在卡斯商学院就读精算科学是一种什么样的体验——实习工作篇
本帖最后由 Olivia 于 2020-3-13 18:24 编辑承接上周的学习生活篇，这篇帖子干货满满，介绍在伦敦的实习和找工作体验，给同学们提供一些经验和建议。
Career Service首先隆重介绍卡斯的Career Service，在全伦敦强校如云的环境下杀出一片天地，有着和LBS媲美的高质量，我这里用outstanding来形容。卡斯在CV, Cover Letter, Application, Video Interview, Face-to-face Interview, Assessment Centre, Networking, LinkedIn等各个和求职相关的内容和资源非常专业，有着业内丰富工作经验的老师每周一对一给你咨询，他们也都非常耐心和友善，有些会持续和你保持联系，追踪你的职业发展情况。（中国校友英国求职分享会-2019.11.28）有很多老师都值得推荐，这里我推荐一个华人老师Tony Liu, 她以学生找到好工作为自己的职业目标和人生价值实现之处，我第一次咨询她，是拿到video interview后，带着自己写的可能的面试问题的答案过去，她帮我逐字逐句仔细修改，告诉我面试官想要的点和自己表达的误区和优势，极其专业，完全是伦敦金融界的术语和行业热点。后来陆续去咨询了很多次，见了很多个老师，Tony Liu是给我印象最深的一个，她会一对一和我进行mock assessment centre和mock interview，压力测试样样齐全，直到现在她还和我保持联系。
Networking workshop场次邀请的重量级嘉宾Sue Tonks，让同学们在两个小时时间内浸入式互动理解，其专业的社交手段、到位的肢体语言、幽默的言语、顿挫的语调使在场的人无一不收获满满。社交和人脉的重要性是我在卡斯最重要的收获之一。我在后来有运用过她的一些技巧，很有效。(Inga Beale speaks at Cass Business School)还有很多其他活动，值得一提的是时任Lloyds CEO的Inga Beale来卡斯接受访谈的晚上，讲述到她从1982年以underwriter的身份进入伦敦保险行业，做了10年underwriting之后渐渐尝试行业里其他不同岗位，最后一路上升成为行业高管，有这么一句话：When I look back to see people who were in the industry when I joined, where are they? 印象很深，她一路坚持了下来，深耕行业，成为领导者。她非常自信，谈吐很有技巧，鼓舞人心，关注的话题也绝不仅仅限于保险行业，女性平等、同性恋、HIV、科技、气候变化等等，都是她在努力推动和改善的话题。这个世界不完美，那么成为领导者，并持续用自己的力量去正面影响这个世界，是她的选择。这样一位实打实为行业发展和世界做出贡献的领导者，同样闪闪发光。我清楚的记得当时在场的每一个人，有工作多年的职场人，也有学生，眼睛里都是光芒，这就是榜样的力量。
AVIVA现在AVIVA伦敦19层寿险精算(Actuarial Function Department)基本每年9月10月都会放JD招收一批带薪实习生，来年1月底2月初入职的那种，大家可以适当关注一下。发起招聘的Maureen Cashman是卡斯校友，所以我们那一届招进去的5个实习生全部是卡斯精算，4个AS专业，1个AM专业。伦敦的校友实力可见一斑，大家去面试其他公司的时候也会惊喜地发现到处都是卡斯校友。（AVIVA办公室日出视角）自己在那里做了半年实习，当时拿到实习offer后Tony Liu对我做过一个访谈，我把问题和答案都放上来供大家参考，是英文的，重点里面都有提到：Q1. Reflecting back in the last few months, what do you think you have done well in achieving this intern opportunity? You could list 3 -5 things which really helped you in this process.1. NetworkingThis internship opportunity is recommended by one of my flatmates (MSc Actuarial Management; also, my friend). We care for each other and often share information.2. PreparationTo be honest, for this face-to-face interview, I spent almost the whole reading week preparing. And the preparation is divided into three parts.Firstly, learn about Aviva and the job (Why the company? Why the role?). Here I strongly recommend MarketLine (a database focusing on research on companies, industries, etc), where I downloaded a PDF containing all the necessary information about Aviva. In addition, I looked into their official website, reading news and watching videos. I learned and felt their culture deeply from my heart. This information is rehearsed by myself again and again (even figures) until I could recite them without any mistake. The job description should never be neglected and from it, I noticed the importance of Solvency II as well as internal models. Therefore, I did lots of research about them and also rehearsed for many times.Secondly, check my current knowledge system (actuarial jobs are usually hard code). I spent five days reviewing CT subjects. There were several questions about that.Thirdly,competency-based questions. There are always several characteristics that the company value such as collaboration, relationship-building and creativity. Really think of good examples and polish up as much as you can. I benefit a lot from Toni Liu and now have my own pool of the answers. Also, remember to prepare for strength-based questions since my interviewer asked me and luckily when answering the weakness my experience impressed them. Always draw on your valuable and unique experience.3. Flexibility and calmnessYou know, there would always be quite a few difficult interview questions. A good interviewer should always be tough. One of my interviewers graduated from Cambridge and he focused on technical questions which were quite challenging. He kept asking until the very core of the topic and was really mean. However, never panic under such circumstance since they value more on your thinking process than the right answer. I kept smiling for the whole interview and tried my best to think of possible answers to those difficult questions. There is a hint that sometimes you can instruct their next couple of questions by mentioning another jargon or area casually.Q2. What have you learnt the most during the