This year, the career fair is split up across multiple company info sessions throughout the month of October. During each info session, the company will introduce their company and the opportunities that can be found at their respective companies. Students will learn the intrinsic parts of each company, what actuaries typically do for the company, and be able to connect with the company recruiters.

For our first years, second years, and first-year transfer students, the career fair is a great learning place for what your future can look like. Each company will explain what an actuary is to them, helping you visualize what you are working towards as you take your undergraduate education here at UCSB. These recruiters have walked in your footsteps already as students and have the wisdom and experience of working in the actuarial world for a multitude of years to share during their info session. For many of you, it will be your first experience in the professional world. Just attend a couple of the info sessions we will hold throughout October and try to absorb as much as you can. You are not expected to grasp everything that is presented but the one or two things that you do learn will help you further along in your path to becoming an actuary. The recruiters are here to help you; each of them is happy to give you advice, learn more about your story and experiences, and relay their own experiences as a student and as a working professional in the actuarial field. On top of taking the one or two nuggets from the info session, be sure to take down the recruiters’ contact information and connect with them on LinkedIn. Thank them in an email for attending the info session and ask them any questions you may have left over after the info session. Doing so will help your connection with that specific actuary and will be a great reference or anecdote if you meet them in the future or if you interview with their company. 

Throughout the school year, attend the many workshops that the actuarial association will hold, building your skills within the association as well by yourself. Participate in the case competitions at the beginning of the Winter and Spring quarters. Case competitions and leadership experience are two of the top things on underclassmen’s resumes and will provide the most discussion during any interviews that you may have.  

For our upperclassmen, now is the time to get serious about internships and jobs. Internships are vital to get an actuarial job. The actuarial experience you gain during your internship no matter the company will elevate your resume and your candidacy for any future actuarial jobs that you apply for. 

Before the info session, research a bit about the company. Did they pop up in the news recently? What opportunities do they have currently? Find interesting tidbits and have questions ready to ask during the info session. During the info session, engage with the content provided by the recruiters. Get to know the company, what they stand for, what the work is going to be like, and their work environment. Get to know the recruiters, their experiences, what led them to choose to work for the company, and why they chose to work in the specific actuarial field. Forming these connections and further understanding the actuarial field will help you along in your journey. At the end of the info session, take down the recruiters’ contact information and contact them through email and connect with them over LinkedIn. They may be the one that helps push your candidacy over the rest of the applicants. 

During recruiting season, scour job sites(LinkedIn/Handshake/Glassdoor) and company career pages for the opportunities that pop up. Keep a consistent overview of them as you will not always know when an opportunity will release and when the opportunity may disappear. Prepare your resume and sometimes a cover letter when applying to a company. Approach one of our core professors (Ian Duncan, Janet Duncan, Raya Feldman, and Hal Pedersen), alumni, or other upperclassmen, for advice, resume review, guidance, and/or mock interviews. Focus on your resume and improve your Excel skills, coding skills, and other skills that can help you in your interviews and in your future position.