Auditor
Internal and external auditors inspect financial records and procedures to make sure they are accurate, efficient and compliant.
- Starter salary£28,000 a year
- Experienced£70,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As an auditor, you could:
- examine company accounts
- assess a company's financial reporting systems
- identify risks to the business, like fraudulent activity
- interview staff to understand business processes
- check company procedures, like data security
- analyse financial data
- present recommendations to senior management teams
Working environment
You could work in an office or at a client's business.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of economics and accounting
- maths knowledge
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- analytical thinking skills
- complex problem-solving skills
- business management skills
- customer service skills
- excellent written communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a auditor
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
- training with a professional body
University
You could do a degree, then join a company's graduate scheme and complete further training to become an auditor.
Employers will accept a range of degree subjects though you may have an advantage with a subject like:
- accountancy
- economics
- business and finance
- maths
- IT and computing
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
- 3 A levels or equivalent
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an Internal Audit Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
You might go on to complete an Internal Audit Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship with the support of your employer.
These can take between 2 and 3 years to complete. You will be expected to gain Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) status as part of the apprenticeships.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Direct application
You can join a company as a trainee auditor, or move into auditing by being seconded to an internal auditing team from another department.
You'll usually need at least A level qualifications or equivalent, and you'll be expected to take further training as your career develops.
Other routes
You can qualify to audit public sector organisations through an apprenticeship or graduate training scheme with the National Audit Office .
Career path and progression
As an experienced external auditor, you could move into management and then become a partner or finance director. You could also set up your own accountancy practice.
As an experienced internal auditor, you could manage an auditing team. You could also work towards Chartered Internal Auditor status , or become a self-employed consultant.
Professional and industry bodies
To be an external auditor, you'll need to be a qualified chartered accountant and a member of one of the following professional bodies:
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- The Association of International Accountants (AIA)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
You should be a member of the The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy to carry out audits in the public sector.
If you're qualified as an accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) , you can carry out internal audits.
Guides for this industry
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0