How to hire an auditor

Skilled auditors are crucial in examining a company's financial records, ensuring everything aligns with regulations, and maintaining financial transparency.

However, making the wrong choice in hiring an auditor can lead to audit problems, compliance issues, and financial confusion. They might lack the expertise or necessary credentials to carry out audits effectively.

But don't worry. We're here to guide you on how to attract and hire top-notch auditors. Below, you'll discover the skills and qualifications that define successful auditors, get insights into assessing auditor candidates, and find out where to locate the most fitting candidates. We'll also highlight some critical mistakes to avoid in hiring.

What you need to know before hiring an auditor 

Carefully consider the following when you're looking to hire an auditor:

Know the credentials required  

When hiring an auditor, matching their credentials to your needs is essential. This will help you identify and hire the right candidates.

The two most recognized credentials for auditors are CPA and CIA. 

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) will be your financial navigator, skilled in navigating complicated tax issues and ensuring financial statements stand up to scrutiny. They're particularly valuable if your business deals with complex tax structures or operates across borders, where financial stakes are high and rules are dense.

For a deep dive into your company’s internal workings, a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is what you need. These specialists focus on internal controls and efficiency, making them perfect for when you want to streamline operations or rigorously assess risk management. 

Determine experience level 

Next, think about the experience level candidates will need. 

You’ll likely want a senior professional if your business is large, has layers of transactions, operates in branches across the globe, or is in a heavily regulated industry like healthcare or finance. Consider hiring someone with experience navigating complex audits who won't blink at a multinational ledger or a web of tax regulations.

Conversely, a junior auditor could be a great fit if your company is on the smaller side or your financials are straightforward. Junior auditors can handle day-to-day tasks without flinching and are often eager to prove themselves with auditing fundamentals. 

Understanding the level of experience your business demands ensures you attract auditors who can meet your current needs and grow with your company. 

Identify specializations 

Auditors have various specialties, and pinpointing the right one is crucial for your business. 

For example, a tax-focused auditor will be a perfect guide if your company’s financials involve a web of international tax laws. Tax-focused auditors are skilled at ensuring compliance and finding efficiencies. 

On the tech front, an IT auditor is critical for a firm where digital processes and data security are at stake, as they'll know how to safeguard your systems.

Choosing an auditor with a specialization that aligns with your company’s needs doesn't just add value – it also sharpens your hiring aim, connecting you with a professional who can make an immediate impact.

Skills and qualifications to look for in an auditor

Auditors need a combination of hard and soft skills to be successful in their roles. Some of these are listed below.

• Analytical skills: Identifying trends and anomalies to ensure accurate financial analysis.

• Risk assessments: Evaluating financial and operational risks to enhance strategic planning.

• Regulatory knowledge: Understanding and explaining laws and regulations relevant to the financial sector. 

• Attention to detail: Maintaining a keen eye for detail to ensure data accuracy and clear task organization. 

• Integrity: Adhering to high ethical standards for trustworthy financial reporting.

• Communication skills: Clearly communicating audit results and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

• Adaptability: Adapting to new regulations and different auditing environments.

• Technical skills: Skilled in using audit software like ACL for data analysis and tools like Excel for financial modeling and reporting.

• Problem-solving: Developing solutions for compliance and financial issues, such as improving how rules are followed and fixing errors in financial records.

Where to find skilled auditors 

Many businesses post their auditor job ads on sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Doing so often draws in many applications, but not all are from well-qualified individuals.

To find the perfect auditor, consider shaking things up with a few out-of-the-box hiring tactics.

5 creative ways to find auditor candidates 

Try these recruitment sources to find auditor candidates with the right skills.

1. Tap into professional networks

Sometimes, the best auditors aren't actively job hunting – they're mingling within professional circles. Check out industry-specific organizations such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), explore their online forums, and consider attending meetings or events. You can connect with CPAs, CIAs, and other auditing professionals and share that you’re looking to hire a new auditor.  