job search process, which will help you with your future job search? In other words, what would you do differently if you were in the job market again?1. Continue polishing up my interview answers, and focus more on strengths-based questions since it is becoming increasingly popular nowadays.2. More networking. Have more coffee chats with alumni. Listen to their views and advice carefully and really reflect on what you should improve. The job market is totally different from the school and I have dedicated myself to getting used to it as soon as possible.Q3. What top suggestions would you give to those friends around you who are in the job search process right now?1. Realize the importance and difficulty of it. You should devote at least 200% of your energy into job searching in order to achieve a satisfying result. Competition is fiercer than you can imagine.2. Resilience and refection. Refusion is common but not the end of the road. Instead, learn from the job searching process and get better day by day is what you should do. For example, what is the truth of all those online tests? How could I perform my best in the video interview? What should I do when faced with tough questions? You must have your own methods for all these problems. Just think of them as several challenges ina business project, and you need to tackle them in order to finish the project successfully.3. Make full use of CASS career service. Cass has outstanding career service and do confirm that you have used most of its resources, e.g. workshops, one-to-one appointments, CCO, handbook(employability framework), etc.4. Last but not least, commercial awareness and academic knowledge. Both are extremely important and you can never stress the importance of them too much. Try to read FT every day, and continue to improve your academic level. Ensure you can talk freely about your major/interested area for a long time, since often the interview would last an hour focusing mainly on these questions.（伦敦金融城-City of London）选择做这个实习，是前言里说的原因。说起来轻松，在第二和第三学期，每周14-20小时有效工作时间，配上卡斯量身打造的丰富课业，效果真的爽歪歪。每周五早上醒来的时候，躺在床上腰酸背痛的自己根本没有时间犹豫，下地洗漱，吃饭出门，把2019年上半年的日子过成一个机器人。苦吗？苦，但快乐。快乐在做着挑战自己的事情，快乐在能够在自己热爱的领域付出，快乐在处于世界上资源最好的伦敦，一切都值得。
值得一提的是AVIVA寿险精算部的员工们，无一不是大佬级别，此处提到的所有员工大家可以自行领英搜索了解详细内容。相当一部分牛津剑桥数学物理系毕业，比牛剑背景差些的就是类似Finn Clawson这种大佬，身为Risk Analytics组Director每天不知疲惫地站在那里用Python编程，他是我第一个老板，要求比较高，我能非常明显地感受到他对科技和数据的热情和贡献。Finn Clawson FIA MiF – DirectorFinn is a qualified actuary and holds both a 1st Class Honours degree in Mathematics from the University of Bristol and a Masters in Finance with distinction from the London Business School. He has spent his career working for blue-chip pension, investment and strategic consultancies, advising clients on optimal strategies for asset management and growth. Finn’s extensive consulting experience and technical expertise have equipped him well to tackle the inherent complexities involved in the investment management strategy of professional sports institutions.
越是大佬越是谦虚和善，清楚地记得自己最后一天去上班的时候，身为head of life insurance capital的Chris Lewis身着西装打着领结第一个走到我旁边，非常绅士地微笑打招呼，并表达对我未来发展的衷心祝福。Chris在初期参加工作时仅用两年时间通过英精全部科目，牛津大学数学系本硕博，研究spin(7)instantons-八维偏微分方程组解。
自己在卡斯学的copula的相关知识，看到AVIVA内部是在使用的，而回国后问过平安人寿，平安说目前是没有用，感觉国内精算技术还有提升空间。
我所在的19层只有两个中国人面孔，一个是新中国第一批精算师Stanley He，一个是从小就在国外长大拥有丰富发达国家工作经验的RaymondLei，由此中国人在英国工作的难度可见一斑。我们那一年由于脱欧前景不确定的原因，很多原来派发工签的公司都采取保守策略不发工签，使得求职难度再次上升，但现在随着PSW签证恢复，会好一些，希望大家能够好好把握这个历史机遇。
整体工作氛围非常好，灵活办公，是国内未来的发展方向。
Interview& HR在伦敦可以好好利用的资源里，还有两个：面试和专业精算猎头。
面试考察就是一次实战演练，要回国工作的同学，把伦敦的面试多刷一刷，提升经验值和战斗力，将来回国面试就不是什么大问题，只不过把英文换成中文罢了。个人觉得伦敦那里面试流程和考察比国内要严格些，可能是两边发展程度不同，面试官会抠出CV里最小的点让你当场详细解释，包括一些tough questions，有些面试官很harsh但给你的结果不错，有些看起来和善实则要求巨高，同学们可以自己探索。面试官的一些评价和对行业或某个具体事物的看法，也非常具有启发性。回国后保持校友联系，北上深每年都有校友聚会，大家可以去参加参加，多认识一些行业校友。（2019年上海校友会）要留英工作的同学，建议在国内的时候就想好，自己要做哪一块，然后积累些对应的经验，有自己的insights，面试的时候不能不说，也不能多说，把握好尺度。我当时AIG最后一轮被刷，就是insights不够，加上多说了一句话，惨痛教训。
保持真诚待人。伦敦市场的专业精算猎头太优秀了，我有幸当时遇到一个本地女猎头（自己通过领英筛选，给她发邮件介绍自己的情况，她回复并和我往来十几封邮件约初次见面），她会跟进我的工作学习动态，我们时不时约午饭互相交流，她给我介绍英国职场注意事项，根据我的情况给出她的建议，目前我们都还在领英上保持联系。这些都是你的人脉——用好它，发展它，将来某一天可能会派上用场。那里整体对新人是非常鼓励和支持的，给出相当多好意见，在你的职业生涯中永远记住那些态度和意见——因为和国内的氛围差别很大，但你自己要永远向上生长。
说了这么多，把实习工作单独拿出来，是因为重要啦，有不当之处欢迎批评指正，欢迎补充说明。
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