Let’s see… I’m a twenty year old college student. I love working with people, public speaking, managing groups among other things. I’m also planning on a math major.
How open have I left my options in the job market? I guess I’m still a little unclear on where this major can take me. I guess the base assumption for math majors is typically education, or working for the NSA I’d suppose.
Anyone have any experience in this area? What am I getting into?
I guess I feel frustrated, I know what I like to do but not of any careers that will incorporate that or how to get to them. Nor do I have any of connections or networks I can utilize so I don’t really know where to begin.
I’m frustrated with my schooling because I don’t feel like I have a goal… Sure get a bachelors degree with a major in math. Ok… Whatever… That’s wonderful. But I don’t really have any future goals. Once I finish this degree I’ve not a clue as to where I’m going. I know I can’t rely on guidance all my life, and I’d prefer not to, but in my position with not a clue as to where I can even start looking into my future, I figure it’s best to ask.
A math degree is like any other liberal arts degree–it opens up a wide range of job options, most of which are completely unrelated to the degree.
You do have the option of going to work for the NSA, and if you want to do research without a graduate degree, that’s more or less your only option.
Now, depending on what else you’ve studied, you will have other options. If you have some CS classes, you’ll have an edge over other people applying for entry-level programming classes. Take some economics and some advanced probability, and you’ll be able to go into finance. Taking classes in other sciences will give you options there as well.
I read once–too many years ago to remember where, or to dig up a cite–that the job of actuary ranked very high as to job satisfaction level. In other words, it suggested that if you have the education needed to become an actuary, you will be well paid and enjoy what you do.
Little as I know of what an actuary’s day is actually like, I have a hunch that such a job is not suited to the OP, who likes public speaking and working with people. I’d suggest he/she give a lot of consideration to being a teacher. Math majors are not that common in the teaching field, and it seems to me that a math major would be able to pick and choose where to teach, what level of math, and so on.
If you really enjoy working with people, I’d suggest that you check out biostatistics. Academic biostatisticians, such as those at medical universities, often collaborate extensively with physicians on research projects. Being able to enjoy working with others and communicate effectively is a huge asset in this field. You also get the warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy that tells you you’re using your education and skills to the direct benefit of others. And the stats isn’t as sucky as it could be, surprisingly. I hated stats as an undergrad (yes, math), but really enjoy the graduate school material. YMMV, of course. There are also some very interesting methodological problems in biostats that people are working to solve, so there’s the opportunity to contribute to the field as well.
What do biostatisticians do? design clinical trials for drugs or other interventions (say, a different surgical technique), analyze data pertaining to biological or medical research, develop new statistical methods to deal with design or data problems … it’s a pretty wide range of activities. Nearly all of it involves working closely with other stats folk and physicians/scientists.
I’m biased, if you couldn’t tell. I was a math major with no clue what I wanted to do, and when I found biostats something just clicked. I’m working towards my Ph.D. now, still in classes but starting research and working in my university’s statistical collaboration unit doing grant and clinical trial protocol reviewing and stuff like that. I love it about as much as I figure someone could love working.
Actually, I would say that it depends on the firm. I looked into it for a while and if one gets into a consultancy, for example, one will have the opportunity to schmooze and interact and spend the day putting out fires. Of course, there is always the crappy starting-off period, yadda, yadda.
I would say that the OP should definately looking into actuarial sciences and talk to whichever prof. is heading up her school’s program. At this stage of the game, she can get an exam or two passed before leaving school and she will be in prime position for an outstanding opportunity once she gets out.
Another alternative is finance. If the OP could do sales, then a math background would be useful for being a broker.
A third alternative is finance proper, i.e. going for a Ph.D. That is a big-money Ph.D. and graduate school is an effin’ riot. Totally worth the trouble, IMO. Along with economics, it is probably the most difficult non-science Ph.D.s out there since it is applied math & stats.
So if she wants to get a bachelors and get a job, then I say actuarial sciences. If she wants to go on for further study, I say a finance Ph.D.
As, js_africanus said, definitely check out the actuarial sciences. Although I’m not an actuary or actuarial student, I work in the actuarial department of an insurance company. One of our managers told me he went into it specifically because he didn’t want to end up teaching. There’s plenty of interaction with other people on a daily basis. If you get into more of a management type actuarial position you’ll be doing some public speaking in the form of presentations to other departments and you can put on presentations at actuarial industry-type meetings.
