Ensuring your CV stands out in the highly competitive field of actuarial science is a significant challenge you might encounter. By following our guide, you'll learn to effectively highlight your analytical skills and industry experience, thus enhancing your chances of securing the desired role.
In this Enhancv actuary CV guide, you'll find out more about how to:
- Answer job requirements with your actuary CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your actuary CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your actuary CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your actuary CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your actuary CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your actuary CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
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Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).
The top sections on a actuary CV
- Professional Experience showcases past roles and actuarial projects.
- Educational Background lists relevant degrees and actuarial science education.
- Technical Skills are crucial for actuaries to analyse data and model risk.
- Certifications and Memberships highlight actuarial credentials and professional bodies.
- Actuarial Exams Passed shows progress in the actuarial qualification process.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your proficiency with statistical software and data analysis tools, as actuaries rely heavily on these for modelling and risk assessment.
- Detail your progress in the actuarial examination system by including passed exams and professional designations such as FIA or associate (AIA), since this is a standard benchmark in the actuarial profession.
- Emphasise your experience with regulatory frameworks and actuarial standards, as understanding the legal and professional environment is critical for actuaries.
- Include any experience with specific actuarial fields such as life insurance, pensions, health care, investments, or general insurance, to demonstrate your specialty or broad knowledge in the profession.
- Showcase your ability to communicate complex actuarial concepts to non-specialists, as actuaries must often explain their findings to stakeholders without a technical background.
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Tips and tricks on writing a job-winning actuary CV header
The CV header is the space which most recruiters would be referring most often to, in the beginning and end of your application. That is as the CV header includes your contact details, but also a headline and a professional photo. When writing your CV header:
- Double-check your contact details for spelling errors or if you've missed any digits. Also, ensure you've provided your personal details, and not your current work email or telephone number;
- Include your location in the form of the city and country you live in. If you want to be more detailed, you can list your full address to show proximity to your potential work place;
- Don't include your CV photo, if you're applying for roles in the UK or US, as this may bias initial recruiters' assessments;
- Write a professional headline that either integrates the job title, some relevant industry keywords, or your most noteworthy achievement.
In the next part of our guide, we'll provide you with professional CVs that showcase some of the best practices when it comes to writing your headline.
Examples of good CV headlines for actuary:
- Associate Actuary | Pension Risk Management | CERA Certified | 5 Years' Experience
- Senior Actuarial Analyst | Health Insurance Sector | Product Development | FIA Qualified | 8+ Years
- Actuarial Consultant | Life & Annuities | Asset-Liability Modelling | Near FSA Completion | 7 Years' Expertise
- Chief Actuary | General Insurance | Solvency II Specialist | With Over 15 Years Professional Practice
- Junior Actuarial Associate | Investment Strategies | Actuarial Science Graduate | Seeking Challenging Opportunities
- Actuarial Manager | Corporate Finance Advisory | MAAA Designation | 10 Years' Progressive Experience
Your actuary CV introduction: selecting between a summary and an objective
actuary candidates often wonder how to start writing their resumes. More specifically, how exactly can they use their opening statements to build a connection with recruiters, showcase their relevant skills, and spotlight job alignment. A tricky situation, we know. When crafting you actuary CV select between:
- A summary - to show an overview of your career so far, including your most significant achievements.
- An objective - to show a conscise overview of your career dreams and aspirations.
Find out more examples and ultimately, decide which type of opening statement will fit your profile in the next section of our guide:
CV summaries for a actuary job:
- Highly analytical Actuary with over 10 years of experience in life insurance, specialising in predictive modelling and risk assessment. Expert in applying statistical analysis and financial theory to solve complex business problems. Proud of designing a risk management strategy that reduced claims costs by 20% over 2 years for a major insurance provider.
- Seasoned Actuary with a focus on property and casualty insurance, bringing 15 years of robust experience. Excelled in leveraging data analytics to forecast financial outcomes and implement solutions yielding a 30% improvement in operational efficiency. Spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul of valuation models, significantly increasing the accuracy of premium pricing.
