Kate McCarthy: Investment Banking Analyst at Goodbody

Tell us about yourself.  Where did you go to college and what did you study?

I’m from Limerick originally but currently living and working in Dublin. I studied BESS at Trinity College Dublin.

What have you been doing since you finished college? 

Since finishing college I have taken up a position in Goodbody Stockbrokers. I am working in the equity research department within the investment banking division.

Did ISCG come up in any of your interviews, how did the employer react?

Yes ISCG has come up in previous interviews, interviewers were interested to hear about my role. 

Why did you join ISCG?

I joined ISCG to get a greater insight into what a career in consulting might look like. I loved the idea of getting exposure to real-life problems faced by clients and coming up with ways to tackle these in order to progress the business.

What’s the most beneficial thing you learned/experienced during your time with ISCG?

I believe the opportunity to gain real-life experience in tackling issues faced by clients and help grow their business was invaluable.

What skills did you use while working on ISCG projects? Have these come useful since you started your career?

The key skills I improved during my time in ISCG were research and analysis (comes in handy now!), problem solving, teamwork skills, and my presentation skills.

How do you see the future of ISCG?  Where do you think the group is headed?

I think there are so many opportunities for the group, potentially working more closely with the larger consulting firms and getting greater exposure to problems faced by their clients. 

Would you recommend current students signing up for ISCG, why would you recommend it?

Yes definitely, whether or not you think a career in consulting is for you I believe the skills you can learn while part of ISCG are invaluable. It’s not only a chance to work on interesting projects but also to meet people from different backgrounds. 

What did you most enjoy about working with ISCG?

I enjoyed working with my colleagues on projects and trying to come up with different solutions.

Any plans for the future?

For the moment I am focusing on getting exposure to different sectors within equity research. In the next few years I would like to see myself moving to London or further afield to New York.