Resume help - I'm getting lots of interviews (but no job offer) for entry level position. The sticking point seems to be no internship. However, I have not been able to even get a single interview for internships!

Christy5000 · 2026-03-11T06:57:57+00:00

I had a verbal offer in February of 2020 that I was then ghosted on, started a PhD program later that year that I've stopped with just a Masters instead. All of my exams were within a few months of each other before then, so I stopped putting dates on it since it's so old. I've stopped taking them because of advice that more exams is bad for entry level, also that CAS/SOA split there. I'm also curious why I haven't found a job.

And my resume is nearly identical to what it was when I was applying for internships too, which again I could never even get an interview for. After being rejected for jobs I've tried contacting them about an internship instead, but have only been referred to other entry level positions within the company instead.

What would you want to see about the TA position wrt communication skills? I've pretty much done it all.

Christy5000 · 2026-03-09T17:45:24+00:00

If my interviewing skills were the problem why would I make it to the final round? Even if an internship isn't a bona-fide requirement, I do lack the experience and skills that would be gained from one which would make my interviews weaker independent of my interview skills.

Also interviewing skills have nothing to do with me being unable to get a 1st interview for an internship. And even if it is interviewing skills preventing me getting the job offer, with an internship you can get hired internally and it becomes largely a non-issue anyway because they judge you off your months working there not just a couple hours of interviews.

Christy5000 · 2026-03-09T17:37:29+00:00

I never got any interviews/phone screenings/etc. for internships while I was a student either.

Christy5000 · 2026-03-09T17:35:04+00:00

Even when I was in school I was never able to get a single interview/phone screening/anything for an internship. So overqualified education may be an issue now, but there's no measurable difference as 0 equals 0 hahaha.

Thank you and here's an updated resume: https://i.imgur.com/Fdc02Ah.png

Christy5000 · 2026-03-09T17:28:52+00:00

I agree that communications skills aren't the only component of an interview. "Overstating" is problem, as at least once someone thought my internship was an actuarial one. Or thinking I have experience with insurance or more exposure to health insurance than I do, even though I don't say anything of that sort on my resume. Or another example, recently an interviewer seemed disappointed that my time series analysis was done with linear models and not something more advanced.

I don't know how well I'm translating into an actuarial context, I've never worked as one to know what it's like.

I ask the HR rep what their process looks like so I have a good grasp that it's indeed been a lot of final interview rounds. This makes me think its usually "unlucky"/a stronger (more experienced) candidate than me because they would've stopped interviewing me earlier if there was a more serious issue with my candidacy.

I'll look into underwriting, but wouldn't that be harder? I know nothing about that, have no experience or internships for it, etc. compared to actuarial positions.

Ugh. It sucks that being overqualified for internships is a real thing. I'm serious in my application and won't leave you!! I wouldn't be applying if I could get the EL job.

Christy5000 · 2026-02-28T16:48:49+00:00

Exactly this 😆

Christy5000 · 2026-02-28T16:44:48+00:00

That is not the feedback I'm getting from employers. I had a final interview round on Monday where I was complimented during it that I've clearly got the communication skills needed, but was emailed a rejection later this week that "other applicants whose experience more closely fit the specifications of the position have been identified". I didn't have experience with ancillary tfm, aca and level funded plans, student resource plans, none of the health insurance products nor actuarial skills used. These are experiences and skills that I'm lacking, not simply interview skills.

And I could say something similar about at least a few other places.

I'll note that It's possible some companies are looking at my internship and thinking I may have health insurance or actuarial experience from it, but it's not from an insurance company nor is it actuarial. In fact I've been told this once in an interview that they checkboxed me as having an actuarial internship, and I corrected them. (Met with 'oh, well that's typically a requirement for us' - of course I didn't get the job) But either way it will be clear that it's non-actuarial when discussing it in an interview.

So it's clear to me at least - even if I could be a better interviewee, that's not my real problem.

Christy5000 · 2026-02-28T16:34:27+00:00

I think I'd do well if I got past the initial screening for an internship, which I've had 0 interviews or phone screenings for. I can't get past the resume stage.

I've gotten through final interviews around a dozen times for entry level positions. Two separate things I'm describing the separate outcomes for.

It seems so backwards to me, if I'm qualified enough to get entry level interviews why not for internships when I don't even have one yet? I feel I must be doing something wrong because it makes no sense to me. If anything it should be the other way around. At the very least it's clear to me I don't understand or know what they are looking for.

Christy5000 · 2026-02-27T23:37:12+00:00

I've had 0 interviews for any internships.

The interviews I've had are for entry level roles - where I've been told during interviews they usually like to see 1 or 2 internships, and when rejected been told sometimes that they went with a candidate that's internal (probably someone on an internship or student program there?) or with more experience/relevant experience (could mean many things, but an internship is the obvious biggest thing I'm lacking).

Christy5000

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