2. Work with specialized firms 

Recruiting firms specializing in finance and accounting, such as Robert Half and Kforce, have extensive networks and can connect you with pre-vetted, top-tier auditors with the precise blend of experience and niche skills your company needs.

3. Host an online competition 

Creating an online challenge or hosting an “audit hackathon” is a great way to see auditors in action and assess their skills firsthand before they even apply for your open role. Plus, competitions can help spotlight your company as an innovative, fun place to work in a field often seen as traditional. 

4. Partner with universities

Forge connections with a local university’s school of accounting (or business) and offer to guest-lecture or provide workshops to its students. In the process, you can meet some rising stars in auditing and approach them with job opportunities.

5. Attend industry conferences 

Get creative by attending or speaking at accounting and auditing conferences and seminars. These are where the pros who are passionate about their craft gather to learn and network. Here, you can connect with standout auditors who have the skills and qualities you’re after.

How to select the best auditor candidates 

Once you’ve collected applications for your auditor position, the next step is to sift through them. 

The most effective way to do this is with a pre-employment assessment tool like TestGorilla. Our platform offers more than 390 scientifically validated, expert-created tests to measure candidates’ auditing skills, behavioral traits, soft skills, and more. This way, you can pinpoint candidates who tick all the boxes. 

Here are some tests you can use to assess your auditor candidates:

• TestGorilla’s International Standards on Auditing test evaluates how well candidates can perform audits that meet global rules and regulations. 

• The Internal Auditing test assesses a candidate’s understanding of internal audit intricacies and measures their ability to apply best practices in their daily work.

• TestGorilla’s Working with Data test reveals candidates who can handle data correctly and perform basic data analysis. 

• Our Time Management test includes ready-to-use templates to evaluate how well candidates can prioritize, plan, execute, and reflect on tasks in common workplace scenarios.

• Personality tests like the Big 5 (OCEAN), Enneagram, and DISC tests give you insight into auditor candidates’ goals, values, and interpersonal abilities. 

• Our range of aptitude tests – including tests for math, reading comprehension, and problem-solving – assess individuals’ cognitive skills and abilities.

You can combine up to five tests to create a bespoke assessment. Plus, TestGorilla enables you to add custom questions (such as quality assurance interview questions, for example) to assessments so you can dig deeper into candidates’ skills and experience. 

Common mistakes when hiring an auditor 

Here are two common pitfalls to be aware of when hiring an auditor. 

Overlooking culture

Auditors are team players, not lone wolves. While technical skills matter, a candidate’s fit with your company’s culture is just as important. An auditor might be a gifted mathematician, for example, but fail to work well in your collaborative team culture. 

This mismatch can dampen spirits and slow down projects – negatively impacting team morale, efficiency, and your bottom line. To avoid these issues, use TestGorilla’s Culture add test to identify candidates who share your values and core beliefs. 

Also, ask behavioral interview questions that require candidates to provide examples of conflict resolution, teamwork, and their contributions to team (and company) success. Look out for answers that reflect your business’s communication style and values.

Not clearly defining the role

Another common mistake is not being specific about the auditor’s role. Failing to delineate the scope of work – whether it's focusing on compliance, financial, operational, or IT auditing – can attract the wrong candidates. This leads to misalignment between the auditor’s expertise and your organization’s actual needs, potentially resulting in underperformance and increased turnover.

You can avoid this by ensuring your auditor job description is specific to your open role. This way, candidates know exactly what’s expected of them from the get-go.

Attract and hire A+ auditors with TestGorilla 

Hiring a great auditor involves finding someone who can expertly examine financial records and fit in with your team. Overlooking the nuances of this role can lead to audit issues, compliance headaches, and a lack of financial clarity.

Thankfully, TestGorilla has 390+ online tests designed to evaluate auditor candidates. From assessing financial know-how to checking personality and cognitive skills, our test library has everything you need to uncover the perfect auditor for your company’s needs.

Start your hiring journey today by signing up for a free TestGorilla account. You can also schedule a complimentary live demo or take a quick product tour to dive into everything TestGorilla has to offer.