Dilemma

Hi there, hopefully some of you will have some advice for me...

I'm in my last year at university and have been offered a job with one of the big consultancies working as a Pensions Actuary. I did placements over the summer in this field and really enjoyed it and have accepted the offer from the big consultancy.

However, from looking at other opportunities since - in particular companies that let you do rotations in different areas of actuarial - I'm not sure if I would prefer working somewhere that allows this.

Should I put this to the back of my mind and go with the job I've accepted, or apply for the other companies anyway? I know it looks really bad to decline a job you have accepted.

Is it easy to move into a different area when you are part qualified or is it quite difficult?

Any advice anyone has would be great!

 

It's is quite difficult to move.

By all means apply for other jobs but remember that the consultancy you turn down won't be happy and are unlikely to offer you employment again.

Also, if you have signed a contract I am not sure what the legal situation is? Probably not too tight as employers reserve right to withdraw offers so we should be allowed to withdraw our acceptance! Maybe?

As to what you should do, that's your call, not mine.

 

I'm not sure that I can tell you what to do but I can tell you what not to do, by telling you about one of my students.
He had a training contract with a leading consultancy and six exemptions, but turned them down and got a job repackaging mortgages for a European bank which is massively exposed to the subprime debt fiasco. This was inspite of me warning him in 2006 there would be a banking collapse at some point in the near future.

 

Personally I think you can always move later on, but I'm in a different country. It's not great because you'll have to start at the bottom again, but if you've already accepted the job, and you already know that you enjoy working in this field then I don't see why you're so keen to turn back on your acceptance.

 

The grass is always greener .........

My suggestion is that you stick with the job you have and then consider a move in a couple of year's time after you have got some experience. Changing fields shouldn't be too difficult early on in your career.