made it clear to the employer that I really was very interested in becoming an actuary, and let them know that I was in the process of studying for my first exam.

This isn’t a common scenario, but if the employer sees potential in you, they may just give you a chance. So don’t wait!

Where to Look for Jobs

There are several different places you could look for jobs. The most common are Google and LinkedIn. If you just search for the type of job you’re looking for and the city, you’ll get several different results.

If you’re looking for a job in Canada, I’ve found this government job bank website to have lots of high-quality job posting on it.

You can also often find job postings directly on an employer’s website too, under the “Careers” section.

When you’re looking for jobs, it’s also important to be patient but persistent.  Employers sometimes take the hiring process slowly because they’re not in a big hurry to hire.  But that doesn’t mean that you should slow your search.  You need to be doing something every day that gets you one step closer to finding a job (and that’s where the Job Search Calendar included in this program comes in).

Types of Jobs to Look For

I know you’re here to find your first actuarial job or internship, and of course, that’s the main goal! But sometimes there are stepping stones that you have to take in order to get that job.

So, I encourage you to apply to any actuarial internships or entry-level jobs that you can find (even if you don’t meet all the requirements). On top of that, you should also look for other jobs (we’ll call these “stepping-stone jobs”) that would give you valuable and relevant experience for an actuarial position.

It’s better to be working in a job that is related to the actuarial career, than to just be sitting around and waiting for your actuarial career opportunity to come. You need to be proactive in doing whatever you can to improve your skill set. Working in a stepping-stone position will help with that. You can use the experience that you gain in these stepping-stone positions as leverage for getting an actuarial position in a 6-months to a year.

However, if you do find and get offered a stepping-stone job, you can (and should) still keep looking for an actuarial position. The stepping-stone job is just a temporary job that can give you additional skills and experience to add to your resume in hopes of getting an actuarial position.

Note that the Job Search Calendar (included with this program) gives you some assignments toward looking for stepping-stone positions too.

Here is a list of some types of stepping-stone jobs that you can look for:

• Data analyst
• Risk analyst
• Financial analyst
• Underwriter/underwriter assistant
• Positions in finance or investments
• Any job in an insurance company where you’d be learning the ins-and-outs of insurance products and how they work
• Actuarial assistant
• Any job where you’d be managing a database, and doing data entry

Geographical Flexibility

I also encourage you to be as geographically flexible as possible when applying to jobs. I know that it may not be ideal to commute to work for an hour or two, or to move to an unfamiliar city, but it will be worth it!

Once you get your first actuarial work experience, it becomes much easier to get another actuarial job afterwards. So, even after just 6-months to one year of working in an actuarial position, you may be able to get another job that is closer to home or in your favorite city.

Do whatever you can to get actuarial work experience, and it will pay off in the long run!

Next Step

Once you’ve assessed some job postings to see what kind of skills actuarial employers (an employers hiring in related positions) are looking for, it’s time to get started on preparing your resume.