The Perfect Fit

I must apologize for taking the recruiting slogan of one of the Big 4 accounting firms. This post will discuss the qualities that are in demand in the audit profession. A later post following this one will focus on interests and personality fit.

What employers look for in a candidate (The following qualities can apply to all types of professions, but I have also put them in context with the profession):

Attention to detail - You go through stacks of working paper everyday. Sometimes, it is the ability to spot small inconsistencies that lead to a discovery of big errors.

Analytical skills - is not the ability to be able to perform complex mathematical calculations. It is the skill in critically analyzing whether a process or calculation is logical. It is the ability to critique the accuracy of calculations and other people's analysis. Alertness to errors is reduced when one is evaluating an analysis rather than perform the analysis him/herself for the first time, especially under stressful or tiring situations.

Problem solving - this is the ability to generate your own procedures or satisfy an objective when new issues arise (which have not been addressed in prior year files). It is also the ability to identify the source of information. Knowing where to find the right information is an important (and a developed) ability of an auditor.

Team-player - if you are not good in working with others, don't bother to look into this profession. There are very few audits that involve a one-man team. 2 to 3 years into your career, you might be asked to lead fellow colleagues into an audit. Patience is key in the role. You can easily spend 30-50% of your time helping out your juniors or answering answers. This leaves you with little time to do your own work. Therefore, time- and project- management skills are important.

Communication - both written and spoken. Strong written skills in this field means following proper working paper formats, being able to express your procedures and conclusions in a short, objective and precise manner. Spoken communication is more important. A big part of it relates to client interaction skills. We are inherently put in an unfavorable position as our job is to uncover the client's mistakes. Our existence also impede's the client's productivity. It is 100% understandable that the client employees hate auditors. It is up to your attitude and your relationship management skills to reduce the tension between the two parties. Remember, partners and managers spend years to nurture a working relationship with the client. You do not want to be the one to add a blemish to this relationship.