Advising the Next Generation of Aspiring Actuaries
Disclaimer: the opinions expressed by the author of this article don't necessarily represent the opinions of NAWA as an organization.
Entering the career fair, I was taken aback by the crowd before me. A sea of dark suits and ties. A crowd that did not look like me. As I progressed through my courses, this feeling of not fitting the mold persisted and as I began working, it soon became apparent being different meant I might face more barriers in my career. However, when presented with any challenge big or small, personal or societal, I do what any actuary does: understand the situation and work vigorously to find a solution. Through conversations, research, books, and more I learned ways I could overcome some of the longstanding barriers women have faced. Learning these lessons early in my career has empowered me to pursue my ambitious career goals, and I encourage my fellow aspiring actuaries to seek similar knowledge as well.
Although my work experiences have exposed me to the barriers I might face after graduation, these experiences also equipped me with a supportive network of women, allies, mentors, and more. One of my first interactions with a women’s group was Travelers' Women in Actuarial & Analytics (WIAA). The members of WIAA held a book club and had recently read “The Confidence Code.” Many of the members spoke highly of the book, so I decided to give it a try. Through this novel, I learned confidence and courage were traits that could be developed in many different ways. Applying for positions where you might not check all the boxes. Speaking up and sharing your thoughts with a virtual or physical room of colleagues. In one of my past internships, my mentor shared with me that she had recently been placed in a new position. At many of the team meetings, she kept quiet, holding her thoughts inside and letting the more tenured members lead the conversation. Until her manager finally told her “You weren’t chosen for this position to not have an opinion. You were chosen because your thoughts and ideas need to be heard.” From then on she made an active effort to recognize the value she brought and confidently contribute to her team. This is a characteristic I actively continue to work on within myself and see as a key to my future success.
In addition to connecting with women in my past companies, I have searched for external resources to educate myself about the current challenges for working women. Whether it is listening to Harvard Business Reviews’ “Women At Work” podcast or the latest “Women in the Workplace” report, I am constantly looking for ways to learn more. I have found both seeking knowledge and attending company-wide events helped me unlock a deeper understanding of the topic.
After creating self-awareness and educating myself, I am now including others in my learning process. Through having an open dialogue with allies, I am able to express ways I believe they can support me. Although women’s issues aren’t what you usually expect to talk about during mid-afternoon breaks, I was surprised and glad to hear how receptive many of my allies were. When I talk to women who are well-tenured, it seems like we have made great strides in defining what it means to be a woman in the workplace. However, like any great movement, there is always much still to be done, and it starts with each and every one of us. I am sure many of you like me received some advice early on in your career or maybe have some advice you wish you would have received to help you overcome any challenges or insecurities you faced while pursuing the actuarial career. To continue fostering our sense of community and investing in the next generation of actuaries, I encourage you to fill out the anonymous survey linked below to include your advice in a word bubble to be featured on NAWA’s page. You never know the positive impact your words may have.
Give advice here!
Meet Celeste Trevino
Celeste Trevino is a junior studying Actuarial Science and Data Analytics at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. She has held internships at Travelers, Nationwide Financial, Cigna, and will be interning at Deloitte in Summer 2023. In addition to being a part of NAWA’s University Outreach committee, she is a part of the Organization of Latino Actuaries Campus Ambassador Program. Celeste is passionate about increasing the pipeline of Latinx students pursuing the actuarial career and finding ways to use more advanced analytics in the actuarial space.