The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Well, graduating seniors, with the recruiting season underway, what are you thinking about doing with your life after graduation?

I'm probably gonna go into management consulting, but I can't stand how flimsy and pointless the whole thing seems. On top of that I'll study for actuartial exams in the meantime so I can get started along that track over the next few years. If I go crazy and want to do something off the wall, I'm trying to keep the option to do Teach For America open.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Gamble.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Teach for America is a gamble.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Teach for America is vastly -EV.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Everything I have heard is that Teach for America is awful. Go teach english in Japan if you want to do something like that. You'll have a much better time and they pay reasonably.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

sit at the computer on FTP all day after i grad. when i get stuck, i will go play sizzling sevens at local indian casino

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

I have put in applications but heard nothing back yet. Theres a good chance I might be looking at just taking time off and doing things I won't ever be able to do again later in life.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

I applied for my dream job and lucked out an got an interview and then got the job.

PS: I also know very well people who are professional teachers and people who do TFA. I can sum up their collective thoughts: dont do TFA. I can get into more details but its been done before.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

I was wondering how many people here expect to start in jobs that are actually in their field? I know that I almost definately won't be in my field at least to start out with and the way things are looking I might never actually end up in my field.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

just took exam P (actuary exam)on friday and passed unofficially.
probably will take FM in may.

I will be attending a career expo thing on tuesday, 6 or 7 insurance companies should be there, so I will try and see what I can get done there.

I am graduating in summer with a math and econ degree. but other than that and the exams I don't have a lot to put on my resume. I haven't had many jobs because I have never needed one (poker hourly wage was 2-10x higher than the highest paying normal job available to me). So I think I might have an uphill battle ahead of me.

Any other posters out there considering the actuary route?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

I also passed unofficially. What are you going to put on your resume since the official grades dont come out for 6 weeks? I think I am going to put:

Passed exam P/1 (According to their new preliminary analysis, official numerical grade released in early April)

Thoughts?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
I also passed unofficially. What are you going to put on your resume since the official grades dont come out for 6 weeks? I think I am going to put:

Passed exam P/1 (According to their new preliminary analysis, official numerical grade released in early April)

Thoughts?

[/ QUOTE ]

i am pretty nervous about my resume as a whole, i have never had one and don't really know how to put one together (but it can't be that hard right?)... so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I am probably just going to put:

Passed SOA/CAS Exam P/1 Feb-07 (unofficial)

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Well, I'll update:

My parents sounded kinda pissed that I wanted to be an actuary. They apparently want me to go into consulting a lot now, which is strange because they were turned off by it at first. So I didn't even bring up/apply for TFA.

I'm doing interviews, and I hate it more than anything. I'm a double major in econ and geography with a math minor, a 4.0 cumulative GPA and numerous academic awards, 2 consulting internships, but I just really really suck at interviewing--to the point that they don't care about me looking pretty much perfect on paper. I hate talking to random people about myself, esepcially when I secretly think their company is full of crap and I'll despise my job. I might go the actuarial route just to enter a field where you're expected to be socially awkward and numbers-oriented.

I'm not worried about the probability exam too much. I know a whole lot about continuous random variables, etc so usually the discrete problems and set theory applications are pretty easy. I'll definitely have to brush up on finance, though.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Omaha

tell your parents to get off your back. seriously. what do with your life is an important question its not a question you should rely on other people to answer.

advice is fine. but them getting pissed at your decisions? disregard that entirely.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Juggling between Microsoft, Amazon.com and Lehman Brothers. I wish I could just gamble, drink beer and bang hot asian chicks all day though.

I dunno, brag or beat?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

ahh I have a bunch of interviews coming up with a bunch of big name companies, but I kinda wanna just sit at home and gamble.

I am destined to be a bum

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

any other finance guys in boston graduating this semester and lining up jobs

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

"but I just really really suck at interviewing--to the point that they don't care about me looking pretty much perfect on paper. I hate talking to random people about myself, esepcially when I secretly think their company is full of crap and I'll despise my job."

I wouldn't bother going to the interviews if that's the attitude you're going to bring. I was in a similar boat when I graduated: perfect on paper but not at all thrilled about the prospect of working for these bs companies. Then I thought about it from their perspective. This guy has the credentials to work anywhere he wants, he's just gonna leave us as soon as he finds a better deal. You have to convince them that you're stoked about working for them and it helps a lot if that's actually true.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
"but I just really really suck at interviewing--to the point that they don't care about me looking pretty much perfect on paper. I hate talking to random people about myself, esepcially when I secretly think their company is full of crap and I'll despise my job."

