Question - also looking at underwriting

[Stumped]

Ok, I'm trying to land my first job. Get my feet wet. I'm also extremely picky about the area in which I want to work.

I know I want to work in insurance (or something related) and I know I want to do something involving risk management. I think that I would also like underwriting besides actuarial work (from what I've heard about both career paths). A lot of people have told me that going into underwriting is not a bad move for a math major / actuarial candidate. A few have told me that these two career paths are almost totally unrelated though.

So anyways, here are my questions:

1. Is it really a good idea to try going into underwriting as well, especially to land my first job?
2. If I apply for an underwriting position, should I discuss actuarial science at all? It would give me some grounds to say that I know basic insurance terms and some basic insurance principles, but it might also make me look uncertain about what I want to do (or that I'm "shotgunning")?

[Ken]

I wouldn't apply for both an actuarial position and an underwriting position at the same company. Figure out what you really want to do and focus a bit.

[Stumped]

I wouldn't apply for both an actuarial position and an underwriting position at the same company. Figure out what you really want to do and focus a bit.

Well I wouldn't apply for both at the same company, but some companies only have underwriting positions in the location I want and some only have actuarial positions in the location I want.

[Ken]

Well I wouldn't apply for both at the same company, but some companies only have underwriting positions in the location I want and some only have actuarial positions in the location I want.

You still should figure out whether you want to do underwriting or actuarial work. When I'm applying for a job, I'll be applying for an actuarial position regardless of whether companies have an opening or not. If you can make a company want you enough, they might be able to open a position for you.