Aoife O'Connor | Graduate Accountant Career at ifac

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Growing my career, my way.

Aoife O'Connor didn't have to look far to find the right opportunity. From just outside Mullingar, she completed a two-month internship with ifac's Mullingar office in 2023, focused mainly on bookkeeping - an experience that gave her a valuable insight into life as an accountant and let her put the knowledge she'd built up in college into practice. She returned to ifac in 2024 as a graduate, and her day-to-day work now spans a varied mix of tax work and bookkeeping.

"For me, the message 'Talent doesn't always live in cities' really stood out. In college, there was often a lot of focus on moving to larger cities for career opportunities. I was attracted to ifac because it offers people who want to stay in their local towns the same opportunities. "When I first started, I worked closely with my mentor, who provided client files for me to complete. As I developed, I became responsible for contacting clients directly with queries and bringing accounts through to completion. Now, as I enter my third year, I've started building my own client portfolio, which I'm responsible for managing.”

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“I was attracted to ifac because it offers people who want to stay in their local towns the same opportunities.”

When Aoife joined ifac, she had four ACCA professional exams left to complete. As of June 2026, She has completed and passed all of them, and is now on track to finish the required ACCA practical experience.  "One of the things that stands out to me about working at ifac is how far they'll go to give you real experience - I was one of the first two tax secondees in the new tax secondment programme. The secondment strengthened my interest in the tax side of accountancy and gave me the opportunity to see the wide variety of work the tax team does, as well as how closely they collaborate with local offices.”

"What sets ifac apart is its strong local presence. Rather than being based only in larger cities, ifac gives clients access to advice from people who understand their local communities and the challenges they may face. It has a very collaborative culture and a supportive team environment, and staff are encouraged to learn from one another - the graduate programme, for example, has let me learn from other graduates across different offices.”

"The best thing about working with the ifac team is how willing people are to share knowledge and support each other, even when they're based in different locations or teams."

"I enjoy working with clients because every client is different - there's always something new to learn, particularly as someone who didn't come from a farming background. Being able to make things clearer for a client and reduce their stress is very rewarding, because you know you've made a meaningful difference for them. I also enjoy having a varied workload, whether that's tax work, accounts preparation, Sage, or company-related work. Taking on a new challenge or developing a new skill is especially rewarding. At the beginning, something can feel difficult, but with the right support and guidance, you realise it can be achieved.”

" Outside of work, I like to keep active. I attend gym classes before work most mornings and I also enjoy running. I'm a member of two book clubs - one in Ifac and a local one in Mullingar, which meets once a month to discuss the chosen book.”

"Ifac is a great choice for someone who wants to develop their professional career while also being trusted with responsibility from an early stage. In my opinion, you get an even better experience than you would at a city firm, as you're not cornered into just one department - just audit, or just tax. The type of person who thrives here is someone who's willing to take on new tasks, be proactive, and remain open to feedback. It's all about learning, so it's important to make the most of the opportunities available, even when they feel challenging at first."

"Looking back on my time with ifac, I really appreciate the support I've received from both my local office and the wider company. From my internship through to the final year of my graduate programme, I've always been encouraged to ask questions and take on new opportunities. I've built strong relationships with colleagues across different departments, and I've learned a great deal from working with a varied workload and a wide range of clients."

Looking ahead, Aoife sees herself progressing to senior staff level at ifac, continuing to work alongside the colleagues who have supported and mentored her along the way.