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From Intern to Actuary: Bryan's Career Journey at 精东影业
schedule
5 MINUTES
An interview with Bryan Hoang about his actuarial science career at 精东影业
schedule 5 MINUTES
Bryan Hoang, Assistant Actuary, has planted his roots at 精东影业.
His career journey with 精东影业 began in the summer of 2018 when he joined as an intern in the Summer Actuarial Intern Program (SAIP), although his path to securing that internship was unique and serendipitous.
鈥淎t the time, I was actually studying abroad in Spain for my fall semester,鈥 Bryan said. 鈥淏ut it was recruiting season for summer internships, and so I continued to apply to as many as I could.鈥
A LinkedIn application sent by a friend eventually led Bryan to 精东影业, and despite the challenges of interviewing via international phone call, Bryan secured a position at 精东影业 to begin his internship the following summer.
That marked the beginning of his career journey at 精东影业.
Bryan started his internship in the Product Design team within what was then known as the Retirement Solutions Division (RSD). His dedication and hard work during that internship paved the way for his first full-time role in RSD Risk Management, where he focused on Asset Liability Management (ALM).
Later, he rotated to RSD Valuation before finally moving into his current role on the CMD Product team.
However, Bryan鈥檚 career journey wasn鈥檛 always so obvious for him.
鈥淲hen I was applying for colleges, I initially thought I wanted to be a mechanical engineer or a doctor,鈥 he said.
However, after loving his AP statistics class in high school, Bryan decided to major in statistics at UC Santa Barbara. Later, he found his true calling in actuarial science and formally changed his major in his second year.
Throughout his time in school, Bryan actively participated in UCSB鈥檚 actuarial association and other professional organizations. He even solidified his career choice by studying for, and passing, his first actuarial exam in his second year of school.
Mentorship also played a critical role in Bryan's career development at 精东影业.
His first intern manager, as well as the executive leadership on his team, provided invaluable guidance and support.
鈥淭he leadership on my team created a very warm atmosphere and made sure I felt welcomed as an entry level analyst,鈥 Bryan noted. 鈥淭hat made me feel like a part of the PL family.鈥
Bryan continues to seek career advice from many different avenues, for example through his current mentor Kevin, Associate Actuary, and through an outside actuarial mentorship program called Abacus Actuaries. Both have been instrumental in his career growth.
鈥淜evin and I are actually on the same team now.鈥 Bryan noted. 鈥淭hat was just by coincidence. But it鈥檚 been nice to have him on my team because Kevin is so great at giving me general career advice.鈥
And so, what advice would Bryan give to interns today?
He says the best advice he can give is to be proactive in both your contributions to the company and in building relationships.
Bryan also encourages interns to ask a lot of questions, learn as much as possible, and make the most of their internship experience.
What was your first job ever?
"I used to be a lifeguard and swim instructor for Blueray Aquatics! I switched to be a swim instructor because I found a lot more joy in teaching kids how to swim and seeing their confidence grow overtime with swimming."
What are you looking forward to?
"Being done with my FSA exams and moving on to the next big challenge, whatever it may be!"
What was your favorite vacation?
"My favorite vacation was probably my recent Asia trip where I went to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. We spent about two-and-a-half weeks there and I went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Seoul, Saigon, and Hanoi! There were a lot of claw machines, cafes, and sooooo much food I could have stayed longer!"
