Am I employable in today's market? Opinions please.

[toblady]

Hello everyone,

I am seeking some opinions as to what I am up against going back into the pension actuarial field. I retired in 1993 from Coopers & Lybrand after 7 years to stay home with my kids and am ready to get back in the field. My position when I left was Senior Consultant. I am ready and willing to continue taking exams towards my fellowship. I plan to begin taking them now while pursuing employment. I am an ASA and EA (I need to bring my CPE current to activate my EA status which I am ready to do). These are the exams that I need for fellowship:

FAP Modules 1-5 and First FAP Exam
Financial Economics Module
Social Insurance Module
Two FSA Written Exams
Fellowship Admissions Course

I live south of Atlanta and am not able to relocate so the Atlanta market is it for me.

Any input is welcome.

Thank you.

[Doc Holiday]

Of course you're employable!

[toblady]

Let me expand on the question a bit. Most people are employable, it is more a matter of what type of job they can get.

Can anyone here give me their impression of what an employers' perspective might be of my credentials and experience, etc. based on the information I supplied?

[Doc Holiday]

I wouldn't expect the same position in terms of responsability and compensation as you had before you left. Since you have been out of the field for quite some time, I'd guestimate you at an analyst level or possibly junior consultant (all depends on the definitions for each at each firm) and see what you're capable of. Atlanta is a big enough market for actuaries, where I do not think that you will have to relocate by any means.

If you're having trouble in your employment search, then reapply after you pass another exam. That shows a measure of dedication in a current time period.

[Will Durant]

With 7 years experience before you left, I would not think they'd bring you in as low as analyst. I would guess they would bring you in as a consultant.

Both D&T and E&Y have pension actuarial practices in Atlanta.

[_BullDog_]

As long as you can answer questions about recent regulations and developments in the pension field I don't see why you would have anymore trouble than other pension people looking for a job.

[Sniffer]

With 7 years experience before you left, I would not think they'd bring you in as low as analyst. I would guess they would bring you in as a consultant.

Both D&T and E&T have pension actuarial practices in Atlanta.

F&T too

[toblady]

Thank you all so much for your input. Any other opinions?

[Buck]

Something else you should know since you left back in 1993 -- back then, everyone was saying that medium & small DB plan sponsors were terminating plans, but large employers wouldn't. That did not turn out to be the case, even those large fortune 100s terminated their plans.

Just look at society seals next to my names, it's a testimony of twist and turns that my career had to gone through.

[toblady]

Something else you should know since you left back in 1993 -- back then, everyone was saying that medium & small DB plan sponsors were terminating plans, but large employers wouldn't. That did not turn out to be the case, even those large fortune 100s terminated their plans.

Just look at society seals next to my names, it's a testimony of twist and turns that my career had to gone through.

Were you in the pension/retirement field and switched to the casualty field? What is your take on the pension consulting field now versus the downturn in the 1990s. Has it recuperated? Pardon my ignorance. I am just now researching, re-learning and getting myself back up to speed. Thanks for your input.

[Buck]

Were you in the pension/retirement field and switched to the casualty field? What is your take on the pension consulting field now versus the downturn in the 1990s. Has it recuperated? Pardon my ignorance. I am just now researching, re-learning and getting myself back up to speed. Thanks for your input.

Yes, I left pension field for P/C. I think pension field got worse since early 90s and never recovered -- probably will continue to slide downward.