So You Want to Be an... Internal Auditor
Audit Jobs: Life as an Internal Auditor
Internal auditors monitor the internal records of organizations, reviewing accounts and operations for signs of inefficiency, fraud, or non-compliance with either company policies or federal and state laws and regulations. They work to build strong internal audit systems and to ensure that management receives all the accounting information necessary to make important decisions about company operations. Internal auditors often specialize, monitoring specific areas or systems within an organization.
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Because auditing is so important for the success of all types of organizations, jobs for internal auditors abound, and you may find yourself monitoring accounting systems and records for organizations from private universities to publishing companies to software manufacturers.
What Kind of Audit Training is Required to Work as an Internal Auditor?
A bachelor's degree in accounting or another field that provides similarly rigorous analytical training can provide you with enough audit training to find work as an internal auditor. Advanced degrees, like a Master's of Business Administration degree, can be helpful in getting higher-level internal auditor jobs.
Earning an auditing or accounting designation beyond just a degree, however, is usually an additional component of getting a job as an internal auditor. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is where most internal auditors begin, but the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation, another exam-based certification, is also required for many internal auditor jobs. Courses designed to help you prepare for and pass these exams are widely available. Other types of ongoing audit training, such as training to help internal auditors stay on top of the latest developments in auditing software and systems, are also widely available.
