Challenging Work, Amazing Mentors

People talk about a midlife crisis. I had what I call a quarter-life crisis when I was 25. Becoming an actuary was not part of a grand plan.

After I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Over the course of several years, I tried becoming a coder, a chef, and a physical therapist. None of these felt like a good fit.

A friend, whose husband is an actuary, suggested that I consider actuarial science since my minor was mathematics, and I’m good at self-study. I took her advice and studied for the Probability Exam. When I passed, I immediately started applying for jobs.

I landed my first actuarial job with a firm that offered GASB 43/45 consulting services to small government agencies in California and Nevada. While I was glad to finally have a career trajectory, I was soon bored with the repetitive work.

Luckily, after a few years, a recruiter contacted me about joining Cheiron. I learned that Cheiron specializes in pension and health consulting. I was excited about the idea of working in a different actuarial field. Since I was first hired at Cheiron, I have been able to shape my career around my interests and skills. I have never once been bored here.

My colleagues at Cheiron have been amazing mentors and resources. They have repeatedly asked me to stretch out of my comfort zone to learn and grow. I wouldn’t be the actuary or person I am today without their guidance and influence.

I occasionally get introductory emails from recruiters, but they go straight to the recycle bin. I don’t think there’s another company out there that can replicate the autonomy I have at Cheiron or the variety of work I do.

I feel grateful to work at Cheiron. I know I will never lack opportunities to advance my career. I am lucky enough to like and respect my co-workers. The work I do is challenging and interesting. I have been pushed to excel and given the resources to do so. I fell into this career accidentally, but I can’t think of anything else that would be a better fit.