From Actuarial to Quant

Water Cooler
#1

Ok seriously post here:

Let us assume that I don’t get an offer if I even get to a top 25 PhD program after graduation to work in quant roles. I am doing Mathematics Phd with no job prospects other than teaching or maybe a professor which I don’t like. What if wilth my good background I did actuarial?

I know it is a long road but can you get into finance after a while doing quant work or analyzing mortgage backed securities or such? Of course an actuary cannot build options or derivative or analysis huge data but what do they do if they get into financial institutions besides boring risk management

#2

tank fueler is option

#3

seriously, please.

#4

If you get a PhD to do actuarial work, something has gone wrong.

#5

Yes , What i ask is the PhD to math is not a safe option. So if i only become and actuary ( electrical engineering degree is what i have ) how can i make the jump to finance?

#6

Probably not.

#7

tanks ohai for clarify. you can tank fueler now

#8

so you cannot move from actuarial work in pension funds to finance ? I guess not.

#9

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: take actuarial exams only if you really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want to become an actuary.

#10

What if this is a Plan B ?Plan A is to become a Quant

#11

plan b is da bomb, use it all the time

#12

I’ve never heard of an actuary moving to another field.

#13

Why ?

#14

^ Just a guess here, but it’s a very specialized skill set with little-to-no application elsewhere.

#15

Image result for funny tanks

#16

My friend who became a major player in quant has no formal quant training. He’s self taught and undergrad was in Biochemistry.

#17

What does he do ?

#18

Head of Quantitative Research at a large Hedge Fund

#19

Finance has a history of valuing the skill set associated with the physical sciences.