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What Derek Does :
- Demo, implement, and support credit risk management software solutions, primarily for major financial institutions such as large banks
- Began in March 2005
- Prerequisite jobs held before this job - Interned with same company for one year as a student and gained familiarity with our risk software products
On The Job :
- More details of the job This job involves providing our clients and potential clients with the tools they need to manage to manage their credit risk. For example, many banks would like to meet regulatory requirements such as those outlined in the “Basel II Accord.” My job is to demonstrate that our software will allow them to effectively meet those requirements and to help them get up-and-running using our software with their masses of portfolio data.
- Understanding and interpreting statistical results, explaining mathematical computations implemented by software, writing computer programs to value financial derivatives.
- Designed sample investment portfolios; translated software documentation from Italian to English.
Background:
- Liberty University: B.S. in Mathematics, 2002, NC State University: Master of Financial Mathematics, 2004.
- Math skills used for the job (mentioning specific courses if applicable) Calculus, linear algebra, probability & statistics, operations research, numerical analysis, differential equations.
- Programming, broad understanding in computer science, presentation skills, finance, econometrics.
- Any other relevant details about the path to the job Interning with the company helped in attaining a full-time position.
Advice:
- Don’t listen to that “math majors can only become teachers” baloney. While teaching is a great profession, there are many other career possibilities for those who are mathematically skilled. It’s a good idea to complement your math coursework with other related subjects/fields. Some examples include finance, economics, computer science, and/or statistics. If you like math, being a math major is a good, safe bet. Even if you don’t end up proving theorems and evaluating integrals for the rest of your life, the analytical skills you gain should give you a good foundation for your postgraduate pursuits.