Request for help

[Yitzi]

I'm having some trouble: I'm looking for a job (actuarial is preferable as I've already passed two of the exams, but programming would be good too), but it's difficult to get any interviews with no experience and few contacts (I'm a nerd and don't have much of a social life).  So given that this site hosts the biggest thing I've done, I'm wondering if anybody on these forums happens to know any contacts that might be relevant.

[Unorthodox]

Whereabouts?

[gwillybj]

There is a site called LinkedIn that might or might not be of interest. They call themselves the World's Largest Professional Network. At the bottom of their homepage are some links to information you can read before deciding whether to sign up.

[Yitzi]

Whereabouts?

Preferably New York, but I'm pretty flexible.  (The Bay Area isn't workable, though.)

There is a site called LinkedIn that might or might not be of interest. They call themselves the World's Largest Professional Network. At the bottom of their homepage are some links to information you can read before deciding whether to sign up.

Thanks, but I've already signed up and I'm looking for other approaches as well.

[E_T]

just keep working at it

[Elok]

You say you've passed two of the exams; how many are there total?  I know a guy who's an actuary, but I only know that he had to go through some serious testing to become certified.  Are you a fully qualified actuary now, or two-thirds there, or what?

[Yitzi]

You say you've passed two of the exams; how many are there total?  I know a guy who's an actuary, but I only know that he had to go through some serious testing to become certified.  Are you a fully qualified actuary now, or two-thirds there, or what?

There's quite a way to go, but most of the process is done while employed as an actuary.

But if you know a guy who's an actuary, maybe it would be worth it for me to speak with him.  Where does he live?

[Elok]

In Northern Virginia (i.e., basically DC), I believe.  I know him from Apolyton, met him once IRL, keep in touch via Facebook.  I can ask him for advice if you like.

[Elok]

He says that, right out of school, he basically shotgunned his resume at every actuarial firm in the DC area.  I think that might be encouraging news from your POV.

[Unorthodox]

He says that, right out of school, he basically shotgunned his resume at every actuarial firm in the DC area.  I think that might be encouraging news from your POV.

Another avenue would be to target the military industrial complex for job titles such as "financial analyst". 

Glancing at the corporate website says there's half a dozen such jobs in the NY area.  At least 2 of them entry levelish.  I'm sure other companies would have similar results.  I'm not sure which all have big headquarters in NY, but ALL have presences in the greater DC area.   

[Yitzi]

He says that, right out of school, he basically shotgunned his resume at every actuarial firm in the DC area.  I think that might be encouraging news from your POV.

"Shotgunned" as in "didn't even include a cover letter", or as in "wrote a full targeted application to each one"?  The former doesn't really seem to work very well, and the latter involves the sort of lots-of-nonproductive-work that I'd like to avoid.

Also, did he have an actuarial internship coming out of school?  Part of my disadvantage is that I don't, so that makes it harder to get a resume looked at without connections.

Also...if he's a Civ gamer, I'm wondering if he'd be impressed by my patch here.  If he would, maybe I should contact him directly.

Another avenue would be to target the military industrial complex for job titles such as "financial analyst". 

Glancing at the corporate website says there's half a dozen such jobs in the NY area.  At least 2 of them entry levelish.  I'm sure other companies would have similar results.  I'm not sure which all have big headquarters in NY, but ALL have presences in the greater DC area.   

Leaving aside that I think "financial analyst" is the financial industrial complex rather than the military industrial one (both  and  are likely to be offended at the comparison  ), it seems to me that a financial analyst job would have all the obstacles of an actuarial job, without even the advantage of having aced the first few exams.

[Unorthodox]

Risk management is a huge part of government contracting, and what the finance department does.  Seriously.  Check into Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Thiokol, ATK, etc.  they just call it financial analyst instead of actuary.  And all would likely pay for you to finish the rest of your tests.

[Yitzi]

Risk management is a huge part of government contracting, and what the finance department does.  Seriously.  Check into Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Thiokol, ATK, etc.  they just call it financial analyst instead of actuary.  And all would likely pay for you to finish the rest of your tests.

Ah, thanks.  Any idea how feasible it is to get a job of that sort after being denied top secret clearance for a different job?

[Buster's Uncle]

I wish the opinion of some guy on the internets was worth anything Yitzi - I'd hire you on the spot.  You're inhumanly meticulous with details, generous with your time and effort on behalf of this community - and you've proved, over time, to be level-headed and loyal.  Not least impressive is that you're a self-starter who'll take on a big project with a steep learning curve, and stick with it for years on end.

For what that's worth, I may just be some guy you know on the nets; but you taught yourself from scratch and did the YitziPatch; you can do anything, and you can certainly figure out a solution to this.

[Yitzi]

I wish the opinion of some guy on the internets was worth anything Yitzi - I'd hire you on the spot.  You're inhumanly meticulous with details, generous with your time and effort on behalf of this community - and you've proved, over time, to be level-headed and loyal.  Not least impressive is that you're a self-starter who'll take on a big project with a steep learning curve, and stick with it for years on end.

For what that's worth, I may just be some guy you know on the nets; but you taught yourself from scratch and did the YitziPatch; you can do anything, and you can certainly figure out a solution to this.

Unfortunately, my ability to "do anything" seems limited to cases where the solution is based on logic, not cases where the solution is based on convincing other people and just trying things that don't work over and over again...