The future is uncertain. Some of the events that can happen are undesirable. "Risk" is the possibility that an undesirable event will occur. Actuaries are experts in:

• Evaluating the likelihood of future events
• Designing creative ways to reduce the likelihood of undesirable events
• Decreasing the impact of undesirable events that do occur.

Actuaries are the leading professionals in finding ways to manage risk. It takes a combination of strong analytical skills, business knowledge and understanding of human behavior to design and manage programs that control risk.

Actuaries work in all sectors of the economy, though they are more heavily represented in the financial services sector, including insurance companies, commercial banks, investment banks, and retirement funds. They are employed by corporations as well as the state and federal government. Many work for consulting firms or are self employed.