How to Get the Most Out of Networking Events at the 2015 ASNA Convention – and Beyond

The actuarial community, while expanding remarkably, remains a tight-knit network. It is vital that aspiring actuaries actively participate in events which encourage interaction amongst students and professionals, to plant and nurture the seeds that will develop into fruitful future professional relationships – and student conventions are a great place to start!

Each year, the Actuarial Students’ National Association (ASNA) hosts a three-day convention in January which inspires this essential dialogue between actuarial students, professionals, associations, and academics, featuring a plethora of networking and learning opportunities. The upcoming 2015 ASNA Convention: Insuring the Future, will be hosted in Montreal, QC, from Friday, January 2 – Sunday, January 4, 2015. Early bird registration is available for students interested in attending the convention. Here’s what you can expect and how you can prepare to get the most out of ASNA and other professional development events:

Actuarial Career Fair

• Why participate in ASNA: Meet representatives from 24 top actuarial employers at Canada’s largest actuarial career fair. Certain employers will be interviewing for internships and full time opportunities; others will be looking for students to invite to exclusive networking events on Sunday.
• Pro tip: Before any career fair, set objectives. Which employers are priorities for you? What do you want out of your conversations? Focus your research and your event time on these employers to leave a lasting and positive impression.

Professional Panel

• Why participate in ASNA: We’ve gathered the profession’s best and brightest to answer your burning questions, share career advice, discuss broad actuarial topics, and recount personal experiences.
• Pro tip:  Make the most out of the whole convention experience by saving specific questions for the career fair and seminars, and asking general questions at the Professional Panel to get responses from a spectrum of actuarial perspectives.

Seminars & CAS Luncheon

• Why participate in ASNA: With over 20 fascinating seminars to choose from, there is bound to be something for everyone, whether you are hunting for your first actuarial internship, or looking to gain technical knowledge to sharpen performance on your fourth. Make sure to attend the CAS-sponsored luncheon in the break for a rousing keynote address from CAS leadership!
• Pro tip: Ask questions. Make learning a conversation, and remember that networking isn’t ever confined to a career fair.

Case Competition

• Why participate in ASNA: Put your business skills to the test in front of fellow students and a panel of seasoned actuaries. Teams will compete to devise and present a solution to a case study that explores a current actuarial challenge. The best actuaries are the ones with strong communication and business acumen.
• Pro tip: All are encouraged to participate, regardless of level of actuarial experience. The background knowledge supplied will be sufficient to empower every student to be competitive.

Sunday Networking Events

• Why participate in ASNA: Unwind with the student and employer acquaintances you made during the convention to strengthen your new relationships.
• Pro tip: Leverage this more casual networking event to showcase your personable side. Employers hire candidates that they think they will enjoy working with – actuaries are people too!

To learn more about the 2015 ASNA Convention and for early bird registration, please visit www.anea-asna.ca/montreal-2015. We also post event updates and other great content on Facebook and Twitter.

We hope to see you in Montreal!

Isabel Ji is the current president of ANÉA-ASNA. She has previously conducted internships at Ernst & Young and Intact, and is currently interning at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Isabel will graduate in 2016 with a joint honours degree in actuarial science and economics from the University of Waterloo. In addition to her studies, Isabel has also held leadership positions with the University’s Actuarial Science Club and Mathematics Society.