- Former Financial Analyst making a transition into the actuarial field, armed with 8 years of high-level experience in portfolio management and economic strategy formulation. Proven track record in data interpretation, statistical analysis, and delivering insights that have driven business strategy and profitability. Keen to leverage my quantitative skills to contribute to sophisticated risk assessment initiatives.
- Experienced Data Scientist with a PhD in Statistics looking to pivot to an Actuarial career, bringing 7 years of experience in big data, machine learning algorithms, and model development. Instrumental in deploying analytical solutions that increased data processing efficiency by 40% within a tech startup environment. Excited about applying robust analytical expertise in a new context to drive informed decision-making in risk management.
- Recent mathematics graduate eager to launch an actuarial career, demonstrating strong proficiency in statistical analysis, data interpretation, and financial modelling. Solid theoretical foundation gained through academic projects, including a predictive model for credit default risks. Aims to develop expertise in risk analysis and contribute to high-level strategic decisions.
- Ambitious graduate with a dual degree in Statistics and Economics intent on pursuing an actuarial career. Passion for quantitative analysis and problem-solving with the objective of applying my academic knowledge to practical scenarios in risk management. Keen to develop professional actuarial skills and make meaningful contributions to financial forecasting and strategic planning.
Best practices for writing your actuary CV experience section
If your profile matches the job requirements, the CV experience is the section which recruiters will spend the most time studying. Within your experience bullets, include not merely your career history, but, rather, your skills and outcomes from each individual role. Your best experience section should promote your profile by:
- including specific details and hard numbers as proof of your past success;
- listing your experience in the functional-based or hybrid format (by focusing on the skills), if you happen to have less professional, relevant expertise;
- showcasing your growth by organising your roles, starting with the latest and (hopefully) most senior one;
- staring off each experience bullet with a verb, following up with skills that match the job description, and the outcomes of your responsibility.
Add keywords from the job advert in your experience section, like the professional CV examples:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Analysed historical data and utilised actuarial models to estimate risk and calculate premiums for a portfolio of Health Insurance products, achieving a 15% reduction in claims cost.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to design and optimise pension schemes, ensuring compliance with current regulations and enhancing retirement outcomes for clients.
- Led a quarterly review of the company’s reserving process, incorporating the latest actuarial techniques to maintain adequate reserves and satisfy financial solvency requirements.
- Managed the implementation of predictive analytics using advanced statistics and machine learning to inform underwriting decisions, resulting in a 10% increase in profitability.
- Developed and presented comprehensive risk management strategies to senior stakeholders, significantly reducing potential financial exposure in the company’s investment portfolio.
- Employed asset-liability matching approaches to minimise risks in managing insurance and pension fund investments, consistently achieving targeted returns above benchmarks.
- Documented and communicated complex actuarial concepts to non-technical audiences, enhancing understanding and decision-making in product development discussions.
- Conducted due diligence in M&A activities, providing essential actuarial valuation input and post-merger integration support for successful acquisition projects.
- Played a key role in regulatory reporting and compliance by preparing accurate actuarial reports and liaising with regulatory bodies to meet filing deadlines and requirements.
Work Experience
Senior Actuarial Analyst
MetLife
01/2020-Ongoing
- Developed and implemented actuarial models for property and casualty insurance, resulting in a 15% improvement in risk assessment accuracy.
- Led a team of junior actuaries in the creation of statistical analysis reports, which guided the strategic decision-making process for upper management.
- Collaborated with the underwriting department to enhance pricing strategies for new insurance products, increasing profitability by 10% within the first year.
- Managed the financial risk analysis project for a major product line, providing insightful guidance that led to a reduction in loss reserves by 5%.
- Presented analysis on potential regulatory changes to the finance committee, significantly influencing the company's approach to compliance planning.
Work Experience
Actuarial Specialist
Prudential Financial
06/2013-12/2019
- Performed detailed data analyses for life insurance products, boosting prediction accuracy of life expectancy estimates by 20%.
- Modernized actuarial valuation processes through the adoption of new software tools, slashing calculation time by 30%.
