If you're a newly-qualified actuary – congratulations! You’ve passed your exams and you’re probably considering what’s next.
The job market has a lot to offer, but the market fluctuates. Especially during summer and the new year. During these peak times, our candidates often ask for advice on how to stand out from the other newly-qualified actuaries vying for the best opportunities.
Here we catch up with Sophie Price, a Senior Consultant from our Life Actuarial desk, who has provided three key points of consideration:
1. Make sure your CV is sharp
It’s important to have a polished CV that is tailored to each role you apply for. You can see our CV tips here but remember: a one-size-fits-all approach will not find you the job you want – and taking a lazy approach to job applications can damage your chances of getting that all-important interview.
Market yourself according to each role and your experience in accordance to its requirements. You should also treat your CV as an on-going monthly task, updating as you go. When a good role comes to market, you must be reactive – so take the stress out of the application process by keeping an up-to-date CV.
2. Focus on your end goal and be strategic in your career moves
In this industry, there is little room for side promotion: you need to be strategic about the path you choose. Switching specialisms can be made possible – we’ve moved candidates from Pensions to Life, Life to General Insurance – but the move needs to be carefully thought out and outlined by a clear set of motivations.
Remember: your experience can be questioned, but your motivations cannot. Write a short, impactful statement explaining why you want to switch specialisms, focussing on pull factors rather than push factors. This will make you stand out from the crowd and better your chances for interview.
3. Consider working with a recruitment consultant
Don’t begin your job search by looking on a job board. We work with some of the top actuarial clients in the UK, who say they find it difficult to attract the right talent through online advertisements.
Instead, work with an agent who has long-standing relationships with clients and a thorough knowledge of the actuarial market.
By working with a recruitment consultant, not only will you gain access to exclusive roles, you’ll receive additional information on the company you are applying for; how they interview, what the team you’ll be joining is like, and additional information you’ll not find elsewhere.
And, for the actuarial market, there is no better consultancy than Oliver James Associates. We’ve been the leading recruitment partner since 2002, providing recruitment solutions to the actuarial market for over 17 years, and have the longest-standing relationships with our clients. We have the entire market mapped out and provide our candidates with a 360-view of the actuarial landscape.
So, why go it alone when you could be receiving expert knowledge, salary insight, interview advice and unlimited access to exclusive content? We keep in touch with our candidates, too, so you’ll be notified of roles we think are relevant to your goals.
Want to find out more? Give Sophie a call on +44 (0) 203 386 19126, email her at Sophie.price@ojassociates.com, or click here to be redirected to LinkedIn.
