Day in the Life of an Auditor
What exactly is the job of an auditor and what do they do on a day-to-day basis?
This is a job that is often misunderstood, the misnomer being it is a box-ticking role. In fact, the role of an auditor provides a unique opportunity to add value to a company, plus the job offers real variety and the opportunity to meet new people and build relationships.
In this article we delve into the key responsibilities of an auditor, what a typical day looks like and learn what a hiring manager looks for when recruiting for an auditor. We also explore the key attributes and skills essential for a career in audit.
What is an Auditor?
An auditor assesses a company’s accounts in great detail, ensuring that they represent a fair and true view of the company. They will identify issues, perform testing and prepare reports. A good analogy is that an Auditor gets your house in order before you have your landlord over for an inspection!
What the Auditor says
Spencer Porter is an Auditor for Menzies, one of the UK’s largest regional firms of accountants and advisers to privately owned businesses. He joined the business in 2019, after a successful placement by CMA.
Spencer’s average day is spent working on a variety of clients, mainly locally based across the Southern region. He says: “I can be working on a new sector, learning something new, on any given day.”
His role involves delivering statutory audit services, alongside looking to improve how the business runs and how it is structured, in order to find ways to add value. It means plenty of communication, meeting new people and knowledge sharing.
The clients and relationships really make the role exciting for Spencer. He says a notable client was Jersey Post, as they control the postal services across Jersey it was a really interesting project – and it meant getting the opportunity to stay in a lovely location too!
When asked what his favourite part of the job is Spencer says: “The best part of my job is gaining experience of new clients and sectors, learning from the Menzies team and the collaborative environment.”
Spencer works as part of the Audit team, which is made up of a supportive group of Auditors at varying stages in their careers. Spencer says this makes for an ideal working environment: “We have great communication between our team and the management, where open dialogue is encouraged. The team is like-minded, with a common goal to support the client.
The role has given Spencer plenty of opportunity for growth. He is currently working towards his ACA professional qualifications, balancing his studying with performing his day-to-day role. Once he has achieved those he says: “I plan to continue to progress within the Audit team and expand in to other areas such as networking and meeting new clients.”
What the Audit Director says
To get the viewpoint of an employer we spoke to Menzies Audit Partner James Hadfield. James is a Partner at Menzies and has been with the organisation for eight years. He has a stellar background in auditing, having worked in the industry for more than 20 years.
When recruiting for a role in auditing, James says he looks for a self-starter, who can take responsibility for their work and development. He says: “It needs to be someone who understands business, not just audit, with a desire to continue to learn.”
The role of an auditor is often misunderstood. James says: “It’s often thought that it is purely compliance based and a box ticking exercise; it’s more about understanding business and support.”
There is much value that an Auditor brings to an organisation. James explains: “What they add to clients is a high quality and efficient audit, but more importantly by understanding the business they can explore how to provide value-added advice, possibly technical expertise or by sharing similar sector knowledge to provide a referral.”
What are the essential attributes of an Auditor?
- Great communication skills – both internally and directly with clients. Being able to clearly relay technical information in a simple and unambiguous way.
- Excellent judgment – be able to take a situation and reach a suitable conclusion based on the information available.
- Planning and organising – demonstrable ability to organise own self and others, such that you can work on several different assignments at one time.
- Customer focus – develop relationships and gain confidence of the client.
- Commercial awareness – awareness of the key business drivers and the commercial pressures affecting the client.
- Technical expertise – being technically competent is essential; an auditor needs an understanding of accounting and auditing procedures.
