I graduated from Heriot Watt University in June 2015 with a degree in Actuarial Science before being fortunate enough to join Spence in the following September. Prior to joining Spence, I had no previous experience working in the actuarial field so this was a first for me and an opportunity I could not wait to take advantage of.

What attracted you to your role?

There were a number of things that attracted me to the graduate role at Spence:

• Opportunity to expand my skill set in not only the actuarial but investment field also;
• Working as part of a close-knit team;
• Opportunity to work with Spence’s state of the art in-house software, Mantle;
• Allocation of a ‘buddy’ to help you get settled in to your role;
• Flexible working arrangements to meet your individual needs;
• Comprehensive study package – study support, subsidised materials and tutorials, and a bank of study days;
• Health and wellbeing support – private medical insurance package and mental health first aiders;
• Willingness of Spence to support you to reach your career goals and aspirations.

What was the application process like – any advice?

The initial stage of the application process involved submitting a CV and cover letter, which was followed by a face-to-face interview with two senior members of the team. Interviews can be daunting and stressful, but I was immediately put at ease by how warm and welcoming the interviewers were which allowed me to showcase who I really am.

The main piece of advice I would give for the application process – be yourself! Don’t be afraid to talk about your hobbies and interests in an interview. Many of the other candidates for the role will come from a similar technical background through their university degrees so having passion and enthusiasm for activities outside of work will set you apart from all the other candidates.

What skills are useful in this sector/ profession?

• Problem solving – no two clients or pieces of work are the same, and in many cases your answer starts from a blank sheet of paper;
• Communication – you will be speaking to a range of people from scheme actuaries to members of a pension scheme so it is important you can communicate in an appropriate manner depending on the individuals technical expertise;
• Inquisitive – being able to justify and tell the story behind the mathematical results that you produce.