Description: This article discusses the actuarial profession and its role and needed skill set development going forward in meeting the needs of businesses for risk management and capital management

Description: This article provides some advice on performing a job search.

Description: A comment letter to policymakers produced jointly by the SOA and AAA presents findings from their actuarial analysis of the proposed CLASS Act. The analysis indicates that the proposed structure and funding approaches will be unsustainable, and will cover only a very small proportion of the intended population. The opt-out and guaranteed issue provisions of the plan pose a risk that soon the program will either need increased premiums and/or significant reductions.

Description: An article in the September 2008 issue of Health Watch in which the author passes along some thoughts to those who may be participating in the health care debate this time around.

Description: This article is a review of the book by Joshua Foer. It covers the history of memory techniques, the way a human brain organizes memory, and various problems and successes in memory recall. The author starts by interviewing memory savants, and learns from them that the ability to perform seemingly impossible memory tricks is simply a matter of studying and practicing proven techniques used for millennia. This review suggests that actuaries can benefit greatly from some of these techniques despite the availability of electronic hand-held devices to recall facts because the person who does not need to rely upon such devices can have a huge perceptual advantage in executive presentations.

Description: The SOA released a report titled Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform, which looks at the impact on insurance markets, pricing and profitability.

Description: Discusses the workshops given at two Spring Meetings in 2004 on promoting yourself, which demonstrated practical techniques for self-promotion.

Description: metadata for the entire issue

Description: Second article in a series on effective writing: focuses on writing for Chinese readers if English; and on writing for English readers if Chinese.

Description: This article discusses how your leadership style should vary depending on the person you are leading, the situation and goal. 4 syles of leadership are discussed.