Math Education + Quantitative Job = Career Satisfaction

Few individuals in this world aspire to earn the title “geek”, but that may be soon to change given the Wall Street Journal’s listings of Best Jobs of 2011. As it turns out, analytically-minded individuals are thriving in their positions as Actuaries, Accountants, Statisticians, and Mathematicians. In fact, they very well may be the most satisfied working professionals out there.

The Jobs Rated report was developed to determine which careers offer the highest sense of gratification for the majority of workers in each profession. The ranking is determined by several criteria: work environment, physical demands, outlook, stress, and income. The best overall work situation in 2011 (meaning the highest ranking in the aforementioned categories) goes to the Software Engineer - not exactly in the statistical realm, but still reliant on a firm mathematical background. But scrolling down the list just a bit, it's important to note that Mathematician ranks number two, with an excellent hiring outlook. Actuary comes in a close third, followed by Statistician at number four. That's three of the top five rated careers belonging to math majors, each with excellent hiring outlooks.

A few years ago, I welcomed you to my dining room table for a little table talk. Back then, the conversation centered on the kids’ standing in the social hierarchy of our local high school, with my math geek son clinging to the bottom rungs of the social ladder. I was thrilled to be able to boost his self-esteem by quoting this article’s conclusions.

I’m equally thrilled to inform him once again (and you all as well!) that the mathematician’s ranking stands. Even more importantly, I’m happy to note following a career path in mathematics could very well lead to life-long fulfillment. When you find a career that offers opportunities to do what you love, work is not work. For those of you who have already chosen the quantitative path, your long-term prospects are looking good.

For more information, please click here: http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/10-best-jobs-2011

Snowstorms, Snowshoes and Anecdotal Evidence

Becky, snowshoe racing in Wisconsin.
Note the hat: it's Packer spirit wear;
she'll be cheering Greenbay during
Sunday's Superbowl.

Well, it’s here — the Snowstorm of the Century has hit Chicago. I’m not quite sure how significant that is in a century that’s only 11 years old, but we’ve definitely got accumulation, with some serious shoveling and treacherous driving conditions. My kids are thrilled to have a snow day — the first in our school district in decades.

Chicago averages about 38 inches of snow a year, but for three years running we’ve topped the 50-inch mark and it looks like we’re well on our way to a fourth. Lucky for me, I thought to bring my snowshoes home from our last visit to our farm house up in Wisconsin, where we have plenty of room to practice snowshoeing.

Recently, our family has taken up snowshoe racing on during weekends up north. Snowshoes were developed in Central Asia around 6,000 years ago, but they’re still pretty new to us. We’ve been having a lot of fun. In a race a couple of weeks ago, out of a field of 140, Jay came in first overall; Becky, Jackson and Doug also medaled. I managed to finish … without falling.

Statistically, of course, the results of a single race aren’t that important, except for bragging rights around the dinner table. Four years of above average snowfall don’t really mean much statistically, either. In our industry, these results would be called anecdotes.

There are a couple of famous quotes that make the rounds about anecdotal evidence. The first is attributed to Raymond Wolfinger, professor emeritus of American Politics at the University of California, Berkeley. In response to a student’s dismissal of a simple factual statement as a “mere anecdote”, Wolfinger responded: “The plural of anecdote is data.” In the second, the quote has been bastardized and more often represented as “The plural of anecdote is not data.”

But Wolfinger was right. Anecdotes are stories. Data collection is meaningless unless you understand the story it represents. As quantitative specialists, you are the interpreters of data — you tell the stories so the data make sense to your audience. That’s your job. Here at Burtch Works, we want to help you make sense of the marketplace. That’s our job. Please let us know if we can help.

Stepping Out of the Box

Mongolia, August 2010

Ger Tents in the Gobi

It turns out that when you travel somewhere exotic and foreign,you’ll discover that things are, well, exotic and foreign. During our family summer adventure in Mongolia, we experienced the full yin and yang of foreign and exotic — from fantastic to absurd, from interesting to alien, from simple to simply awful. At 6,100 some miles from home, we took a giant step out of our box.

Me, contemplating the US economy
in the Gobi Dessert

Stepping out of your box is an eye-opening experience. You learn to appreciate the little things, like plumbing and roads. Potholes don’t seem so bad when you’re in a country where, outside of the capital city Ulaan Baatar, roads are a rarity, and the natives and guides tend to regard even rudimentary paths as optional. Bring extra Dramamine.

