Quick resume question

[statsRconfusing]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to get the opinions from those who make hiring decisions. Would getting certified in Microsoft Excel and Access be worth it? I realize its a pretty competitive job market and I'm going to get proficient in both excel and access anyway but just wanted to know if it was worth the money to get certified in them.

thanks,

[dagojr]

This is a great question, I'd like to know the same thing.

Despite having passed 4 exams I'm having an absolutely brutal time even getting an interview. I've had one over the phone a couple of months ago, nothing since then. Like the OP, I'm looking for a way to stand out.

I'm getting pretty good at Excel at my current job. I've even used some VBA to make a lot of my team's daily processes much faster - as in reducing jobs that used to take hours to seconds.

Granted, a lot of that gain is due to the fact that I'm over-qualified for my current job. I'm the only guy in my group that can write more than 5 lines of code without getting a headache. But I still feel like I have an advantage in this area over most entry-level actuarial candidates.

I'm wondering if there is a way to convey these skills to a potential employer. Does something like a certification in Excel really mean anything?

[Irish Blues]

It's not essential to be Microsoft-certified in any office product. If you can get hired, you can be trained to work with Excel and Access. If you can code in some language, you can learn to code in VBA. I'm not aware of any actuarial posting that asks for an applicant to be Microsoft certified in Excel and/or Access. Could it hurt? Probably not ... but if you're struggling to get through the interview process, getting Microsoft-certified isn't going to be the thing that pushes you over the top.

dago, are you looking countrywide or are you restricting your search to some area of the country or eliminating some area from consideration?

[dagojr]

I'm looking anywhere in the United States at this point and I'm willing to relocate for the right offer. I live in Arizona. There are *some* actuarial jobs out here but not many, so I realize that I'm likely going to have to move somewhere else.

I've only taken the exams, and I don't actually know anybody in the field, or else I'd try to tap into that network. I've mostly been searching and applying online - maybe this is a mistake but I'm not sure where else to look. I feel like I'm looking doing something very wrong in my search. Based on what I've read here and elsewhere, I should at least be getting interviews if not offers because of my exam progress, yet I'm getting almost no response.

It's just incredibly frustrating since I thought I would have found a job months ago. I'm waiting on the results of my last prelim (could go either way but I think I passed), and I'm in the process of fulfilling the VEE requirements. After that my exam progress will come to a stop only because of the stupid, annoying reason that I can't land a job in the field.

[theironhorse]

I'm looking anywhere in the United States at this point and I'm willing to relocate for the right offer. I live in Arizona. There are *some* actuarial jobs out here but not many, so I realize that I'm likely going to have to move somewhere else.

I've only taken the exams, and I don't actually know anybody in the field, or else I'd try to tap into that network. I've mostly been searching and applying online - maybe this is a mistake but I'm not sure where else to look. I feel like I'm looking doing something very wrong in my search. Based on what I've read here and elsewhere, I should at least be getting interviews if not offers because of my exam progress, yet I'm getting almost no response.

It's just incredibly frustrating since I thought I would have found a job months ago. I'm waiting on the results of my last prelim (could go either way but I think I passed), and I'm in the process of fulfilling the VEE requirements. After that my exam progress will come to a stop only because of the stupid, annoying reason that I can't land a job in the field.

HR systems automatically filter out applications. These systems probably get flooded with hundreds of resume's.

Better Alternatives:
1. Actuarial Club from your previous University
2. LinkedIn
3. SOA directory

[Irish Blues]

I'll say this - applying online isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think my first job came from applying online [though it might have been by submitting my resume to that employer at a job fair]. Certainly if you don't apply online, you guarantee you won't be considered for the job - but there's probably better ways to go about it.

The three alternatives above are good ideas. At entry-level, going through a recruiter may not work as most entry-level positions can be filled by employers themselves; it's the mid-to-upper level positions where recruiters come into play. If there's a job fair in the area and it's going to have insurance companies, hit it - the company may not necessarily be looking for actuaries [they'll probably be looking for sales, claims or underwriting] but if you express interest in the actuarial field, you'll stand out and that resume will very likely get forwarded to that department for consideration.

[statsRconfusing]

[QUOTE=dagojr;76077]This is a great question, I'd like to know the same thing.

Despite having passed 4 exams I'm having an absolutely brutal time even getting an interview. I've had one over the phone a couple of months ago, nothing since then. Like the OP, I'm looking for a way to stand out.


Dago, have you been putting cover letters and following up with the companies after sending your resume? I assume the HR departments are getting hundreds of applicants. They might not even have looked at yours. When you do call up the companies, at the very least, you can try to find out why you were passed by. Obviously, don't be pushy about it.

I haven't started looking but will start if I pass FM next week. I'm hoping to get a job with 2 exams passed but won't be discouraged if I don't. I'll just keep studying for the next one. However, if I had 4 exams passed, that would be discouraging to not have found a job.