To become a government auditor, one must have a degree in accounting, business management, or financial record keeping, along with experience in accounting or internal auditing. The level of education required depends on the level of government, and experience is necessary for federal agencies like the IRS. Local municipalities may only require an associate’s degree or certification, and promotion from within is possible. An internship can also provide valuable experience.
To become a government auditor, you will need to accomplish several things in order. First, you will need to apply to an accredited college or university program for accounting, business management, or financial record keeping. Some colleges and universities offer specific programs tailored to teach you how to be a government auditor. These programs can be associate, bachelor’s or master’s programs and offer an intense focus on government financial investigation procedures. You will often need to have a certain number of hours logged working as an accountant or internal auditor for a private company, although some government agencies offer entry-level auditor positions.
As a government auditor, you have the option of working for the federal, state, or local government. You will be responsible for gathering and reviewing the financial records of the government agency you work for, as well as the records of private companies, charitable organizations and other entities, as necessary. This requires a comprehensive familiarity with accounting practices, tax laws, research, financial analysis, and sometimes more specialized areas.
The amount of schooling required depends on the level of government you want to work in. Generally, if you want to become a federal government auditor, you’ll need to earn at least a bachelor’s degree, although a master’s degree and certification as an accountant will improve your chances. To become a government auditor for a state government, a bachelor’s degree may also be required, but in some cases experience as an accountant along with a certification or an associate’s degree in finance may suffice.
Often, the only education required by a local municipality is an associate’s degree or certification obtained from a community college. You can usually reach the position of government auditor with your local government through promotion. You start by taking a position in the clerk’s office or as a record keeper in some other capacity for the local government agency.
Experience is also required to become a government auditor, especially if you want to work for a federal agency like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For example, the IRS requires that prospective employees not only possess a bachelor’s degree in a related financial field, but have at least 30 hours of accounting coursework or equivalent experience. Previous degree, you might consider applying for an internship at the government agency you want to work for. This will give you valuable experience and you will establish a track record with the agency for the exact type of work you want to do.
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