This blog post introduces methods for effectively weaving your practical experience as an insurance actuary into your resume.
Growth Process
“Maturing due to a sibling with physical challenges.”
I was not in the best health growing up. Born as fraternal twins, both my brother and I were premature, and our weights were below normal, causing my parents immense worry. While I was simply underweight and small at birth, my brother was born with chronic illnesses and allergies. That was my brother, who was always sick and frequently hospitalized. Whenever one illness subsided, another would surface, leading to repeated hospitalizations.
Seeing him in pain drew the entire family’s attention to him, leaving me to manage everything on my own. I studied independently, and when my parents were frequently at the hospital caring for him, I also handled household chores. Yet, I never found these tasks burdensome or lonely. Even though we were twins, I felt guilty that I was the one who was less sick. I felt sorry that my brother seemed to bear the weight of everything. So, whenever my parents went to the hospital often, I tried to lighten their load by preparing meals for them and cleaning, among other things.
Seeing me like this, not only my parents but also the elderly neighbors and relatives all praised my character. While some children grow up resentful when they receive less attention and care, I often heard that my willingness to sacrifice for my family was admirable. In fact, having a sibling helped me mature and become more open-minded. This trait became a strength rather than a weakness for me, shaping my character to be proactive and a leader wherever I go.
Specialized Field
“Fulfilling the role of a problem solver.”
I graduated with a degree in accounting. My original goal was to become a certified public accountant and work at an accounting firm. While I’ve recently developed an interest in insurance development and actuarial work, my initial focus was on accounting firms, which is why my first job was at one. There, I handled basic administrative tasks. I went wherever needed to perform clerical duties. Though fundamental, I found satisfaction in performing an indispensable role.
However, what truly made me an essential asset to the organization, beyond the tasks themselves, was my computer knowledge. While majoring in accounting at university, I also acquired knowledge in computer engineering. I gained this knowledge through a university club, and since I was originally very interested in computer repair and software development, acquiring the knowledge wasn’t difficult. During this time, I had many opportunities to practice repairs by handling the computer hardware available in the club room. Based on this experience, I mainly took on the task of fixing computers within the accounting firm.
The senior accountants working as certified public accountants certainly possessed expertise in their field, but comparatively, they lacked knowledge in handling office software or repairing hardware. So, I filled these gaps and became known as the ‘problem solver’ who resolved various issues. For instance, if a senior colleague struggled with compatibility issues between Word and PDF files, I would immediately rush over and fix the problem. Similarly, when boot-up issues or internet connectivity problems arose, I resolved them effectively enough that we didn’t need to call a technician, earning recognition for my work.
Strengths and Weaknesses of My Personality
“Planners are my friends”
In a word, I have a meticulous personality. Once a task is assigned to me, I take responsibility and strive to solve it meticulously, even without being forced. This meticulous approach means creating a thorough plan and acting strictly according to it. For example, while preparing for the insurance actuary exam, I experienced executing a meticulous plan that led to passing both the first and second stages. The actuary exam is particularly difficult and complex, with both stages being challenging to pass.
It’s far from a simple computer certification; it requires solving complex financial math problems, demanding a certain amount of daily study. So, to study properly, I utilized a planner. The planner I created wasn’t based on any commercially available template. While weekly planners, daily planners, and 365-day planners are widely sold, I didn’t use these existing formats. Instead, I created my own unique format. My new format involved first dividing an A4 sheet into four equal sections. Within each section, I clearly marked priorities and the relative importance of tasks for my own ease of reference.
When preparing for the actuarial exam, I created this planner and put it into practice. When studying insurance mathematics, I continued studying intensively, filling notebooks densely to solve complex problems. Furthermore, for specific subjects like actuarial modeling theory, I never skimmed over them lightly. Instead of merely studying with my eyes, I assigned myself tasks to ensure my hands and mind were always engaged together. Setting my own study volume and assignments was itself a form of meticulous preparation, and as a result, I achieved the great success of passing both the first and second stages of the exam.
On-campus and Off-campus Activities and Volunteer Work
“I have experience volunteering in the religious field.”
I volunteered with a religious organization providing free tutoring and free meals. While I continue religious activities now, the experience of volunteering to provide free tutoring and meals stands out most vividly in my memory. The reason is that the beneficiaries were young children. Not only were they young, but many were children from multicultural families, making the sense of fulfillment from helping them even greater. Children from multicultural families urgently needed tutoring in language and history, so I helped them with their studies to ensure they could adapt well at school.
Furthermore, in multicultural families, it’s quite common for both parents to work due to household circumstances. Therefore, I provided meals to ensure the children could eat properly. The children from multicultural families who came to the church received both academic support and meals, leading their family members to express gratitude for our service. The experience of helping others and becoming the recipient of their gratitude held great meaning for me. It sparked my desire to pursue work that provides helpful services to others, creating a win-win situation where mutual gratitude is exchanged, regardless of the field or task.
Reason for Applying
“Contributing to product development that ensures outstanding profitability”
An insurance actuary is someone who examines insurance products and manages the entire process and procedures. Acquiring the fundamental knowledge and skills to understand the content of basic insurance documents is the starting point. Additionally, professional expertise is required to contribute to product development by handling tasks like dividend accrual and insurance claims adjustment. In this regard, I can say I am a candidate with a solid foundation, having prepared for the insurance actuary qualification and passed the second stage of the exam.
Specifically, I am confident in my capabilities in pension actuarial work, actuarial modeling theory, and non-life insurance actuarial work. Having previously handled non-life insurance and claims assessment duties during my actuarial work experience, my background allows me to minimize trial and error and maximize my capabilities. If you entrust me with this role, I will demonstrate both my growth and deliver results that enhance profitability.