Becky and me, freezing at our
campsite in Lake Khovsgol,
northern Mongolia

We found that you must expect the unexpected, like a hailstorm with freezing rain while horseback riding; or a fierce sandstorm that keeps you grounded in your ger tent. You discover hidden talents you didn’t know you had, like the ability to communicate in a country where few people speak English. And you come to understand that even in the most unfamiliar environment, there are universal joys, like playing cards or chess late into the night around a campfire, where the common language does not have to be a spoken one.

Jay (l.) and Jackson (r.) enjoying a game of chess
Lake Khovsgol, northern Mongolia

Mongolia is going through a momentous cultural shift. Having emerged from communism a short 20 years ago, it is struggling with growing pains as it embraces democracy and capitalism. Ulaan Baatar moves at a frenetic pace, constructing modern offices and condo high rises, while more than half the population clings to the centuries-old nomadic lifestyle. Urban teens flock to internet spots with their gadget-laden Asian cell phones, while older generations continue to herd sheep, goats and cattle, moving three times a year in search of better grazing. It will be interesting to see what Mongolia is like in another 20 years.

Tourism is booming (we encountered an amazing number of Americans) as Mongolia’s reputation for unspoiled wilderness spreads. Foreign investors are also descending in a quest for mining rights over recently discovered rich deposits of gold and copper. It is estimated Mongolia’s GDP could triple over the next 10 years. Let’s hope the government is up for the challenge of managing these opportunities – protecting their country’s breathtaking landscape from the potentially negative impact that both tourism and mining could have.

Doug and a feathered friend in western Mongolia

Camping is not really my thing, but Doug and the kids had a blast, reveling in the outdoors — horseback riding, kayaking and hiking under vast blue skies with the whitest clouds I’ve ever seen. We were totally unplugged, as “no signal” seems to be understood in any language. And that was the best part, being together, uninterrupted by the routine of daily life — experiencing as a family the highs and lows of foreign and exotic.

Jay on the famous
Flaming Cliffs
Gobi Dessert, Mongolia

It occurs to me that stepping out of your box is good preparation for the inevitable changes we face in our lives and careers. Starting a new job often means expecting the unexpected, breaking into a different corporate culture, and learning the language of a new company. It also brings exciting opportunities for personal and professional growth, not to mention a keen appreciation for welcoming coworkers, a decent lunch and good old American plumbing. Chances are you won’t even have to bring your own toilet paper (although I’m glad I did).

We found that a good guide makes all the difference. If you need guidance along your career path, Burtch Works is here for you. (See more pictures below.)

The family (that's a reindeer in the middle)
What do you thing of this as our holiday card?
Lake Khovsgol, Mongolia

In the Gobi Dessert

Lake Khovsgol, Mongolia

Ger tents — sans plumbing

Western Mongolia

Beer — the universal language!

In Beijing on our way home.

That's the "Birds Nest" from the 2008 Summer Olympics

Three Thanks and a Wish

It’s pretty traditional around the holidays to do an assessment — a year in review kind of thing. Given that we are just getting started here at Burtch Works, I decided to forego that tradition for a simpler one. This year, I’d like to offer three thanks and a wish.

First, I’d like to thank my family for their support during this period of transition. Change is good. Change is inevitable. Change is hard, especially on husbands and children, or so mine keep telling me. Doug describes his role as the person who does everything I don’t want to do. And I have my son Jay hooking up and troubleshooting the computers at $5 per hour (we are a start up!). Becky and Jackson made some beautiful signs out of our logo that are all around my office. So thank you to my family for taking this exciting new ride with me.

Second, thanks to those who have worked with me to get Burtch Works up and running. This last month or so has been a whirlwind of activity, and your talent, enthusiasm and dedication are stamped on every inch of this new endeavor. Lauren Eck, Katie Ferguson and Sandy Marmitt have jumped in with energy and excitement, creating a vibrant and fun new office. I’m looking forward to writing a very positive year-in-review post next December.

Finally, thanks to all of you for your warm thoughts and good wishes, which have helped launch Burtch Works on such a positive note. I am thrilled, excited and busy … really, really busy … so I know that 2010 is going to be a good year.

And now for my wish. I could wish that I could figure out all the bells and whistles on our high tech phone system, but with Lauren’s help, I am sure I will get there. I could wish for better economic times, but every sign I see is that things are turning around. So instead, I will simply wish you a joyous holiday season and the very best for you and yours in the New Year. May it be a year of peace and prosperity, and, if you desire, a year of positive change.

Happy Holidays!

Linda Burtch