What will 2015 actuarial salary numbers tell us?

In 2014, according to our annual salary survey, more respondents earned $300K plus than ever before. We are now collecting information about 2015 actuarial salaries, which we will share on our website. This is our fifth year of collecting and charting this information, and what’s so exciting is that we are able to present year-over-year actuarial salary comparisons.

Each year our actuarial salary survey attracts more respondents. The information we collect, chart and share with clients and candidates is our way of sharing our knowledge of the marketplace. It allows us to help our candidates and clients, giving them the ability to make better decisions.    

Our respondents come from all over the world. They volunteer to participate on a strictly confidential basis. Participation also makes them eligible to win one of several prizes.

Our presentation of the results includes unique online query tools that allow you to see how location, education, experience and area of expertise influence salary. Our charts are so flexible and unique, it’s exciting. 

Each year the number of respondents increases. We’ve been told by participants how valuable this information is, and we encourage everyone to participate this year and every year. If you have not done so in the past, here’s the link. Take a look and what we’ve presented so far, and then jump into the survey.  It’s one way you can help us help get the most accurate information, and also discover if you are actually earning what you are worth!

Check out our latest job postings and access our salary survey and results on our website: 

http://www.actuarialcareers.com

Advice From the BEST

Free advice. What’s it worth? Sometimes it really depends on who it’s coming from. Sometimes it is worth the price you pay for it, but maybe not when it is from people who’ve achieved success beyond most of our wildest dreams. If you are ever lucky enough to meet any of the people listed below, you’d probably want to ask them for “a word” of their advice. Until you do, there are these to consider. We excerpted these from an Inc. article if you are interested in the background on each quote.

We think it’s interesting to read them to see if one or more resonate with you. If so, what could that be worth mean in terms of motivation and inspiration for your career? We think that they’re worth their weight in gold.

1.    Warren Buffett: Exercise humility and restraint.

2.    Maya Angelou: Make your own path.  

3.    Richard Branson: Never look back in regret -- move on to the next thing.

4.    J.K. Rowling: Embrace failure.

5.    Steve Jobs: Don't just follow your passion but something larger than yourself.

6.     Suze Orman: With success comes unhelpful criticism -- ignore it.

7.     Bill Gates: Keep things simple.

8.     Arianna Huffington: Don’t work too hard.

9.    George Stephanopoulos: Relax.

10.  Alexa von Tobel: Get up, dress up, and show up.

11. John Chen: Being a superstar can hurt your career.

12. Deepak Chopra: Embrace the wisdom of uncertainty.

13.  Cynthia Tidwell: Be patient enough to learn, but impatient enough to take risks.

14. Diane von Furstenberg: Keep it real.

15. Rick Goings: Be nice to everyone.

At Actuarial Careers, we offer you insights into the marketplace, with our free access to our salary survey results. 

What you might not know about Bill Gates

Typically the best careers for introverts are those that allow the individual to work independently. That certainly could apply to an actuarial career. However, Bill Gates is an introvert. Does that surprise you? If you are an introvert, you are in good company. According to Forbes magazine, other notables like Warren Buffet and Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer are introverts too, proving that you can get to the top without having an extrovert’s bravado.   

Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, (TED Talk) brings to the forefront that introverts often have natural strengths when it comes to being calm, thoughtful and prepared . . .  all good leadership qualities. Getting superiors to recognize is the challenge.

Honoring your natural tendencies is always the best strategy, knowing where the gaps are can help you prepare for that promotion or the next step in your career. Forbes says “success is an inside job”. If that’s true, introverts are ahead of the game when it comes to the ability to shine the light of introspection on their strengths and use that knowledge to foster self-confidence. It doesn’t always take heroic grandstand efforts to get to the top. There is no substitute for passion, which comes easily to introverts, and becomes a powerful force when harnessed at work.

Finally, when it comes to influence and advancement, there is no discounting relationships. Introverts cherish meaningful relationships and sharing the fruits of their thoughtful ideas. Finding the right connections to share them with is important. Having the right, strong business relationships is the easiest way to allow others to experience your value. Whether or not you believe the adage that it’s not what you know but who you know, it is definitely worth the temporary discomfort of networking or taking the initiative to make the first move. 

Easier than networking, meet our team.

  

Workplace Gossip. How to Avoid it.

Gossip. It’s never a good idea. Maintaining a professional image means keeping conversations factual and business related. Staying away from personal or speculative conversation about co-workers can be the fast track to professional disaster. If you engage in gossip, you risk your own reputation for being untrustworthy and unprofessional. Why jeopardize your career?

When someone starts spreading workplace gossip or wants you to engage in it, what can you do? Here are a few strategies you can use to avoid getting drawn into gossip.

