How is it being an Actuary?

[astroview]

This site says its the 2nd best job based on six key criteria: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands, security and stress.

What is it actually being an actuary? Is it fun, boring, exciting, rewarding? Do people like it?

Any insights would be good for a friend of mine

 

[dabuddha]

I've heard it's one of the most boring jobs ever.

 

[Encryptic]

So what was the 1st best job? Being a drug dealer? A porn star?

 

[notfred]

I don't even know what an actuary does.

 

[308nato]

First, I am not an actuary. I have a day job at a large insurance company. i work closely with Actuarial.

I can tell you this...they take work home nights and weekends, overtime is all the time, they all walk around like zombies and no one knows what the hell they are talking about most of the time. Oh, and they all sit together in the cafeteria by themselves at lunch.

I hope that helps a little.

 

[blackdogdeek]

iirc actuaries determine what to charge customers for insurance premiums. they do this by figuring out how likely they will have to pay off certain classes of people. it's all a lot of boring statistical mathematics.

 

[astroview]

Biologist
Actuary
Financial planner
Computer-systems analyst
Accountant
Software engineer
Meteorologist
Paralegal assistant
Statistician
Astronomer

 

[Rapidskies]

Originally posted by: 308nato
First, I am not an actuary. I have a day job at a large insurance company. i work closely with Actuarial.

I can tell you this...they take work home nights and weekends, overtime is all the time, they all walk around like zombies and no one knows what the hell they are talking about most of the time. Oh, and they all sit together in the cafeteria by themselves at lunch.

I hope that helps a little.

lol

 

[DaveSimmons]

I'd rather be a Lion Tamer! I even have a hat! A hat with 'lion tamer' on it. I got it at Harrods. And it lights up saying 'lion tamer' in great big neon letters, so that you can tame them after dark when they're less stroppy.

 

[CPA]

WOO-HOO I'm number 5!

And I work with actuarials also, but from another company. They do more than just insurance related issues - anything to do with life expectancy, future value/present value calculations, reporting for benefits (defined contribution and otherwise) expense, fair value and industry rates, and interest estimations on pension assets. But as someone else said, it is hella boring.

 

[minendo]

Paralegal assistant

Sweet and I can get that degree from Sally Struthers.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Well I have a degree in wildlife biology which is a specialized honors Bsc and I can tell you one thing, I never could find a job using it and the pay seemed about McDonalds scale when I saw one advertised so I don't know how biologist got to the top of the list.

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: Whade

Originally posted by: 308nato
First, I am not an actuary. I have a day job at a large insurance company. i work closely with Actuarial.

I can tell you this...they take work home nights and weekends, overtime is all the time, they all walk around like zombies and no one knows what the hell they are talking about most of the time. Oh, and they all sit together in the cafeteria by themselves at lunch.

I hope that helps a little.

lol

No LOL.
He's dead serious and very correct.

Actuaries have the most thankless, boring jobs in existence. Pros are that you NEVER get told what to do, you get paid a LOT, and you know more about what you're doing than anyone else. Cons are that you have no life and nobody likes you.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

You could try being an actuary, but odds are you wouldn't like it.

 

[Syringer]

Acturials, after a certain amount of exams are pretty much considered professionals..and without the aid of a graduate degree. Once they're at that level they make well into the 6-digit range, and all this after working and making money..rather than spending money in school.

 

[Hoober]

Somebody convince my wife that this is actually what she wants to do so that I can stay at home and not work.

 

[astroview]

Originally posted by: Hoober
Somebody convince my wife that this is actually what she wants to do so that I can stay at home and not work.

?

 

[wedi42]

WTF is Stevedore?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: johngute
WTF is Stevedore?

Longshoreman basically. They deal with tying up cargo ships, operating cranes, smuggling drugs, etc. Well, at least around here they do. They are all super unionized, get like 90K/yr and have sweet shifts. They can work 4 am - 7 am and if they're finished, they go home paid for an entire day type thing.

And I'm working for the #10 job

 

[dquan97]

#5 here!

 

[dave127]

well I'm going to school for this, and my uncle is in the profession, from my point of view, its exactly what i want to do, depending on where you work, the hours are pretty steady, the pay is great, although to some people its very boring work, however in my opinion its very interesting...another big plus is while you are taking your exams (which you get subsequent pay raises for passing and only have to take as many as you want), most workplaces give you paid study time for a couple of hours every day

 

[Aquaman]

I'm in the top 5

Cheers,
Aquaman <<<<<<<<Accountant

 

[bleeb]

Where is the Porn Star?... I'm sure there are No porn stars who hate their "hard" jobs.