Actuaries bring a special set of skills to their work:

• Specialized math knowledge
  • Calculus, statistics, probability
• Keen analytical, project management, and problem solving skills
• Good business sense
  • Finance, accounting, economics
• Solid communication skills (oral and written)
• Strong computer skills
  • Formulating spreadsheets, statistical analysis programs, database manipulation, programming languages

Actuaries are talented professionals, with personal characteristics such as:

• Self-motivation
• Creativity
• Independence
• Ability to work with others
• Ambition

The skills developed and honed by successful actuaries include an excellent business sense with knowledge of finance, accounting, and economics; keen analytical, project management, and problem solving skills; specialized math knowledge; strong computer skills; and solid written and oral communication skills.

In addition, actuaries enjoy learning, like to solve complicated problems, enjoy writing and talking to people, can work effectively alone or as part of a team, are interested in a variety of historical, social, legislative, and political issues, and are self-motivated achievers.

Think you have what it takes? Try applying your math skills to sample actuarial exam questions.