Aisling O'Reilly: Associate Monetization Strategy Manager at LinkedIn

What is your background/ experience with ISCG and what are you currently doing?

I joined ISCG during my third year of Management Science and Information Systems Studies (MSISS) on the first Trinity College team.  We worked with an Irish cosmetics company who were in hyper-growth, advising them on their systems and processes so that they could scale with the increase in demand.  This subsequently led to their successful expansion into 14 new markets – including the US!

I then took a position on the leadership team as Head of Operations and Finance where I managed the logistics across all universities, oversaw sponsorship negotiations and controlled the expenditure of the group.

The summer before final year, I was on the founding Project Seed team - ISCG’s effort to establish self-sustaining peer consulting groups around the globe.  We spent a month in Tanzania partnering with students from the University of Dar es Salaam and local social enterprises.

Now I lead monetization strategy for LinkedIn Online Learning at LinkedIn’s HQ in Silicon Valley.  I partner with R&D, marketing and customer research to assess and prioritize strategic initiatives which drives long-term impact.

What did you enjoy most/find most beneficial about ISCG?

Building a network of like-minded, driven and capable students across multiple disciplines and universities was hands down the best part about ISCG.  Access to ISCG members and its accomplished alumni has opened so many doors for me – including a referral to my current role!  To this day, there are folks that I call on for career advice, help solving a business problem and even interview practice that I met during my time at ISCG.

How do you think your experience with ISCG has helped you generally and/or in your career?

ISCG has played a huge part in my career!  As a student, you’re gaining hands-on industry experience by solving real-world business problems.  Commerciality, structured thinking and teamwork are skills which I developed through my participation with ISCG that I carry with me today.  These skills are highly valued by graduate employers.  When it came to interview rounds, ISCG gave a diverse set of experiences that I could draw on to answer questions which were different to that of most students.