I wouldn't bother going to the interviews if that's the attitude you're going to bring. I was in a similar boat when I graduated: perfect on paper but not at all thrilled about the prospect of working for these bs companies. Then I thought about it from their perspective. This guy has the credentials to work anywhere he wants, he's just gonna leave us as soon as he finds a better deal. You have to convince them that you're stoked about working for them and it helps a lot if that's actually true.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the advice, and I also get the "what's the point if it's obvious I don't even want this" feeling. Now I'm basically sick of having to deal with all this crap and feel like blowing off the whole job hunt thing as a whole. I'm currently pwning my combinatorics class, though.

Math grad school here I come?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
Math grad school here I come?

[/ QUOTE ]

what do you plan on doing with the math degree?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

I've passed Exam P and Exam FM and I'll be starting with a somewhat large actuarial consulting firm in Chicago in June. I interned last summer with Mercer, probably the largest act. consulting firm, got some good experience there. Anyone who has any questions let me know (note: if you're coming out of school with only one exam I wouldn't hold your breath on still getting a job by summer, most summer starts already interviewed...there's a few positions that always come open, but not so many for entry-level.)

Omaha,
Why would you want to go from management consulting to actuarial work? As long as you're talking about a legit MC firm such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Mercer, IBM, Deloitte, Accenture, etc. you aren't going to want to move into Actuarial from here..you can get into top B-school and go anywhere you want. With the 4.0(unless your school sucks) you should get interviews here(well, not if you're a senior..they're all already done hiring. I'm pretty sure that if you didn't know this by now, though, you aren't a very serious candidate.)

However the actuarial consulting areas are much more defined and less BS oriented, i'm going into Health and Benefits, which should be a great career. You'll have a lot of options later, but the thing is, exam-passing is what keeps the $ raises coming.

kbinder--i agree with your statement. no reason for math grad school unless you have a defined reason.

TFA is an absolutely horrible idea. The program is designed so when you, the high-achieving student, get your high-achieving paycheck later in life; you will want to help out the public school systems. Also, imagine if a TFA alum becomes a politician..they will change the system. This is what the program is for: NOT for helping the individual schools out, they are way too underfunded for that.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Math grad school here I come?

[/ QUOTE ]

what do you plan on doing with the math degree?

[/ QUOTE ]

Getting a good finance job.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Math grad school here I come?

[/ QUOTE ]

what do you plan on doing with the math degree?

[/ QUOTE ]

Getting a good finance job.

[/ QUOTE ]

heh, my plans exactly. unfortunately, a general master's program in math isn't going to train you to do cool stuff with finance (unless it's a specialized program), but companies will still hire you because they value your thinking skills.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

kbinder,

Yeah, that stuff doesn't matter. Your quant skillz do.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Math grad school here I come?

[/ QUOTE ]

what do you plan on doing with the math degree?

[/ QUOTE ]

Getting a good finance job.

[/ QUOTE ]
Quite possibly same here. I really like math finance--I've studied it independently, although I can't derive black-scholes (sp) or anything. And I wasn't really being too serious about math grad school anyways--it's just want I might like to do.

skeetshooter--you think someone from UGA actually has a shot at McKinsey, etc? I haven't even gotten that much interest from lower-level consulting companies. I like math and probability a lot--I post in the probability forum all the time--and I can see the actual value actuaries have to society. Management consultants? Not so much...

I guess it's a moot point since I haven't interviewed for the top-tier or submitted a resume or anything. I kind of took the hint when they didn't make any sort of recruitment effort at my school whatsoever--not even an online resume drop.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

T50,

Almost none.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
T50,

Almost none.

[/ QUOTE ]None what?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
T50,

Almost none.

[/ QUOTE ]None what?

[/ QUOTE ]

Chance to get a big time consulting job.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

agreed. if they don't interview on your campus, the chances are very slim. i'd have thought a few mid-level firms would interview there, but originally i thought you had a 4.0 in math, which is another beast entirely. econ at a state school just isn't THAT tough to where that can make you competitive with those who went to tougher schools.
that said, do any actuarial consulting firms interview there? I know Georgia State has a large actuarial program that feeds into a lot of the Atlanta offices, so you might want to check into some of their career fairs and so on. That said, the earliest you could get an act. consulting job would probably be sept/oct...you'd have to pass P in May, and then you'd have a shot.

