So what if you didn't get an internship before you graduated?

[AndrewH]

So I've done some research and what I'm reading in this forum is pretty much in agreement with what I'm seeing in the job market. Internships are required. BUT, I have a hard time believing that someone who has graduated without an internship, but still passed a couple of exams, would never be able to find a job. However, this is what I'm seeing.

What's even weirder is that you have to be in college in order to get an internship. So, basically, if you graduate college without doing an internship then you'll never have a career? Seems rather harsh ... oh and stupid - can't forget stupid. This reverts back to the age old question "How do you get a job without experience, but how do you get experience without a job?" Some puzzles are timeless.

[Ken]

I don't know how to break it to you, but you are wrong. In the US, you can get a job without internships. No experience necessary. If you can't find a job, you need to try harder.

[.Godspeed.]

I've definitely known of people getting hired with an exam and no internships; I've seen it at a large insurance company and consulting firm over the past two summers.

[PhillyP]

I just recently got a job with no internship. I also hadn't passed any exams. They hired me knowing that I was sitting for Exam P. I have since passed exam P and when I pass Exam FM I will enroll in their actuarial student program. So I guess I am proof that you can get a job without an internship and passed exams.

[billern]

I just recently got a job with no internship. I also hadn't passed any exams. They hired me knowing that I was sitting for Exam P. I have since passed exam P and when I pass Exam FM I will enroll in their actuarial student program. So I guess I am proof that you can get a job without an internship and passed exams.

You don't need to list the name of the company, but I am curious about the size and field. What size company should I consider when trying to get a job without exams/internships? And is there any particular industry that is better suited?

thanks,
Nick

[Trojan_Horse]

I had no internship and only one exam passed and got a job a couple of months ago fairly easily with a very large insurance company. Also we have interns that have been out of college for quite awhile so you don't have to be a college student to get an internship.

[billern]

I had no internship and only one exam passed and got a job a couple of months ago fairly easily with a very large insurance company. Also we have interns that have been out of college for quite awhile so you don't have to be a college student to get an internship.

ah cool
I guess that is the route I will go. From what I have heard/seen, most of the actuarial industry is mid-us and east coast. Perhaps I need to get out of California in order to get that first job before I pass the tests?

[PhillyP]

Yeah the company I work for is large...Fortune 100 company. It's life insurance if your wondering

[Ken]

I'm pretty sure Pacific Life, PacifiCare, and Fireman's Fund are headquartered in California. I'm sure there are others. If you don't want to leave California, there could still be opportunities there.

[Irish Blues]

So I've done some research and what I'm reading in this forum is pretty much in agreement with what I'm seeing in the job market. Internships are required. BUT, I have a hard time believing that someone who has graduated without an internship, but still passed a couple of exams, would never be able to find a job. However, this is what I'm seeing.

What's even weirder is that you have to be in college in order to get an internship. So, basically, if you graduate college without doing an internship then you'll never have a career? Seems rather harsh ... oh and stupid - can't forget stupid. This reverts back to the age old question "How do you get a job without experience, but how do you get experience without a job?" Some puzzles are timeless.

I'm late to the party, but.....

I had 2 exams when I first got hired - I was in the same boat as you.....no internship but I had an exam passed and knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. The key is persistence - you have to show employers that you're serious about getting into this line of work. It seems like if you have an internship then it counts like having an exam passed b/c the people I talked to who were hired full-time at the same time I was hired had exams + internshps that added up to 2.

Back to whether you should move or not. Obviously if you limit where you're willing to go, you limit your possibilities. It's not like if you move 1,500 miles to get a job that you have to stay there forever - I moved 1,200 miles to take this job. Put it this way - if you're a baseball player in college and you want to play in the majors, you're not going to say, "Look - I *really* want to play baseball be a big-league superstar, but I won't play for anyone but Houston and Texas." Then, if Houston and Texas don't want you, you're out of luck. Expand your possibilities, take the best opportunity you can, and make the most of it so you can get a job in the location you really want.