Careers in Math

Seems like I've been plagued almost everyday this semester with the fear of trying to find a job in the future. First, it was the career fair (well, a couple of them), then receiving my official score of the Exam 1/P actuary test (and being resigned to the fact that I have to retake the test), constant worry about finding an internship for next summer so I can graduate, and a professor from BYU coming to speak about different careers that involve math. Which is what this post is on.

So I was very excited when the first career this professor mentioned was actuary. And he didn't even talk about careers as math teachers (whether high school or university), though he briefly mentioned them. But these are some of the awesome careers that require math:
Actuary (booyah!)
Animator
Architect
Astronaut
Attorney
Biologist
Biostatistician
Chemical Engineer
Chemist
College Professor
Computer Scientist
Cryptanalyst
Economist
Electrical Engineer
Epidemiologist
Forensic Analyst
Geologist
Mathematical Biophysicist
Mathematical Physicist
Mechanical Engineer
National Security Analyst (NSA...supposedly more secretive than the CIA)
Physician
Political Scientist
Quantitative Financial Market Analyst
Statistician
Stockbroker

...among others. For more details about any of these, check out this awesome site.

The main thing I learned from this forum was the fact that a lot of these jobs are looking for mathematicians. For example, many companies who hire computer programmers prefer mathematicians who know how to program. Who would have guessed my computer science cluster would actually come in handy? The reason employers look for mathematicians? It's because students who have studied math have been trained to logically think through problems and come up with solutions (though at times it seems more headache than what it's worth).

All through this semester, I've discovered something about myself, with the help of all this "career talk". Speaking with my peers in the Applied Mathematics bachelor program, a lot of them enjoy delving into the theory and abstract concepts of math. I, on the other hand, hate it. So why am I in a math degree? Honestly, I had no idea I'd dislike the theoretical part as much as I do when I decided on my major. But I don't regret it either. I just choose to apply my math rather than try to understand concepts that frustrate but eventually bring a great satisfaction to the people who are willing to put up with it. It's just not for me.

Which brings me to another point. Many of these careers, especially the theory-involved ones, require more than just a bachelor's degree. Except for actuaries. But that's because actuaries get their additional training in the field (and taking the 8+ tests in order to become a Fellow of the SOA--Society of Actuaries).

And now a shameless plug about an actuarial career.



I'm off to study some more. Pray that I score better than my first test--and since it was a 5, a better score means passing! ;D Ciao!