Note that some actuaries are not good personality-wise, and this leaves some room for people who are "not good at interviews" to get jobs. I'd say I am pretty good at interviewing, and several people I interviewed with(meaning kids going for the same jobs, they bring in 5 per interview day) were very awkward, however if you can work behind the computers there's a place for you.

Without exams passed, it's hard to tell if you can actually do this though.

The great thing about actuarial consulting is exams can make up for a low GPA or lower school attended.(I had a very low GPA, but go to a very hard school that isn't quite "nationally" known)

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
do any actuarial consulting firms interview there?

[/ QUOTE ] Not to my knowledge. I had kind of put all my chips into some sort of management consulting position. But having a few months off before finding something to do isn't the end of the world. I just feel kind of let down by all the [censored] you hear in high school/college about how you have plenty of time to decide what to do and it doesn't really matter, you should just do what you want right now, etc. I [censored] did that and now it's biting me in the ass. I really wish I had just gone and been a math/finance double major.

I will definitely sign up/study for the first couple actuarial exams and try to get a job for the fall.

And here's an opportunity I've been loath to take up so far: my dad is president of a very small trnasportation engineering consultancy. I suspect the reason he wants me to do management consulting is so I can get an MBA and eventually take over some day. The vice president (other principal) seems to really want me to work for them now. I've always kind of wanted to get off on my own though, and I feel like a privileged [censored] for taking up something like this. (note that I DO know the industry extemely well, and I have done very well working for them in the past.) I'm pretty sure that's why my dad doesn't want me to specialize in some business operation (actuary, finance etc).

That opportunity is looking more appealing by the day.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
you think someone from UGA actually has a shot at McKinsey, etc? I haven't even gotten that much interest from lower-level consulting companies.

[/ QUOTE ]

just get a foot in the door by getting an interview and then you're good to go. i work with people from all sorts of places. yes most are ivy leaguers, but some aren't - the part that is hard if you're from UGA is getting the interview, after that it's up to you.

leverage anything or anyone you can - any connection, no matter how flimsy, can help. i was once in a meeting w/ a director who got a call from his friend's brother's daughter who went to wesleyan with a less than stellar GPA, and he got an interview just bc the director was involved with recruiting and was having a good day when he got the call so decided to say OK.

edit: but yeah the recruiting season has passed i think - my friends here from notre dame and UT were definitely proactive and went to the website to submit their resume, called them up, etc. they won't come to your school to recruit since it isn't worth their time, but if you're proactive you have a shot. pretty sure this year mck is done hiring though, not sure about the other big firms but it's usually the same.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

So pretty much just business majors here?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Exactly... Half the crap you learn in even a specialized mathematical program won't be useful on a daily basis in industry. It's the critical thinking/problem solving skills with the solid foundation of concepts that matters most.

Thats why I will seldomly entertain interviewers who spend more than a few minutes asking you the nonsense HR questions about where you see yourself in the future, why you wanna work there, etc, etc...

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
the nonsense HR questions about where you see yourself in the future, why you wanna work there, etc, etc...

[/ QUOTE ] Oh god...that's the crap I suck at answering. I always try to answer a little uniquely and honestly, but it never goes well at all. I feel like they don't even want a smart or interesting answer...they're just trying to find a suitable yes-man and business work-bot. If you're really so concerned with intelligence and curiousity, how about you ask me a difficult logic question and see how I respond?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

If anyone is looking for a job in the Minneapolis, MN area my company is hiring (and is in dire need of help). The job would entail data analysis, setup, and acting as a liason between the IT team and the business team. PM me if you're interested.

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

To all the actuaries, I have been at my new job for a month. I just passed Exam 1/P, but I got the job before passing. There is a lot of work out there now since there are some new laws for the benefits companies to deal with. If anyone has any questions for someone who just went through this, PM me (though this site is blocked at work, which sucks).

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Research and development at US Steel, probably only temporary. I majored (am majoring) in materials sci and eng but my concentration is ceramics and not metals

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

Prop trading for JP Morgan

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

What do you guys think the best places to look for with an Economics degree are?

Re: The \"Lining up jobs\" Thread, 2007
 

[ QUOTE ]
What do you guys think the best places to look for with an Economics degree are?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a few friends w/ econ degrees and they easily found accounting type jobs right out of college. One in Mpls, Boston, NY, Seattle & Raleigh, so I'm sure wherever you are you can find something.