Audit Associate Jobs Overview
Do you have an interest in preparing financial statements and interpreting accounting records in a competitive work environment? Audit associates are responsible for examining financial records and providing clerical support for lead auditors. In audit associate jobs, you'll play a crucial role in supporting the audit process.
Your tasks include ensuring accuracy and compliance, supporting the audit process, and contributing to the effectiveness of internal controls and financial reporting. Audit associates focus on creating financial statement audits, identifying areas of risk, recommending potential improvements, and presenting findings to senior auditors and managers.
Most audit associate jobs require you to work full time on weekdays. Even if you do your job from home, you can expect to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Audit associates usually work in a traditional office setting. However, it's also possible to work from home.
When applying for audit associate roles, keep in mind that most positions involve working with a team. You may travel with senior auditors and managers to the homes of clients.
Audit Associate Jobs Salary
General auditor roles come with an annual salary that ranges from $45,857 to $107,159. The average annual salary is $71,969.
The salary for audit associate jobs can vary by location. Some of the cities with the highest average annual salaries for these jobs include New York, NY, Atlanta, GA, and Houston, TX.
You can find more information about salaries for audit-related jobs with Monster's Salary Calculator. Once you enter a job title and location, you'll receive the median salary for your area. This tool also allows you to compare the local median against the national one.
How to Find the Job that Fits You
Audit associate roles can lead to highly successful and varied careers. Companies from many different industries require audit associates, so you have some level of control over where you work.
To find audit associate functions that meet your needs, define your current interests and career goals. Explore your strengths and weaknesses to identify positions you want to apply for. If you're proficient in math, look for audit associate job postings that specifically request this skill.
It's also important that you know what you want from the job. Would you like a better work-life balance or numerous opportunities for growth? Search for a position that suits your preferences.
Review the Job Description, and Evaluate Your Qualifications
Once you find some listings for audit associate jobs, assess whether the job requirements and responsibilities match your existing skills and experience. For example, some companies require at least two years of experience in public accounting. They might even prefer candidates who have experience with one of the big four accounting firms: Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young, and KPMG.
Consider areas where you might require additional development or training to enhance your resume. You could spend some time sharpening your skills or gaining more experience. While most companies hire candidates who have only a bachelor's degree, a master's degree in finance or accounting may bolster your application.
Research the Company and Its Culture
Before applying for audit associate jobs, research the company to determine if it's a good match for your personality and preferences. Keep in mind that these jobs are available in a wide range of industries. While you might work in a bookkeeping or an accounting firm, you can also apply for these positions at government agencies and healthcare facilities.
When you're researching a company, head to their website or social media pages. Search for online reviews from previous employees that can help you understand what it's like to work for the business.
Once you arrive at the website, navigate to the "About" page, which should detail the company's mission and values. You can use this information to find out if the company's culture aligns with your own values.
Search for Growth Opportunities
Make sure to search for growth opportunities if you'd like to advance via promotions to higher positions. Investigate opportunities for professional advancement and development within the company.
For example, does the firm have senior auditor positions? Look for information about any training they offer for existing employees. Consider how well these opportunities match your long-term goals.
How to Apply for Audit Associate Jobs
To apply for audit associate jobs, you first need to review the job description to look for key qualifications and skills that you can highlight in your application. For example, employers who hire for this position often look for applicants with strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
Some companies provide specific instructions that they want you to follow when filling out and submitting an application. If so, make sure you read them thoroughly to ensure you don't make a mistake.
Write an Effective Resume
Among the most important documents in any audit associate application is the resume. Before writing a resume, identify some keywords you can use throughout the document.
The right keywords allow your resume to stand out when it passes through an applicant tracking system (ATS). The purpose of this system is to scan and sort resumes. By including keywords that the employer is looking for in an audit associate application, your resume could get through the ATS.
Some of the resume keywords that are most effective for audit associate jobs include the following:
- complex financial information
- corporate government procedures
- verbal communication skills
- compliance audits
- due diligence reviews
When writing your resume, consider using the chronological format, which is ideal for all financial positions that require experience. This resume format often includes a career summary or objective at the top of the page. You'll then need to list your experience and accomplishments in order from the most recent to the earliest.
Depending on the company and the specific position, there are numerous skills you could emphasize in your resume. The types of skills that employers want to see when hiring for audit associate jobs include the following:
- knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)
- problem-solving and analytical skills
- Microsoft Office proficiency, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- the ability to audit employee benefit plans and financial statements
- an understanding of industry-wide compliance regulations
- formal presentation skills
If you'd like to have someone knowledgeable about the industry write your resume, request the Monster Professional Resume Writing Service. You'll receive a custom resume that's uniquely tailored to your skills and career goals.
Put Together a Compelling Cover Letter
All applications for audit associate jobs require cover letters. This type of letter acts as a one-page summary of your skills and experience that's a little more conversational than the resume. It allows hiring managers to learn more about you before they delve into the resume itself.
While writing about your most relevant experience and skills, make sure that you focus on meeting the employer's needs. Customize your cover letter to the job and the company.
Let's say that the employer is looking for an audit associate who has a comprehensive understanding of state and federal banking laws. Highlight this knowledge in the letter. Include details about any industry certifications you have as well.
