Skip to content
TryHired.
Interview · Actuary

Actuary interview questions, with what they test.

12 questions built from what the job actually involves: its core duties, the skills rated most important and the tools in use. Switch on practice mode to rehearse before you look.

12 questions · practice mode
Updated Nov 2, 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0
Quick answer

Actuary interviews test whether you can do the core work, such as analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash reserves…, and the skills rated most important for the role: mathematics, reading comprehension and complex problem solving (O*NET). Prepare one true, specific story for each, with a result.

Had it 0Practise 0Practice mode
Q01Walk me through how you analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash reserves and liabilities necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.Core duty
What they are really testing

Hands-on experience with one of the duties workers rate most important for actuaries, and the judgment calls inside it.

Likely follow-ups
  • How does this connect to how you determine, or help determine, company policy, and explain complex…?
  • What went wrong the last time, and what did you change?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Where you did it, how often and for whom
  2. Step 2Your steps in order, including how you used SAS
  3. Step 3One judgment call you made, and why
  4. Step 4The result, with a number you can defend
Q02Walk me through how you analyze statistical information to estimate mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates.Core duty
What they are really testing

Hands-on experience with one of the duties workers rate most important for actuaries, and the judgment calls inside it.

Likely follow-ups
  • How does this connect to how you construct probability tables for events such as fires, natural…?
  • What went wrong the last time, and what did you change?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Where you did it, how often and for whom
  2. Step 2Your steps in order, including how you used IBM SPSS Statistics
  3. Step 3One judgment call you made, and why
  4. Step 4The result, with a number you can defend
Q03Walk me through how you design, review, and help administer insurance, annuity and pension plans, determining financial soundness and calculating premiums.Core duty
What they are really testing

Hands-on experience with one of the duties workers rate most important for actuaries, and the judgment calls inside it.

Likely follow-ups
  • How does this connect to how you determine equitable basis for distributing surplus earnings under…?
  • What went wrong the last time, and what did you change?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Where you did it, how often and for whom
  2. Step 2Your steps in order, including how you used Microsoft Visio
  3. Step 3One judgment call you made, and why
  4. Step 4The result, with a number you can defend
Q04Walk me through how you collaborate with programmers, underwriters, accounts, claims experts, and senior management to help companies develop plans for new lines of business or improvements to existing business.Core duty
What they are really testing

Hands-on experience with one of the duties workers rate most important for actuaries, and the judgment calls inside it.

Likely follow-ups
  • How does this connect to how you determine policy contract provisions for each type of insurance?
  • What went wrong the last time, and what did you change?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Where you did it, how often and for whom
  2. Step 2Your steps in order, including how you used Microsoft Excel
  3. Step 3One judgment call you made, and why
  4. Step 4The result, with a number you can defend
Q05Walk me through how you provide advice to clients on a contract basis, working as a consultant.Core duty
What they are really testing

Hands-on experience with one of the duties workers rate most important for actuaries, and the judgment calls inside it.

Likely follow-ups
  • How does this connect to how you provide expertise to help financial institutions manage risks and…?
  • What went wrong the last time, and what did you change?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Where you did it, how often and for whom
  2. Step 2Your steps in order, including how you used Microsoft Office software
  3. Step 3One judgment call you made, and why
  4. Step 4The result, with a number you can defend
Q06Walk me through a calculation you do regularly in this work, and how you check it.Mathematics
What they are really testing

Comfort with the numbers the job depends on, and accuracy habits. Mathematics is rated 4.4 of 5 for this job, +1.8 against the average occupation (O*NET).

Answer approach
  1. Step 1The calculation and why it matters
  2. Step 2How you do it
  3. Step 3How you verify it
  4. Step 4Pick the example from the core work, for instance when you had to analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash reserves and…
Q07How do you measure whether a process or system is working well?Systems Evaluation
What they are really testing

Choosing indicators and acting on them. Systems Evaluation is rated 3.9 of 5 for this job, +1.2 against the average occupation (O*NET).

