An audit associate examines financial records, tests internal procedures, and performs accounting tasks. A high school diploma is required, followed by an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. After gaining experience, opportunities for promotion and certification exams may arise.
An audit associate is a person responsible for examining the financial records of private or public companies in a process called an audit. In addition to performing audits, he may also be responsible for testing internal procedures and performing accounting tasks. To become an audit associate, you will need to obtain a high school diploma or equivalent. After that, your next step is to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related business field.
Your first step in becoming an audit associate is to earn a high school diploma or similar certification. This is a requirement for most colleges and universities before you can apply to their programs. Audit officers often work with numbers, so consider taking several math courses. Other courses you can take include language, foreign languages, communication and accounting, if they are offered at your school.
After completing high school, you will need to enroll in a college program to earn at least an associate’s degree in accounting or a similar degree. Many employers prefer to hire graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Therefore, it may be prudent to continue your education to become an audit associate by earning a bachelor’s degree instead of an associate’s. Students in an accounting program can take courses in financial accounting, auditing, accounting, and cost accounting.
Audit officers can be employed in a variety of industries, so their duties can vary by employer. If you decide to work for a public accounting firm, for example, your day-to-day tasks may require you to perform financial audits on different companies in a given industry annually. Audit officers employed by a government agency may be required to perform audits on tax or other government-related financial matters.
Most audit associates work in a full-time office environment. Some audit associates, due to advances in technology, are able to work from home if necessary. Some travel may be necessary, as an audit is usually performed at the company’s business location.
After becoming an audit associate and gaining at least two to three years of experience, there may be opportunities for promotion to become a junior or senior level audit associate. To improve their chances of advancement, some audit associates earn certifications in internal auditing or public accounting by taking exams. Requirements for these exams generally vary by jurisdiction.
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