Obtaining an internship after graduation??

[JUICE]

I graduated in May of last year, passed exam P in August with a score of 8. I plan on sitting for exam FM in May, and I have no relevant actuarial experience.

I would like to obtain an intership for the summer (between exam FM and exam M which I anticipate taking in the fall/winter). My question is how reluctant employers would be to hire me on as an intern considering my situation. What concerns might they have and how could I effectively alleviate those concerns?

Thanks :)

[Denny Crane]

I graduated in May of last year, passed exam P in August with a score of 8. I plan on sitting for exam FM in May, and I have no relevant actuarial experience. I would like to obtain an intership for the summer (between exam FM and exam M which I anticipate taking in the fall/winter). My question is how reluctant employers would be to hire me on as an intern considering my situation. What concerns might they have and how could I effectively alleviate those concerns? Thanks :)

You have not really mentioned enough regarding why you waited and that might be the cause of concern. If you can explain that away you might be in good shape. The fact you passed P is good, the fact you are sitting in May is good. You'll need to show concrete evidence this is the track you want to stay with and that you will be successful. Give them evidence of that. Contact companies for internships and you might be OK.

[Smythe]

Why would you not apply for a full time job?

[Denny Crane]

Good point!

[JUICE]

The reason I waited is simply because I didn't know I wanted to be an actuary when I was, say, a sophomore in college. The turning point for me was taking the probability theory courses as a junior (I was a math major) and talking to several students who were on the actuarial track. After that, it was simply a matter of saving up my $$ for the exam fees and the Actex manual..... which is suprisingly hard to do as a full time college student with two part time jobs.

Incidentally, I did apply for two internships this spring and was rejected for both :(

I am registered, however, to take Exam 2/FM in May, and I have conducted an informational interview with an actuary who works for Nationwide. After the exam, I plan on taking the online course for the VEE Corporate Finance requirement (I already took economics classes in college) and beginning my search for a full-time entry level position.

Can someone give me an idea how hard it would be to obtain an entry-level position with 2 exams passed, but no internship nor experience in a related field? Basically, should I even be looking for full time work or should I swallow my pride and attempt to gain experience as an intern?

[dyc]

The reason I waited is simply because I didn't know I wanted to be an actuary when I was, say, a sophomore in college. The turning point for me was taking the probability theory courses as a junior (I was a math major) and talking to several students who were on the actuarial track. After that, it was simply a matter of saving up my $$ for the exam fees and the Actex manual..... which is suprisingly hard to do as a full time college student with two part time jobs.

Incidentally, I did apply for two internships this spring and was rejected for both :(

I am registered, however, to take Exam 2/FM in May, and I have conducted an informational interview with an actuary who works for Nationwide. After the exam, I plan on taking the online course for the VEE Corporate Finance requirement (I already took economics classes in college) and beginning my search for a full-time entry level position.

Can someone give me an idea how hard it would be to obtain an entry-level position with 2 exams passed, but no internship nor experience in a related field? Basically, should I even be looking for full time work or should I swallow my pride and attempt to gain experience as an intern?

Definitely doable if you are a Citizen and are willing to relocate. I think Liberty Mutual has positions in your area.

Another thing which I noticed, and this might be wrong, is that consulting companies are more willing to overlook lack of internships. More experienced members should comment on this.

[Trojan_Horse]

I got a job with one exam passed and no internship with no problem. As long as you have decent communication skills you should be able to get a full time position. Don't wait - start applying.