- Designed and executed actuarial studies to evaluate the effectiveness of business strategies in the annuities division.
- Initiated and directed a cross-functional effort to align actuarial practices with updated industry standards, ensuring full regulatory compliance.
- Spearheaded the development of custom actuarial reporting templates that reduced reporting errors by 95%.
Work Experience
Lead Actuary
State Farm
03/2016-05/2020
- Oversaw reserving process for auto insurance lines, identifying trends that led to a reserve adjustment of $2M in Q2 2018.
- Mentored and developed a group of actuarial associates, resulting in a 50% increase in departmental productivity.
- Automated parts of the quarterly actuarial reporting workflow, allowing the team to meet all deadlines without errors.
- Impactfully communicated complex actuarial concepts during stakeholder meetings, which facilitated better-informed business decisions.
- Engaged in product development lifecycle, providing actuarial insights that were vital in launching two new insurance products.
Work Experience
Actuarial Associate
The Hartford
08/2012-02/2016
- Performed actuarial analysis on workers' compensation to improve pricing accuracy by identifying underlying cost drivers and trends.
- Successfully completed actuarial exams and projects ahead of schedule, contributing to an accelerated professional growth in the field.
- Contributed to a 10% reduction in claim costs through the application of advanced predictive analytics techniques.
- Actively participated in enterprise risk management initiatives, thereby strengthening the company's overall risk mitigation strategies.
- Assisted in the recalibration of the economic capital model which improved risk sensitivity and business planning.
Work Experience
Actuarial Analyst I
Cigna
11/2009-07/2012
- Tasked with quarterly solvency testing, my analyses provided critical input that ensured the organization maintained a robust financial position.
- Collaborated intensively on a major Medicare part D pricing project, which contributed to the organization securing a 10% market share increase.
- Initiated a data quality improvement plan that reduced input data errors by 40%, enhancing overall model reliability.
- Developed a comprehensive dashboard to monitor KPIs for senior executives, promoting greater transparency across business units.
- Played a key role in rate filing processes, achieving a 100% approval rate from state insurance regulators.
Work Experience
Actuarial Consultant
Allianz
05/2011-04/2015
- Led critical analysis on reinsurance treaty terms, resulting in renegotiated contracts that saved the company $5 million annually.
- Laid the foundation for a new actuarial database system that improved data retrieval times by 40%, enhancing team performance.
- Directed the evaluation of financial implications of alternative risk transfer mechanisms, influencing the company's strategic risk decisions.
- Instituted a bi-annual actuarial seminar within the company to bolster continuous learning and professional development.
- Assisted in the formation and execution of company-wide risk management policies that adhered to evolving industry standards.
Work Experience
Actuary Manager
AIG
09/2015-03/2020
- Pioneered the use of machine learning in actuarial predictions for life insurance underwriting, which decreased prediction errors by 25% over traditional methods.
- Supervised a portfolio risk assessment project, identifying diversification opportunities that improved portfolio resilience to market volatility.
- Crafted a dynamic financial analysis framework that enabled proactive responses to changing economic conditions, protecting the company against potential financial downturns.
- Provided expert actuarial advice for M&A activities, influencing valuation and due diligence processes that were crucial for informed investment decisions.
- Facilitated the transition to an enterprise risk management system, significantly improving the company's ability to identify and manage risks early.
Work Experience
Healthcare Actuary
Humana
02/2011-04/2013
- Optimized health insurance rate structures, creating models that accounted for new healthcare regulations and saved the company $1.2 million in potential fines.
- Participated in the deployment of a new actuarial software, reducing calculation errors in critical reporting by ensuring the availability of real-time data.
- Contributed analysis during the transition to the Affordable Care Act regulations, seamlessly adapting the company's offerings to meet new standards.
- Provided essential actuarial support for a high-profile corporate restructuring initiative, enabling the consolidation of product lines without increases in premiums.
- Delivered key improvements in the projection of long-term care claim liabilities, better aligning with the actual experience and reducing volatility in financial statements.
Work Experience
Pension Actuary
Mercer
10/2014-12/2018
- Enabled sharper pricing strategies for commercial lines insurance through the integration of geographical data analytics, improving market competitiveness.
