RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid Costly Resume Mistakes that Keep Actuaries Off the Shortlist
Learn precise fixes to make your actuarial resume stand out to hiring managers and ATS.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps actuaries identify and correct frequent resume errors, ensuring their analytical skills and certifications shine through and pass ATS filters.
Identify vague skill descriptions
Correct formatting that confuses ATS
Showcase relevant actuarial credentials
Quantify impact with measurable results
Tailor language to actuarial job postings
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing Professional DesignationsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers may doubt your qualifications
- ATS often scans for designations like ASA, FSA
How to fix
- List all actuarial credentials prominently under a "Credentials" heading
- Include the awarding society and year earned
❌ Before
John Doe Experience: Analyst at XYZ Corp
✓ After
John Doe, ASA, FSA Credentials: ASA (Society of Actuaries, 2022), FSA (2024)
ATS Tip
Use exact abbreviation (ASA, FSA) as keywords
Detection Rules
Missing pattern of ASA or FSA
No credentials section
Resumly Tip
Add a dedicated 'Credentials' line right below your name for instant impact.
Using Generic Objective StatementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Fails to convey actuarial focus
- Wastes valuable space
How to fix
- Replace objective with a concise summary highlighting years of experience, specialty (e.g., life insurance, pensions)
- Mention key technical tools (e.g., SAS, R, Prophet)
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a challenging position where I can grow.
✓ After
Summary: Actuarial analyst with 4 years of experience in life insurance pricing, proficient in SAS, R, and Prophet, delivering models that reduced reserve variance by 12%.
ATS Tip
Include target job title and core actuarial keywords.
Detection Rules
Contains word 'Objective' and generic phrasing
Length < 30 characters
Resumly Tip
Swap the objective for a 2‑sentence summary that packs your niche and achievements.
Listing Responsibilities Instead of AchievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn’t demonstrate impact
- ATS looks for result‑oriented verbs
How to fix
- Start bullet points with action verbs and quantify results
- Show how your models improved profitability or reduced risk
❌ Before
• Performed quarterly loss reserving calculations.
✓ After
• Developed quarterly loss reserving models that cut reserve estimation error by 15% and saved $200K annually.
ATS Tip
Use metrics and actuarial terms like 'loss reserving', 'solvency', 'risk metrics'.
Detection Rules
Bullets start with verbs like 'Performed', 'Assisted'
No numbers present
Resumly Tip
Turn every duty into a measurable achievement.
Improper Date FormattingLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may misread dates
- Hiring managers struggle to gauge timeline
How to fix
- Use consistent month‑year format (MMM YYYY)
- Align dates to the right margin for readability
❌ Before
Jan 2020 – 2022
✓ After
Jan 2020 – Dec 2022
ATS Tip
Standardize to 'MMM YYYY' (e.g., Jan 2020) across all entries.
Detection Rules
Date strings not matching regex ^[A-Za-z]{3} \d{4}$
Missing end month
Resumly Tip
Apply the same date style to every role and education entry.
Omitting Technical Skill KeywordsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- ATS filters out resumes lacking key actuarial tools
- Recruiters miss your technical fit
How to fix
- Create a 'Technical Skills' section listing SAS, R, Python, SQL, Prophet, MoSes, VBA, Tableau
- Match keywords from the job posting
❌ Before
Skills: Microsoft Office
✓ After
Technical Skills: SAS, R, Python, SQL, Prophet, MoSes, VBA, Tableau, PowerBI
ATS Tip
Copy exact tool names from the posting; avoid synonyms.
Detection Rules
Skills section missing any of the listed tools
Only generic software mentioned
Resumly Tip
Add a concise, bullet‑free list of actuarial software and programming languages.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Header, Professional Summary, Credentials, Experience, Education, Technical Skills, Certifications, Professional Affiliations
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Actuary.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career, up to 3 pages for senior actuaries
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State (optional)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Include ASA/FSA designations
- Use a concise summary with actuarial focus
- Quantify achievements with numbers
- List technical tools matching the job description
- Format dates as MMM YYYY
- Keep resume to 1‑2 pages (or 3 for senior)
- Use standard section headings
- Save as PDF with proper file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: Include actuarial terms like 'loss reserving', 'pricing', 'risk modeling', 'solvency', plus software names (SAS, R, Prophet)
Heading Format: Use conventional headings such as 'Professional Summary', 'Experience', 'Education', 'Technical Skills'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current Actuary resume text
- Standardize date format
- Add missing credentials section
- Convert responsibilities to quantified achievements
- Insert technical skills keywords
- Optimize headings for ATS
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