1. If gossip erupts during a conversation you are involved in, make a work-related excuse and walk away.
2. Change the subject. A pleasant interrupt, like last night’s sports scores or an upcoming work agenda can change the course of the conversation.
3. Just come out and say that you aren’t comfortable talking behind other people’s backs. (Remember that people who talk about others in conversation with you are most likely to do the same about you behind your back).
4. Confront the subject of the gossip by saying, “I hadn’t heard that, let’s go and ask him or her.”

           Visit us at www.actuarialcareers.com 

Why Didn't I Make It Past the First Round?

Guest Post from Robyn Taylor, Senior Vice President, Actuarial Careers   robyntaylor@actuarialcareers.com

 Did you ever wonder why you didn’t make it to the next round of interviews for a new job?  You looked great, you showed up on time, and you gave the hiring manager a firm handshake – all the while smiling and showing what a good fit you would be for the role.  Well, there are some finer points to advancing through the interview process that take a little more work and preparation.  Here’s what you need to do next time so you don’t get eliminated so early.

1)     Research the employer.  The internet is your friend.  In this day and age, if you can’t take the time to read over the company’s general background information you are doing yourself a disservice.  At the very least, you should know who owns the company, whether or not it is publicly traded, and any big news items that have appeared over the last 12 months.

2)    Know your resume inside and out, and be able to provide concrete examples of your skills.  Employers want to know that you have the substance to back up the words on your resume.  Too often, I hear managers say “Gee, she looked great on paper, but she really couldn’t tell me what she had been doing!”  Also, be prepared for technical questions related to your work.   If you say you know SAS or SQL, for instance, you need to be able to field questions on the topic.

3)    Be ready to ask intelligent questions.  You should have at least three or four questions regarding the job or the company prepared in advance.  Good topics are day to day duties, the actuarial career path at the company, and if the company anticipates any new projects or initiatives over the next six to twelve months.  Inappropriate questions are related to salary, benefits, and vacation time.  Save these until you receive an offer.

The truth is, you can never be too prepared for an interview.  If you want to be the one offered the position with the actuarial team you’ve admired so far, you need to show you are a candidate who brings thoughtfulness and substance to the table.  With a little pre-game work, you can do it! 

Contact Robyn and view job listings on www.actuarialcareers.com   

 

Snacks to the rescue!

 

The best way to keep your energy up all day at work is simply not to allow it to go down. Your workload, concentration, environment and fatigue all chip away at your energy level all day long. Could your midday snack actually be making you more fatigued?

You can literally feed your mental clarity and productivity by adding the right snacks between meals. Junk food like candy bars or greasy potato chips will only serve to sabotage you by flooding your body with insulin, causing a brief boost of energy, immediately followed by feelings of drowsiness and hunger. Proteins, fats, and fiber rich foods often have a low glycemic index. The slower release of sugar into the bloodstream will help satisfy your appetite longer and provide longer periods of sustained energy.

When it’s time for an energy-boosting snack, choose one of these:

·         A piece of fruit like an apple or banana

·         An ounce of almonds or walnuts

·         Kale chips

·         Hummus and veggies

·         A hardboiled egg

·         Unsweetened yogurt

·         Baked, whole wheat crackers

 What’s your favorite midday snack?

 

How to keep your energy up all day.

 

As much as the actuaries we know love their jobs we know firsthand that there are those days, or times of day, when energy wains and it’s a struggle to focus and be productive. Unless you work for the most liberal of organizations, napping isn’t an option. You could opt for a lunchtime snooze, if you don’t totally skip a meal, as that will only leave you more depleted.

What else can you do? It goes without saying that the best hedge against fatigue is a good night’s sleep. When you are feeling tired, it’s a good time to promise yourself an early bedtime for the coming night, and even make a plan around it: perhaps a few full body stretches before dinner, no TV or at least nix the drama shows, get in bed early with some soft music or headphones and a guided meditation to lull you into a relaxed state.

That might help for the next day, but here are some recommended strategies to get through the current workday. Number one is getting and keeping hydrated. Health practitioners recommend one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should be drinking 75 ounces of water per day. It takes commitment, but you can start immediately and quickly feel results. Drinking more water will have you getting up more often to use the rest room. That’s great because it gets you up and away from your desk. Taking a quick walk is another energy boosting strategy. While you are up, try running up and down a flight of stairs. Doing so will increase your heartrate and get you breathing more deeply- which is another strategy you can repeat sitting at your desk.

Many people turn to caffeinated drinks for a boost, but remember caffeine is also a diuretic so it will undo some of the hydration you are working to gain.    

Finally, when you do sit back down in your chair, make sure you adjust the height so you’re in a 90-90-90 position; feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest and your knees and hips bent at 90-degree angles. Keep your lower spine flat against the back of the chair to maintain proper curvature. This helps to keep your newly amped energy flowing through your body.

In our next post, we’ll share what we learned about energy-boosting snacks that will help too.

How do you pump up your energy at work?