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Throughout the summer, I worked at The Hartford in the Actuarial Internship Program. Specifically, I worked in Group Benefits Valuation where I worked on a larger project for the majority of the summer. In short, I was evaluating current reserves and determining whether or not they required adjustment. In doing so, I gained significant exposure to programs such as Microsoft Access and further developed my knowledge of Microsoft Excel, particularly in coding macros. In addition to improving my technical skills, I was also able to expand by business knowledge, particularly in the insurance industry, with the numerous networking events and seminars that were offered which introduced the basics of the different actuarial areas within the company.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most about my internship was that I was exposed to both Life and Property and Casualty fields. Because The Hartford has a hand in both of these areas, I was able to shadow actuaries in several different departments spanning across both Life and P&C which was extremely helpful in determining which career path I wanted to pursue. Moreover, I very much enjoyed the culture of the company since there was a great sense of community. While the atmosphere maintained professionalism, there was a noticeable presence of collaboration and support among the employees. Overall, throughout the summer, I felt as though my internship provided me with a great opportunity to grow as a professional and gain valuable experience in the actuarial field.
In regard to providing advice to underclassman pursing the actuarial career path, I would advise them to keep in mind that while technical skills and exams are extremely important, networking and making a positive social presence is the workplace can sometimes be overlooked. By connecting with others throughout your internship or future jobs, your experience will become much more valuable as you gain more knowledge and build relationships in the workplace.
