Learning & Growing with ISCG by Conor Perry

I joined the ISCG out of boredom. Months at home, trapped in a sort of pseudo-quarantine, any contact at all with the outside world seemed desirable. My thoughts initially were that the ISCG could be something productive I could do in my own time and that the organisers of the society seemed competent. Now, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the inner workings of lots of organisations. From tightly run multinational companies and high-quality student organisations such as the Student Managed Fund (SMF) of Trinity College, to significantly less well organised local enterprises, and FOREX trading pyramid schemes.

However, organisational prowess aside, the above-mentioned organisations share a singular commonality; top down, hierarchical leadership, that puts little responsibility on the shoulders of those actually doing the work. This is what distinguishes the ISCG from the average organisation. From the moment one becomes a member, the hones is on oneself. You apply to projects and face a competitive selection process. If selected, you are responsible for the quality of work you complete and the amount of effort you put in. When presenting and in contact with the client, the burden is on you to communicate your part of the message and it is always the case that hard work is rewarded. The ISCG empowers their members as opposed to dictating tasks.

Consequently, the ISCG is a meritocracy. One gets out what one puts in. It is the ideal environment for individuals with initiative. The organisation is constantly seeking to advance those who prove themselves valuable, there is hence always the opportunity for progression through the society. Further, the work is such that diversity of skill sets among a team assembled for a project is paramount. This means that there is a place for individuals from all courses and backgrounds and that all knowledge that can be brought to the table is valuable. Within any given project there will be a multitude of different tasks and sub-projects to be completed each of which will be more or less suited to the different skills of the team. Fortunately, what one does not yet know, one can learn. In my experience, every project with the ISCG has some kind of learning curve. However, I have found that the skills and knowledge I have had to acquire in order to be a productive member of the team on the projects on which I have worked have been practical and transferable. There are also certain economies of scope in that some of the work completed for specific projects can be of use again on other projects at a later date.

Moreover, the ISCG is one of the few student organisations that is not tied to a specific university or broader organisation. This gives members the opportunity to connect and work with students from universities across Ireland thus encountering like-minded individuals around the country. The ISCG has allowed me to make friends and contacts around the country in a way that would have otherwise been impossible. This diversity is reflected in ISCG alumni also, who come from a varying set of universities around Ireland and are more than generous with their time. ISCG alumni who now work at firms such as McKinsey and Deloitte regularly give talks and instruction over zoom and provide invaluable insights into the world of consulting.

So, for myself, what began as a passing curiosity has since become an important part of my life. The ISCG manages to distinguish itself from the average student organisation by allowing students to have a genuine involvement in the business world. It provides the opportunity to make a tangible difference to real world problems and gain valuable experience and insights in the process. Having joined the organisation less than three months ago I am currently in the process of assembling a team to work on a corporate restructuring of a sales and marketing company based in Cork city. The ISCG facilitates this by providing the network and infrastructure to turn a project like that from a concept into a reality. If one is looking for practical, hands-on experience in the business world, from a well organised meritocratic society, look no further.

About the Author

Conor Perry is an Economics student at Trinity College in Dublin. He is currently a Project Lead with ISCG