- Crafted an actuarial toolset to assist in pension plan risk assessment, vital in the retention and acquisition of large corporate clients.
- Provided quantitative support that underpinned a corporate-level divestiture, ensuring optimal financial outcomes for the company's pension obligations.
- Accelerated the financial reporting process by automating actuarial tasks that formerly required manual intervention, cutting report generation time by 50%.
- Played an instrumental role in a long-term forecasting project that adjusted the company's strategic focus in alignment with emerging demographic trends.
Work Experience
Corporate Actuary
Liberty Mutual Insurance
03/2017-08/2021
- Oversaw the integration of a new stochastic modeling platform for life contingencies, enhancing the depth of our risk scenarios and model accuracy.
- Orchestrated the actuarial due diligence for a $200M acquisition, laying the groundwork for seamless integration of the new asset into the company's financial framework.
- Developed training programs for junior actuaries, emphasizing practical applications of actuarial sciences, resulting in a stronger talent pool within the department.
- Evaluated the fiscal impact of potential legislations for product pricing, shaping the company’s lobbying efforts on key insurance matters.
- Rendered expert actuarial testimony during regulatory hearings, effectively communicating complex financial assumptions and defending company's rate change proposals.
What to add in your actuary CV experience section with no professional experience
If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience, yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:
- List any internships, part-time roles, volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
- Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
- Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
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PRO TIP
Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.
Key actuary CV skills: what are hard skills and soft skills
Let's kick off with the basics. You know that you have to include key job requirements or skills across your CV. For starters, take individual skills from the job description and copy-paste them into your CV, when relevant. Doing so, you'll ensure you have the correct skill spelling and also pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. There are two types of skills you'll need to include on your CV:
- Hard skills - technical abilities that are best defined by your certificates, education, and experience. You could also use the dedicated skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies you're apt at using that match the job requirements.
- Soft skills - your personal traits and interpersonal communication skills that are a bit harder to quantify. Use various CV sections, e.g. summary, strengths, experience, to shine a spotlight on your workspace achievements, thanks to using particular soft skills.
Remember that your job-winning CV should balance both your hard and soft skills to prove your technical background, while spotlighting your personality.
Top skills for your actuary CV:
HARD SKILLS
Statistical Analysis
Probability Theory
Risk Assessment
Data Analysis
Actuarial Science
Financial Modelling
Technical Writing
Database Management
Solvency II
Pricing Strategies
SOFT SKILLS
Problem-Solving
Analytical Thinking
Communication Skills
Attention to Detail
Teamwork
Time Management
Continuous Professional Development
Adaptability
Client Relationship Management
Leadership
PRO TIP
Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
Education and more professional qualifications to include in your actuary CV
If you want to showcase to recruiters that you're further qualified for the role, ensure you've included your relevant university diplomas. Within your education section:
- Describe your degree with your university name(-s) and start-graduation dates;
- List any awards you've received, if you deem they would be impressive or are relevant to the industry;
- Include your projects and publications, if you need to further showcase how you've used your technical know-how;
- Avoid listing your A-level marks, as your potential employers care to learn more about your university background.
Apart from your higher education, ensure that you've curated your relevant certificates or courses by listing the:
- name of the certificate or course;
- name of the institution within which you received your training;
- the date(-s) when you obtained your accreditation.
In the next section, discover some of the most relevant certificates for your actuary CV:
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Impressing recruiters with your experience, skill set, and values starts with your professional actuary CV. Write concisely and always aim to answer job requirements with what you've achieved; furthermore:
- Select a simple design that complements your experience and ensures your profile is presentable;
- Include an opening statement that either spotlights your key achievements (summary) or showcases your career ambitions (objective);
- Curate your experience bullets, so that each one commences with a strong, action verb and is followed up by your skill and accomplishment;
- List your hard and soft skills all across different sections of your CV to ensure your application meets the requirements;
- Dedicate space to your relevant higher education diplomas and your certificates to show recruiters you have the necessary industry background.
