do you have any programming experience? have you worked with a team before? what is your research experience? be sure to talk about those things in your resume. if you haven't already, it's time to buckle down and get a local job (maybe fast food) to start making money. we've all got to hustle at some point, and right now you need to.
i also graduated in 2016 and i was pursuing government jobs and government contractor jobs. this includes SPAWAR, NASA, Northrop Grumman, L3 Communications, SpaceX, SAIC, Booze-Allen, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and so on. i got hired for the government early on but the clearance process is still on-going so i haven't started work for them yet. i've applied for over a hundred jobs with contractors for mainly software engineering positions. i was contacted by L3 over four months ago for an embedded position but i botched the HR interview questions despite nailing the programming questions. after following up with another guy, he told me his boss was interested in having me as a systems engineer, and i can begin work there immediately while i work towards a clearance. i'm preparing to move for the job right now, actually.
other options include trading and other finance related jobs (actuarial positions are a little too specialized though) and data scientist positions in silicon valley. i didn't want to do that sort of work but maybe you will.
Tyler Collins
(continued) you're about to leave the "new grad" category and enter the "still doesn't have a job" category. just having a degree doesn't mean anything and doesn't guarantee you a job (unless it's an engineering degree), you were supposed to start building your work application by the end of junior year. get it together, get a local job for now, contribute to open source projects (if you know programming), etc. if you graduated with a pure math degree and NOTHING else, you're not much better off than a philosophy degree. even having a PhD in pure math could be useless depending on the field of study. i guess an option is to go back to school and get a masters in applied math, physics, statistics, etc.
Jaxon Adams
Yo. Doing an internship atm, two exams passed, so I'm not an actuary but then again no one is until they've been certified and have passed a bunch more along with a bunch of stat/econ classes.
It is worth pursuing, but only if you're determined and a smart cookie. Job market's getting more competitive as people, as of recent downturns flooded in, but that'll pass when the dumbs give up.
If you decide to pursue it 100%, learn SQL, SAS, basic office stuff, pass three exams (assuming burgerness), and there'll be an entry level position out there for you. Easier said than done, though.
And btw the best way to pass the exams is to do as many sample problems as possible and get the current concepts down rote.
Chase Lopez
No, I'm not an actuary. However, I did read this book about this guy who was terrified, as in all the time...mostly about disasters. He went into selling insurance because his fears of multiple worst-case scenarios could affect the ceo's who would then buy his insurance. He was VERY good; and extremely wealthy (not important to me, except I'd use it to feed the hungry and malnourished). If I was good at sales (selling, pitching, scamming) I could be him. But if I was good at sales, I'd just be a ceo whore and I worry far too much about karma and consequences: and, especially, of being reborn as a child sex- or snuff-toy to pay for my greed and lies (such as view counts).
Noah Roberts
None of the exams are unreasonably hard if you prepare well (at least in my experience, I've passed two and will write a third in a couple months).
If you don't prepare specifically for them, it's likely you will fail. You have to move fairly fast to get through enough of the exam in time and there are enough subtle tricks in the questions that if you try to do everything the naive way or just try to figure it out on the fly you'll run out of time very quickly.
The exams are a gatekeeping measure, in a sense; you aren't supposed to pass if you didn't pay somebody to show you how to pass.
Kayden Adams
>you were supposed to start building your work application by the end of junior year. >tfw going to graduate in may and have never done anything other than go to school my entire life
Benjamin Ward
No I wasn't. Thank you
Joseph Myers
I do have a job to rake in money. I've just been hoping for something quantitative. I never did apply for internships so that's obviously hurting me now. These responses have lead me to decide to take a few programming classes at a local Community College while I work on the exams. Thanks for your replies.
I'm willing to put the work in. My dad is going to purchase TIA for me for my birthday. Any tips for SQL other than a college class?
Also, I've tried looking for a spring semester internship. But it seems all the companies I've come across are looking for exams for an intern. In the Boston area if that's where you are. Thanks.
Thank you for the reply.
This is not me.
Aiden Gutierrez
Going to write Exam FM on the 24th. I have got all of the concepts down. I just need to sit down and do problems for several hours (over the next three days).
I'm trying to get an internship at Travelers (Hartford, CT) and pass Exams FM and P. Also, the books by Finan are high quality, in my opinion.
