Excel Python and SQL

Doubleme

So I have noticed that a lot of jobs I am targeting all mention Excel Python and SQL.

I have experience of Excel (who doesn't) I have experience in python not so common as excel but I think anyone should expect any maths graduate these days to at least have basic experience of Python.

SQL I have only heard of in name and have no experience with.

Now I think it would be an absolute given that anyone going for the job types I am going for will have used Excel and Python at various points, they wont be impressed with very basic programming or very basic excel. They will want a much higher skill set then where I am at.

So I know that is one area I really need to work on, but there are lots of ways of doing this, I can work on additional courses and or follow youtube videos or other free online sources.

I guess the issue is though what will be accepted and get noticed by employers? is saying that I can code well in python or that I am proficient in Macros Pivot tables and V look ups in excel, enough or do I need to proof it?

I am not planning on lying on my CV that seems a bad strategy as then I get the job and I cant do it and they find out I have lied and now I am fired and black listed or even worse.

So question is how do I proof I have these skills to employers when I do? I mean I can find everything I need on youtube for free with enough digging to learn it all. And will do so once I have my UNI stuff done. However I need to proof that so am I better of spending several hundred on a course to have some other qualification or certificate I can mention on CV or not and if so which course?

Bean81

You don't need to spend money on a course to prove you can do something. Just saying you can do it is enough and the employer will probe you on that at interview. If the employer is smart and technical knowledge and skills are important, they'll also give you a test. Otherwise, it's understood if you are competent with Python and macros, you can figure out things like SQL (pronounced sequel).

SQL is just another way of extracting data and the analysts at my place use it a lot. The data scientists predominantly use Python.We've also gone big on Power Query, which I would recommend learning. PowerBI is another. Microsoft have some good, free courses on both.

If you have some money to invest in yourself, a good CV writer would be worth it if ChatGPT isn't sorting you out.

Doubleme

Bean81 said:

You don't need to spend money on a course to prove you can do something. Just saying you can do it is enough and the employer will probe you on that at interview. If the employer is smart and technical knowledge and skills are important, they'll also give you a test. Otherwise, it's understood if you are competent with Python and macros, you can figure out things like SQL (pronounced sequel).

SQL is just another way of extracting data and the analysts at my place use it a lot. The data scientists predominantly use Python.We've also gone big on Power Query, which I would recommend learning. PowerBI is another. Microsoft have some good, free courses on both.

If you have some money to invest in yourself, a good CV writer would be worth it if ChatGPT isn't sorting you out.

thanks for your input so I guess the best thing I can do is get past the last two months of my degree its best to focus on success there first. After my degree is done I plan to invest my time in learning excel and python properly.

in regards to expenses this all depends on having the funds I did get some help with my CV, and feel it looks a lot better now but in terms of paying someone for that, funds are limited and I have to choose where to invest the funds.

there are multiple avenues to which I can invest those funds. firstly I could take a summer internship if I am able to be successful in applying for one, some are paid some are not but either way I would have to move away from home for this pay for stay in a BB and cover my rent at the same time. that could get costly but is probably the best place to invest if I had the opportunity. Then there is taking actuarial exams paying the exam fee the cost and hotels near exam and for course material to study from.

Yes employers will pay for your exams and even time off etc but they usually like to see you have passed an exam or two in the first place before they take you.
There is a girl on YouTube who gives great advice about working towards acquiring an actuary position, she charges $100 to join her online stuff, cant comment on whether that is worth it as have not paid for that. it seems a bit questionable to spend $100 a month to try and get further help acquiring a position I may never get, which I don't know for a fact would work out if I did.

I could entertain doing a masters degree at which point costs could go north of£30k.

The jist of my point is unless I win a sizeable amount in the sunday million won a ticket (there sats are soft as anything I swear easier then pre black friday $1 games if your not in maybe try the sats you can probs play 5 11s and get in for like 55) I will have a limited amount of funds to help fund working towards my career goals its not 0 but its not 30k either. I would like to win a sizeable amount to give me a proper so called war chest to work with to trying to get somewhere. However that is unlikely so failing that my plan is as soon as exams are done to work hard acquiring as much money as I can so that I have funds to invest.

the question is where do I put these funds?
in order and you may agree or not I dont know
1. funding taking internships or short fall on income for apprenticeships
2. funding of taking actuarial exams and costs associated with
3. sort out getting driving licence and a car
4. funding professional help eg cv writer and or signing up to that ladies thing on youtube
5. funding of masters degree if the funds come in.


I am aware I can get a student loan for a masters degree but that would be financial suicide I either fund it directly myself or I dont do it. The OU cost of a masters degree would be 8k but you cant do in less then two years so 4k a year. I am not sure if that is a good direction to go.