I read once that actuaries have one of the highest job satisfaction ratings and all of the people I work with really do seem to enjoy their work (especially after they pass all their exams). The company I work for hires students with a couple of exams under their belt, then pays for all the costs of taking further exams, plus gives you two hours a day to study, and pays for the trip to the party when you become a fellow. The pay ain’t bad, either.
And, I don’t know for sure, but I suspect being an actuarial student would give you opportunities to work abroad since the demand exceeds the supply.
The only math major I’ve known was my last roommate in college. He took a job with Mobil, who trained him to be a seismic data processor.
What I’d like to do is reiterate what ultrafilter said:
As with many of my friends and acquaintance, I’m in a career that I enjoy that is unrelated to my college (liberal arts) degree. I’d guesstimate that about half of my college educated friends are in similar situations. A few nights ago I was talking with a friend whose mother is a financial analyst - her degrees are in biochemistry.
Another good friend was a physics major. In college he had no idea what he might do with such a degree - the possibilities were myriad - and he did the campus interviews roulette. He wound up getting an offer from Schlumberger and he’s been a petroleum engineer for decades now.
He had an experience much like that of my former roommate (whom I feel safe in saying had never thought about seismic data or a career in the oil business before the end of school job hunt) as well as that of myself and many others I’ve known. A short period, at the departure point from school, when it really mattered, was when we surveyed the options and made some major choices. For some it worked out well while others had to retrench in a short bit. I took several years of additional classes once I plopped into my career path.
I’ll also hazard the statement that most of us have learned how to do what we do post-college.
I’m not trying to discourage you from planning ahead, but I am noting that it’s worked for many to charge on into the workforce freshly armed with a degree and a willingness to sample the field. It might even be easier if you’re not married to an idea.
Tensoc, with a degree in math you could qualify to become an experimental test pilot for the US Air Force. You’ll need more than the math BS though; you’ll have to pursue a commission via ROTC or OTS and then attend USAF pilot training and then meet the flying requirements in company airplanes (though I don’t think the flying hours requirement has been this low in a long time, if ever). Then you’ll need to apply and be selected to attend the school - see the requirements at the USAF test pilot school. It also lists requirements for experimental test navigators and flight test engineers if holding the stick isn’t your bag. Although the GPA requirements seem really low, the TPS guys are actually pretty selective as I understand.
In addition to job stability as an armed forces officer, you get some of the job perks you’re looking for (management/leadership, working with people, speaking) even if you don’t fly or become a test pilot. IANATP, but I do know those dudes have a very interesting job. With a math degree you certainly qualify to become a USAF pilot, and there are also plenty of non-rated jobs in the AF that a math guy can do. If your interests include flying, take a look at TPS.
Look into investment banking, and specifically trading. The vast majority of shit hot traders were math/engineer majors. Why? Because you’ve got to be able to process shifting numbers in a split second to trade. For creating structured products and the rest, being able to do numbers naturally is such a huge advantage.
Plus, as you know, decent traders at the big ibanks make serious cash. Of course, it’s kinda like a fraternity/locker room mentality, but some people find that a plus…
Definitely keep grad school in mind during which you’ll be exposed to a whole new world of career choices. And if money is your thing, just getting a masters will put you into a much higher bracket than just having the BS. However, the Ph.D. may not give you so much of a monetary return above a masters as the masters does above the bachelors. But, there are other reasons to consider the Ph.D.
Besides, for someone who likes the university atmostphere, and learning math, grad school is where its at. It was a very fun time of my life. And it’s where you start learning real math.
If you really are worried about specifically getting a job, look more into “applied math” areas: stats, probability, operations research, some economics, finance, CS. You can be a programmer with a math background. That’s what I do.
I knew a guy who was ABD in math who then dropped out to go into a Ph.D. program in economics–that’s how I knew him, he was in my program. He used to laugh about the time that someone asked him what he studied in a Ph.D program in math: “What do you do, work with, like, five variables?”
I was a math major with no clue what I wanted to do, and when I found biostats something just clicked. I’m working towards my Ph.D. now, still in classes but starting research and working in my university’s statistical collaboration unit doing grant and clinical trial protocol reviewing and stuff like that. I love it about as much as I figure someone could love working.