Career Changer - Interview Advice

[zinger3000]

I'm currently working full-time (46-50 hours a week) in an unrelated field, and am looking to make a career switch to the actuarial field. Most posts on here seem geared toward college students and recent grads who have a lot more flexibilty in scheduling interviews than someone like me who works Mon-Fri 8-5+.

- My boss generally likes a 2-week minimum notice for requests for time off. Do I tell him I need to take time off for a "personal appointment?"

- How many rounds of interviews is the norm before receiving a job offer?

- How long does each interview typically last? If I were to receive a call for an interview, would it be OK to ask something like, "Since I need to take time off from work to meet with you, may I ask how much time I should set aside?" or would that be a proverbial nail in my coffin?

Since my boss doesn't know that I'm seeking other employment (and won't know until 2 weeks before my new job would start), it seems like it is going to be hard to take time off from work for all of my "personal appointments."

Any advice?

[Scars]

Originally Posted by zinger3000

- My boss generally likes a 2-week minimum notice for requests for time off. Do I tell him I need to take time off for a "personal appointment?"

- How many rounds of interviews is the norm before receiving a job offer?

- How long does each interview typically last? If I were to receive a call for an interview, would it be OK to ask something like, "Since I need to take time off from work to meet with you, may I ask how much time I should set aside?" or would that be a proverbial nail in my coffin?

Since my boss doesn't know that I'm seeking other employment (and won't know until 2 weeks before my new job would start), it seems like it is going to be hard to take time off from work for all of my "personal appointments."

Any advice?

1st point: Personal appointment would make the most sense, or working half-days, for afternoon interviews... that kind of thing.

2nd point: Depends largely on you. If you've got some exams under your belt and interview well, it will be sooner rather than later.

3rd point: As long as you make every effort to meet with them, I don't think this will be an issue. I would avoid things like "Sorry, the 14th doesn't work, how about the 23rd?" and go for things like "How long should I expect the interview to be." If the question revolves around the interview and not your current job, I think it doesn't send a bad message at all. If you want to be more forthcoming, feel free, but I don't see why that would be necessary.

4th point: Your boss can just stay in the dark. You wouldn't be looking for work in a different field if the field you were in was still enjoyable. Not saying you should burn bridges here, but I wouldn't be too concerned what your boss thinks of this. Ideally, you don't work there within the year, right?

Just my 2 cents. Good luck to you!

Quick overall question...
Do you have any exams done?
How long have you been out of school working in your current field?
Is the current field in anyway related to finance or insurance?

[zinger3000]

Originally Posted by Scars

Quick overall question...
Do you have any exams done?
How long have you been out of school working in your current field?
Is the current field in anyway related to finance or insurance?

Thanks, Scars...

To answer your questions -
I have P/1 (score: 10) and FM/2 (score: 9) done and am currently preparing for MFE.
Graduated from college in 1991 and grad school in 1994. My bachelors degree and masters degree are in unrelated fields, though I do have a minor in math.
I've been in my current job for 16 years as an administrative assistant. No finance or insurance. The only plusses related to my current job are that I do some bookkeeping and have knowledge of Excel and Access.
I'm trying to figure out how much the con of no experience outweighs the pro of my job stability (16 years).

[willel2338]

I had to visit the office 4 times in my job search.

-pre-employment personality tests. This took approx. 4 hours.
-interview with HR [about 45 minutes]
-interview with actuaries [about 6 hours]. I was there from 7:30 AM until well after lunch.
-interview with hiring manger [about 30 minutes].

Additionally, I had a phone pre-screening before any of my office visits. It went for nearly an hour and a half, but was only scheduled for 30 minutes.

From the time I applied to the time I got an offer was 6 weeks. However, all of my interviews were completed within a 2 to 2.5 week period.

YMMV.

[IMP]

call in sick the day you have an interview.

[Sloop John B]

Originally Posted by IMP

call in sick the day you have an interview.

No one will ever question you if you say you have the runs.

[Bobby]

I've had eight entry-level actuarial interviews. All of them have been just one day and one visit.

When I was working full-time, I scheduled two interviews for a Thursday and Friday. I told my boss I was taking a trip back home and needed the days off.

For another interview, I called in sick.

Offer times were usually 1-2 weeks after the interview. Two were a couple months after the interview. One was during the interview.

[banpeikun]

Originally Posted by zinger3000

Thanks, Scars...

To answer your questions -
I have P/1 (score: 10) and FM/2 (score: 9) done and am currently preparing for MFE.
Graduated from college in 1991 and grad school in 1994. My bachelors degree and masters degree are in unrelated fields, though I do have a minor in math.
I've been in my current job for 16 years as an administrative assistant. No finance or insurance. The only plusses related to my current job are that I do some bookkeeping and have knowledge of Excel and Access.
I'm trying to figure out how much the con of no experience outweighs the pro of my job stability (16 years).

I'm amazed you were an admin for 16 years with a graduate degree and enough smarts to easily pass the exams.

[Vorian Atreides]

You're applying for a position that is often filled by college graduates. Even though some have internships, their "experience" is often not viewed all that more advantageous to someone who has a demonstrated job stability. Internships don't provide much information about the ability to "stick with it" when things don't go the way you want them to.

[Streetlight 22]

Originally Posted by IMP

call in sick the day you have an interview.

And if you do ask for the day off 2 weeks in advance, you are in no way obligated to tell your boss why you need the day off. It's none of his business.