These are typical questions actuaries are asked to answer. Don't underestimate the difficulty of the actuarial exams. The six criteria were job environment, income, outlook, physical demands, security and stress. Most employers assist exam takers by providing study time and by paying for after-work classes, books and exam fees. Automatic raises typically accompany passage of exams.
Actuarial students pick up knowledge on the job while working for more senior people.
Large insurance companies often have a formal job rotation program, where the student will work in a particular area for one or two years and then move on to another area. This gives the student a broad exposure to multiple departments within an insurance company. Students hired by consulting firms should expect to work longer hours with less study time than those joining insurance companies. While in college, students should take courses which prepare them for at least the first two actuarial exams. These two exams cover calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics.