Developing Oneself as a Holistic Actuary
As an actuarial student, it may seem that the path to success (employment, credentials, and more) is solely based on academic achievement. Students are often under the assumption that if they pass X exams and have Y GPA, they will be able to score a coveted actuarial internship or entry-level position. Through my experiences, I can tell you that just being an exam and homework machine is simply not enough; instead, one should consider some or all of these 9 tips below to develop themselves as a holistic actuary.
Communication – Interpersonal and intrapersonal communication are essential in this field. Once someone understands a complex actuarial concept, it is then their duty to be able to communicate these results and conjectures to their coworkers, managers, and other departments. To develop this skill, I recommend just getting out there and talking to people. If an opportunity to teach a class or give a presentation arises, jump on it- practice makes perfect!
Do Your Research – What is an actuary, and why do you want to be one? Do you know the differences and similarities between consulting and industry? Investigating this information through speaking to professors and people currently in the industry is a great way to figure things like this out. Additionally, there are online resources like CAS Student Central, Actuarial Outpost, BeAnActuary and other forums dedicated just to educating you.
Study Smart – By collaborating with peers, studying becomes a lot more beneficial. Locking yourself away in a silent cubicle can lead to a lot of frustration and misunderstandings. Working through problems with peers and discussing difficult concepts often leads to a better understanding for all parties. Additionally, check out online study tools like Coaching Actuaries and The Infinite Actuary to optimize your exam preparation techniques.
Network – If you’re in school, and your school has an Actuarial Science Club, join it. Your peers are going through similar triumphs and struggles, and this comradery can offer a great support system. Additionally, attending recruitment or informational conferences, company presentations, and even meeting digitally (i.e. LinkedIn or forums) can lead to interpersonal connections in which you can leave a lasting impression on a recruiter and learn about what they do. Sometimes, who you know becomes more important than what you know.
Programming – If there is an opportunity to learn more information about programming or data, take advantage of it. For example, this semester, I heard about a business class at my school teaching information about data analytics, IT, and a brief introduction to   Super interesting! Often, similar opportunities exist in our lives but may not be mandatory or well-known—find them, and try them. There are also many online resources for programming; just hop on your favorite search engine.
Time Management – Think critically about the best way for you to manage your time. Some people may utilize an online calendar and scheduling tool, but keeping a physical planner or calendar might work best for you. When studying for exams, know when the next sitting is and be sure to sign up far in advance to get your ideal time slot and location. Studying for an exam takes a lot of dedication and time management, especially when done in conjunction with work and/or school.
Diversity – Our world is a very diverse place, and you will work with people of different races, genders, sexual orientations, ability statuses, religions, nationalities, and ethnicities than you. Knowledge about inclusion and social identity goes a long way, especially when you’re able to integrate your knowledge into your everyday interactions. Working with a diverse group of people brings forth a mélange of new ideas and can propel your work to a new level.
Know How to Use Prometric-Permitted Exam Calculators – Having to calculate a bond yield or the present value of an annuity on a TI-30 can be emotionally and physically exhausting. When you have access to a BA-II Plus, calculating these values becomes a lot easier. However, you have to know the right sequence of buttons to press and more. I suggest using only Prometric-permitted exam calculators when studying for actuarial exams. If you find that financial calculators are difficult to navigate, YouTube has great tutorials for the BA-II Plus!
Have Fun! – While we have a long road ahead of us, it is important to take some time to be a human. Spending a night with friends after a long week can be a great way to recharge and take care of yourself. Joining a fun club, community organization, or volunteering can give you some time to relax, reflect, and do good.
Overall, I’d just like to stress that becoming an actuary is more than just “number-crunching” (although, a fascination with numbers certainly helps). To become a holistic actuary, one must consider the above points while also staying motivated. This is a process that we are all working towards (perhaps, reaching this perfectly holistic level is unattainable), but we just have to keep trying!
New Exam MAS-II covers some of the material in Exam C – primarily credibility theory – but also covers new statistics and analytics materials such as Linear Mixed Models, Bayesian Analysis & Markov Chain Monte Carlo, and Statistical Learning, all of which have become valuable and critical for casualty actuaries. This exam will first be offered in the fall of 2018, and the transition rule simply dovetails with the last scheduled offering of Exam C in the spring of 2018. The 
In February we were happy to announce that CAS would be taking part in 
Over the course of 2016 our CAS Student Central social media presence expanded and we wanted to use it to reach you directly and answer questions you might have, so we hosted our first 
In the fall, to help give you a broader look at the actuarial profession, we focused the CAS Student Central webinar on 
Compensation – What are they offering financially? The base salaries offered by both companies may be similar, but you must also consider a few other factors. Look at bonus potential (are you even eligible?), student program bonuses and raises for passing exams and receiving credentials, and company benefits. What might seem like a similar pair of salaries may seem very different when you dive into the details.
Career Path – Is there room at your potential employer for growth? Will you be part of a rotational program or will you be slotted into a role for the foreseeable future? Consider the size of the company and how actuaries move along their career path. If the company is small you might not have the opportunity to move up. If the company is large, you may be doing a very narrowly defined job that will not give you the skills to move forward.
Companionship – Did you like the people you met on your interview? You will be spending a very large portion of your waking hours with your coworkers. If you don’t like them, or there just aren’t many of them, you might find yourself miserable or just plain lonely.
Culture– Does the company culture fit your personality?  If you are the laid back type, you might not be happy at a company that has a high speed, constantly changing landscape. Conversely, if you are a high-energy type-A personality, you might not enjoy working for a more conservative, slow paced organization.  This is a good topic for questioning during the interview stage, so you can truly understand the company you are working for and how you would fit in terms of temperament.
The CAS has made it easier than ever to run an actuarial case competition for university students! With the help of practicing actuaries and some serious volunteer time, the CAS has developed two case competitions, complete with toolkits that offer you guidance and templates to run your own case competition.