Meet Your Candidate Rep!—Justin Panther

Meet Your Candidate Rep!

Our first candidate representative to be featured in our "Meet Your Candidate Rep" series is Justin Panther. Justin is an Actuarial Assistant at Allstate in South Barrington, Ill. Justin has worked for Allstate since 2006.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actuary?

I always had an inkling that I would end up in a math related field. As a kid, I was constantly making graphs and driving my parents bonkers with crazy hypothetical questions. My impressions of actuaries being able to "predict the future" was, on the whole, quite appealing. It wasn't until high school, however, when I found out what an actuary really does on a day to day basis that I said to myself "this is the career I've been looking for!"

What influenced this decision?

The first thing that really piqued my interest in the career was the consistently high rankings for actuary in the Jobs Rated Almanac. I figured there must be some great benefits associated with the profession for it to consistently score so high. My parents and counselors in high school also tried to guide me toward a professional career that was well compensated without the stress of many other careers (although exam time is definitely stressful!) Ultimately, though, I just knew it would be a career that challenged my thinking, and that was exactly what I wanted.

Where did you go to college, and what is your educational background?

I attended Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo., and also spent one semester abroad in Limerick, Ireland. What I enjoyed at Maryville was a structured actuarial science program from day one. Therefore, I can honestly say that actuarial science is the main component of my educational background. As an added fun fact, I am also a classically trained singer, and have performed in several professional productions over the years.

What classes did you take in college that helped prepare you for your career? What class was most helpful?

I think that the class I rely on most heavily from my college days is statistics. You definitely need a strong foundation in this subject, as you use math every day on the job. I also think that having a strong understanding of economics is crucial. Sometimes the most actuarially justified decisions are not the most sound marketplace decisions, and economics helps balance these sometimes conflicting views.

What classes outside of mathematics and statistics (such as communications) were helpful?

I would encourage any actuary to take an additional English class or two. A large part of our job is effectively communicating our findings to others. Without a solid understanding of effective presentation or communication skills, this role becomes more difficult. In addition, I am a huge proponent of any liberal arts or honors program that your school may offer. Although it might not help in day to day work, being a well rounded individual will never reflect on you in a negative way. Who knows—it might even spark a conversation in an interview setting, which makes you more memorable!

What practice area are you working in?

I personally work in the property/casualty sector. I initially started work in pricing for the renters and condo market, and have recently transferred to pricing for commercial auto. Before starting my full time career, I also interned in a consulting role. I would encourage all candidates to explore the merits of different market sectors and find one that matches their interests most closely. No matter what, each sector helps develop key skills which can be carried over to future employment opportunities and makes you a more marketable candidate.

Thank you, Justin, for sharing your experiences with the Future Actuary readers!