My career path to date

I have worked at LCP in the Pensions Actuarial Consulting department for nearly two years having joined as part of the graduate programme.

What attracted you to your role?

I chose to enter the actuarial profession as I wanted to use my analytical skills and passion for problem-solving. A role as a consulting actuary was particularly appealing as I wanted to combine technical work and analysis with a role which involved building relationships with clients and communicating complex issues.

Why LCP?

I chose to apply to LCP as my research suggested they were one of the best respected consultancies in the pensions industry. Upon applying I was struck with what a people focused culture it seemed to have. The people I met were engaged, motivated and very friendly, which made me realise it was somewhere I could happily build a career. Since joining, I haven’t looked back.

In my two years at LCP I’ve really enjoyed the graduate training programme, which has given me a great foundation on which to build my expertise in my chosen field. I’m already working as part of a wide range of client teams, which is giving me great opportunities to understand different client circumstances and work with a range of people across the business.

What do I do in my role?

As a junior member of the team, I am responsible for carrying out much of the analysis that needs to be done, using a combination of existing in-house models or developing spreadsheets for certain tasks. Examples include carry out liability calculations for entire pension schemes and individual member calculations.

Now my experience is building up I am increasingly working with people outside LCP, for example liaising with clients or their other advisers, such as pensions administrators. I am also getting the opportunity to attend client meetings alongside more senior colleagues, which gives me a great insight into how we present and discuss our final advice with clients.

Having several clients on the go at one time means I need to plan my work carefully and regularly catch up with colleagues to make sure that different workflows are in hand and progressing at the pace required to meet client demands.

What would I like to achieve in the future?

In the coming years I’d like to complete my exams and become a qualified actuary. I’d like to continue to expand the range of clients and projects I work on, so I gain as broad a knowledge of the field as possible – with a view to potentially then specialising in any areas that particularly interest me. Ultimately, I aspire to having the responsibility of being in charge of my own projects and clients in the future.

Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to enter the profession?

In deciding what actuarial role might be right for you – think hard about your preference for a technical role vs a consulting role and be able to demonstrate that you know the difference and have the potential to demonstrate the required skills.