While you don't need to write a formal cover letter, make sure it's still professional. You can learn more about how to write this document with Monster's cover letter etiquette guide.
Submit Your Application
Once you finish writing the resume and cover letter, you can apply via Monster, which first requires an account. Sign up with your email address or your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.
After creating an account, discover more job postings that match your skills. You can also ask for a free professional resume review. Once you upload your application to Monster, submit it with the click of a button.
Before applying, double-check every page of your application to search for spelling errors or missing information. Reading the application aloud or having a friend check the documents might help you find mistakes more efficiently.
How to Follow Up With an Employer
Following up after applying requires good timing. Wait for five to seven business days before following up. The employer and hiring manager need time to review your application.
How to Follow Up
It's best to write an email when following up. Make sure the message is only a few paragraphs long. Write about your primary skills before reiterating your interest in the audit associate position.
Who to Follow Up With
For audit associate jobs, you'll likely want to follow up with the hiring manager. You might find their contact info in the original job listing. You could also check the company's website to see if this information is available on a "Team" or "Hiring" page. If it's not, call the human resources department to ask for the hiring manager's contact information.
Interviewing Tips
Getting an interview means that an employer considers you a good candidate for the audit associate position. The key to landing one of these jobs is to ace the interview.
How to Prepare for the Interview
If you didn't research the company before applying, do so now. Let's say that you're applying for an audit associate job at Microsoft. You can learn more about their culture and values by visiting their website or by reading reviews and comments online from previous employees.
Among the most effective ways to prepare for an interview is by practicing with a friend or family member. Have them ask questions that are relevant to audit associate jobs. The types of questions that you might receive during this type of interview include the following:
- Do you have experience presenting financial reports?
- What steps do you take when you discover irregularities in financial reports?
- Are you comfortable using QuickBooks and other auditing software?
- What do you do to keep sensitive company information confidential?
- Can you explain audit risk and what it means to you?
You might also receive more basic questions about your experience or how far you want your career to advance in the next 10 years. Read our job interview questions and answers guide for a wider assortment of topics you might discuss during your conversation with the hiring manager.
Interview Process
The interview process for an audit associate can differ depending on the size of the company you're applying to. You can expect roughly two to four rounds of interviews for this type of position. While your initial interview could take place by phone or video, the final ones may occur in person.
In most cases, the hiring manager conducts the interview. However, other senior employees might sit in.
As an audit associate, you'd be directly responsible for performing audits and drafting financial statements. You'll likely receive many behavioral questions. These questions require you to talk about your actions in a specific situation.
Interview Tips
Performing well during an interview often means answering questions confidently. The hiring manager wants to know that you're authentic. While there are several answering methods you can use during an interview, a popular one that's suitable for behavioral questions is the STAR technique.
The STAR method, which stands for "Situation, Task, Action, Result," allows you to tell a structured story that properly answers the question. A sample question is "Talk about a time when you made an error during an audit. What lessons did you learn?"
You'll answer this question by setting up the situation, detailing your goals, and explaining how you resolved them. You can finish the story by describing the results of your actions. During the interview, demonstrate your skills through real-world examples.
Follow Up
After you complete the interview process, follow up with the hiring manager. Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. Make sure you reference a topic of discussion from the interview to show your enthusiasm for the job.
If you don't hear back, call the hiring manager after seven to 10 business days. Mention your name and the date of your final interview. Restate your interest in the position before talking about what you bring to the table.
Before the conversation ends, thank them and ask for an update on the hiring process. Give them your contact information as well. Use Monster's follow-up guide to prepare for the call.
What to Do When You Get an Offer
Congrats! Once you receive an offer, make sure you thank the hiring manager. Inform them that you'll need to take a couple of days to consider the terms before you decide.
While it's a good idea to carefully read the entire offer, focus on your benefits, job responsibilities, and salary. None of these should come as a surprise.
If the benefits or salary offered are lower than you would like, feel free to negotiate with the hiring manager. Speak calmly and professionally after researching compensation packages and salary ranges that are common for the position.
If you have any questions about the position or your duties, ask them before you accept the offer. Make an informed decision based on your needs and priorities. Weigh the pros and cons of the auditing position to ensure it's right for you.
Career Paths
Audit associate jobs often serve as a gateway to a wide range of accounting and financial career paths. If you enjoy working with financial statements and measuring a company's performance, you might gain enough experience to apply for finance supervisor or senior financial analyst jobs.
If you work for a company that maintains an entire auditing team, you could seek an internal promotion after you gain enough experience. Many audit associates eventually become senior auditors. The next rung up the corporate ladder is usually audit manager. In this role, you'll oversee multiple teams and projects.
The simplest way to decide which career path to follow is to consider your talents, interests, and career goals. Any path you choose should help you reach your ultimate goals.
You also need to take advantage of any networking and professional development opportunities that come your way. You can build a vast network of professionals by joining an audit association. For example, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) provides audit associates with helpful resources, a worldwide community, and professional development opportunities.
Improve your skills in preparation for career advancement by earning a higher degree or obtaining an auditing certification. Employers look favorably on audit associates who have a master's in finance or accounting. The types of certifications that can help you advance in your career include the following:
Similar Occupations
Would you like to use your auditing skills in a similar occupation? Here are some job titles that might interest you: