It’s been about 8 weeks since the exam results came out and, like the rest of my 4 years here, the time has flown by.

Exam results day is always somewhat tense around the office but this particular one was definitely the worst for me.  I sat my final 2 exams in April and spent the next few months remembering what it’s like not having to study (throwback to long summers at university!).  I’d already started to fill my new found study free weekends with some new hobbies – finally doing some serious training at the gym and learning Italian!

The thought of picking up my notes again was definitely not appealing which meant I was more nervous than ever during the final countdown to results.

Thankfully I passed both exams which meant I was finally through the infamous actuarial exams.  The celebrations were great fun - we have some qualification traditions which usually involve a late lunch with the team and then some celebratory drinks at the office in the evening.

After the initial euphoria died down slightly my immediate thought was, what happens now…? As an actuarial student my most tangible goal had been to qualify – what would I aim for next? 

As an actuary, there are so many different career paths available, which on the one hand is great but it’s also slightly daunting.  Within the A&B (Actuarial & Benefits) practice we do a range of work so there are so many different options – do I want to be a scheme actuary, do I prefer corporate consulting, do I prefer workplace savings, do I want to get involved with any of our internal initiatives?  It’s a similar feeling to deciding which jobs to apply for after university.  It’s a lot to think about, but luckily the actuaries I work with are great and they really take the time to share their experiences which helps a lot.

So, have I decided?  Not quite, but I’m getting there.  I think I need a holiday to reflect on it all (maybe Italy to test out my new skills!)…

How did you decide on what career path you wanted to follow?