Answer approach
  1. Step 1What you measured
  2. Step 2Why those measures
  3. Step 3What the data showed
  4. Step 4Pick the example from the core work, for instance when you had to analyze statistical information to estimate mortality, accident, sickness…
Q08Tell me about a time you worked out what a process or tool needed to do before changing it.Operations Analysis
What they are really testing

Analysing requirements before acting. Operations Analysis is rated 3.1 of 5 for this job, +1.1 against the average occupation (O*NET).

Answer approach
  1. Step 1What needed to change
  2. Step 2How you gathered the requirements
  3. Step 3What you recommended
  4. Step 4Pick the example from the core work, for instance when you had to design, review, and help administer insurance, annuity and pension plans…
Q09Describe a time you worked out how a change in one part of a system would affect the rest.Systems Analysis
What they are really testing

Understanding how parts interact. Systems Analysis is rated 3.8 of 5 for this job, +1.0 against the average occupation (O*NET).

Answer approach
  1. Step 1The system
  2. Step 2The change
  3. Step 3The effects you predicted
  4. Step 4Pick the example from the core work, for instance when you had to collaborate with programmers, underwriters, accounts, claims experts, and…
Q10Walk me through the hardest problem you solved in this kind of work.Complex Problem Solving
What they are really testing

Structured thinking on problems with no single obvious answer. Complex Problem Solving is rated 4.0 of 5 for this job, +0.8 against the average occupation (O*NET).

Answer approach
  1. Step 1Why it was hard
  2. Step 2How you broke it down
  3. Step 3The options you weighed
  4. Step 4Pick the example from the core work, for instance when you had to provide advice to clients on a contract basis, working as a consultant
Q11Which of these have you used: SAS, IBM SPSS Statistics, Microsoft Visio? Tell me about a recent piece of work with one of them.Tools
What they are really testing

Real, recent use of the tools actuaries depend on, not a list of names.

Likely follow-ups
  • How would you get up to speed on Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA if you haven't used it?
Answer approach
  1. Step 1Name the tool and the task, e.g. SAS for analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash…
  2. Step 2What you did with it
  3. Step 3A problem you solved with it
  4. Step 4What the output was used for
Q12Why do you want to work as an Actuary?Motivation
What they are really testing

Whether you understand what the job really involves, and whether that is what you want.

Answer approach
  1. Step 1Name the part of the work you like: e.g. analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash…
  2. Step 2Evidence you have done it or something close
  3. Step 3Why this employer
  4. Step 4Where you want to grow

Data Duty, skill, tool and conditions questions are built from O*NET data for this occupation. Advice Answer approaches are our coaching advice.

Answer framework

Two structures that work

SSituationOne sentence of context.
TTaskWhat you owned.
AActionWhat you did, in your words.
RResultWhat changed, with a number if true.
Questions to ask them

End the interview well

Advice

  • What does a strong first 90 days look like for this actuary role?
  • Which part of the work takes the most time in a typical week?
  • How is performance measured here?
  • What tools and systems does the team use?
FAQ

Common questions

What are common Actuary interview questions?
Expect questions about the core duties (analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash…), about mathematics and reading comprehension, and about the tools you have used. This page lists 12 with what each one tests.
How should I answer behavioral questions?
Use a short structure such as Situation, Task, Action, Result, and end with a specific, true result.
Method

How this page is built

Questions are generated from O*NET 31.0 data for the occupation: its core tasks, the skills with the highest importance ratings, the tools reported, and work-context ratings. The interviewer intent and answer approach are TryHired coaching advice.

What this page can't tell you
  • What a specific employer will ask.
  • Technical tests or licensing exams for the role.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.

How TryHired builds this data: sources, methods and downloads. Spotted an error? Report a correction.

Keep exploring

More for Actuaries

Role hubActuary career overview

What the job is, skills, tools, pay and related roles.

Open →SalaryActuary salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeActuary how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

Open →ResumeActuary resume

Keywords, bullet formulas and the skills to prove.

Open →Career changeActuary career change

Where these skills transfer, with skill match and pay change.

Open →Free toolCheck your resume

Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

Open →
More careers

Similar careers to explore

CareerEconomistCareerBusiness Intelligence AnalystCareerFinancial AdvisorCareerManagement ConsultantCareerStatisticianCareerInvestment Fund Manager