Typical Actuary?

[Elisabeth]

This always seems to be a topic of conversation around my office so I thought I would find other opinions.

Do you consider yourself a "typical" actuary?

And what is "typical"?

[Axis of Symmetry]

A "typical" actuary always believes that he/she is NOT typical.

[Minerva]

NO ONE considers him/herself a "typical" actuary. I certainly am not. (People frequently mistake me for Natalie Wood (before she died), but we all have our own crosses to bear. :smile:)

Frankly, I don't know that I KNOW any "typical" actuaries.

[Clome]

I work with a guy that's the poster boy for actuaries. Considers himself normal, but no way.

[Polly Nomial]

A cool topic, Autumn! :smile:

First a qualifier: In general, generalizations about people are not a good thing. We all agree that this thread should be taken with a grain of salt.

That said, No, I don't consider myself to be a typical actuary and I have been told that by many of the people that I work with. My guess is that most of us are atypical. This forum does not represent a cross cut of actuaries. Your typical actuary does not spend time playing on the internet! :smile:

What is a typical actuary? The more I think about this question, the less I want to answer it! :smile:



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Polly Nomial on 2002-03-27 09:59 ]</font>

[Clome]

I can tell from Polly's rambling, incoherent post that she is a VERY typical actuary.

Maybe you can join my co-worker & be the poster girl?

[Dr T Non-Fan]

No.
I'm 83.6% sure that's the correct answer. Variation can occur when...

[Crystal Dragon.]

I'm probably within 2 standard deviations of 'typical actuary'

I'm also within 2 standard deviations of 'normal'

I'm not sure where this is going...

[Don Quijote]

archtypical actuary. Been a math geek all my life, have strange hobbies but a conservative lifestyle, struggle to avoid looking at the wall when I´m talking to people (but hey, I´ve improved from looking at the floor), can´t answer any question as posed but have to change or clarify the underlying assumptions.

I´m also not sure where this thread is going.

[Maine-iac]

Observations on the "typical actuary":

1. Perception - number nerds, digit heads, fascinated with numbers, patterns etc. A bit geeky.

Reality - true about 90% of the time

Me - guilty

2. Perception - no social skills
Reality - true in about 60% - 75% of actuaries, but to a much lesser degree than the perception.
Me - somewhat guilty

3. Perception - no sense of humor
Reality - only true in about 10% of actuaries
Me - not guility

4. Perception - totally unable to communicate their work to non-actuaries.
Reality - About 60%/40% on this one, with 60% poor communicators.
Me - Generally not guilty


These are strictly my personal observations, not in anyway a scientific survey.

[E. Blackadder]

That's ok. I put in the other two, although they lost something in translation.

I also had a good joke about Soviet actuaries, but Jerry vetoed it, even though I mentioned there should be a transition rule for nationalities that no longer exist.

[Kairn]

Always makes me laugh when mhy friends say:
"To think he's supposed to be a professional".

Went to the Ratemaking Seminar of the CAS and I thought I didn't fit with at least half of the people that were there. My god, they LOOKED like actuaries.

So I think I'd say no, but who are we to judge on ourselves?

:smile:

[Mick Fan]

Digithead / geekiness -- I agree.

Lack of social skills -- Actuaries at my company and others I run into aren't too bad. I'd put the lack of social skills at 35-40%, a little down from Maine-iac's number.

No sense of humor -- I agree. Actuaries have a good sense of humor, but it may be a "geeky" sense of humor. Things that are funny to actuaries aren't as funny to non-actuaries. :smile:

[Actuarybert]

No sense of humor -- I agree. Actuaries have a good sense of humor, but it may be a "geeky" sense of humor. Things that are funny to actuaries aren't as funny to non-actuaries. :smile:


I'll agree with Mick Fan's observation. Most of the actuaries that I work with have a great sense of humor, but I'm guessing that most of our jokes wouldn't be too funny to non-actuaries. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but one of my coworkers and I have a running joke relating to RBC--long story, but somehow it seemed funny at the time. (I know, I know, it's people like me who give actuaries a bad reputation :wink:)