I got help from the careers service for my cv and had it looked over by family members who actually work in recruitment and the generic issue is My CV is good for what I have to put on it, just it needs improvement for what is on it. if that makes any sense.

Bean81

Yes, you should focus only on finishing your degree until the final exam is done.

A masters degree doesn't normally achieve a lot outside of pursuing a career in academia or engineering. There are obviously exceptions to that but a career in actuary doesn't require a masters AFAIK.

Most internships will pay you enough to rent a place for a month or two. If they don't pay at least the living wage to interns, the company isn't great.

I doubt you'll need a car in your chosen career path. At least not right now.

Any worthwhile employer will fund your actuarial exams. All they will care about is that you can show a genuine interest in a career in actuary, that you are personable, have decent qualifications and can pass their aptitude tests. The hardest part is getting an interview. For entry level jobs, your CV is never going to have a lot on it and it probably doesn't matter. I got offered a couple of grad jobs where I would talk about working in a supermarket as my relevant experience.

Doubleme

Bean81 said:

Yes, you should focus only on finishing your degree until the final exam is done.

A masters degree doesn't normally achieve a lot outside of pursuing a career in academia or engineering. There are obviously exceptions to that but a career in actuary doesn't require a masters AFAIK.

Most internships will pay you enough to rent a place for a month or two. If they don't pay at least the living wage to interns, the company isn't great.

I doubt you'll need a car in your chosen career path. At least not right now.

Any worthwhile employer will fund your actuarial exams. All they will care about is that you can show a genuine interest in a career in actuary, that you are personable, have decent qualifications and can pass their aptitude tests. The hardest part is getting an interview. For entry level jobs, your CV is never going to have a lot on it and it probably doesn't matter. I got offered a couple of grad jobs where I would talk about working in a supermarket as my relevant experience.

your pretty much right on the masters degree I have seen two exceptions so far for an entry level actuary position where they did specifically say they wanted a masters degree but I have applied and found a lot of actuarial positions that do not so it seems to be the rare exception rather then the norm. I don't think spending a thousands on a masters for the rare exceptions which will probably have very high expectations in other areas too makes much sense. I think this is something I can entertain if I win an amount in excess of $50000 from the Sunday millions. other then that though it seems like a waste of resources.


as to your second point about paid internships of the summer internships I have seen these have mentioned it is paid but not mentioned an amount. I think I may have explained this badly though the issue is I live with my partner and already pay the rent on a place. I would not be looking at moving out or giving up the place for the sake of a summer internship. So I would have to cover my rent on this place, and then the rent on where ever the internship is and short term lets are not often cheap.

most jobs dont mention a car but a few do I think it just keeps more options open but in terms of budget with limited funds it is not the top priority eg funding the summer internship additional costs would come before this.

It seems rare to find an Actuarial firm/job which wont fund your exams but it does make a difference and can help you get the job if you apply with an exam or two already passed. Some directly ask for this, I think their is ten exams you need to pass to fully qualify but they would only expect one or two on those applying.

I am closer to 40 then I am 30 so a CV of mostly basic work does not help, it is notoriously hard to get an actuarial position, in fact this is considered the most difficult part of pursuing an actuarial career.

I recently had the privilege of been rejected for a Trainee pensions administrator apprentice position. They got quite aggressive and nasty as well saying that as recruitment agency clients pay them two grand and what makes me worth 2 grand?

I took offense at this for a few reasons firstly the job was advertised as an apprenticeship asking for GCSEs not even A levels, and mentioned nothing about experience. Further whilst this job in particular did offer more then min wage as far as I understand apprenticeships can offer below min wage at the apprentice age regardless of age (though if over 19 has to be above min wage after 1 year) I have also red that the government pays 90% of apprentice wage to the company. at 25k this means that they get subsidy of £22500 meaning the net amount there out by hiring me is £2500 then + £2000 to the agency the amount they quoted. so effectively I got told I am not worth £4500 got the year, now assuming 28 days paid annual leave and 52 weeks in the year (its actually 1 day more but call that rounding up on what they paying me) so 52*5=260 then -28 for the paid annual days so that is 260-28=232 now 232*7.5 as most places have 7.5 hour days and 1740 paid hours of work. Now if we divide 4500/1740= £2.59 per hour. I am apparently not worth £2.59 per hour.

I suppose that is very disheartening especially as this wasn't even what I was targeting but was a stepping stone to it. I guess though I cant really get wound up about one silly place. there are always going to be a few silly people I have seen the odd job out there where they ask for professional qualifications a whole load of technical skills 5 years experience and offer the equivalent of £1 or 2 an hour over min wage. I think targeting pensions administrator underwriter and finance assistant roles are good things to go for to strengthen my cv experience if I don't land an analyst or actuarial position initially.