Becoming an Auditor

JennyAnt

Hi All,

Just wondering what the steps are in trying to get into a career in auditing?
I graduated from DCU last year and have a 2.1 in Business Studies (Specialised in finance), and am currently working as a junior accountant.

Now I know that at the present moment looking for a new job is silly, and I am happy enough where I am but I feel that I would relish a career in auditing.

What further qualifications would I need? How does a graduate with some junior accounting experience go about trying to break into the world of auditing?

Thanks for any advise!

seven-iron

the top firms have already recruited for 2009 but there are loads of smaller firms who take people on at any time. you should just try contact as many as possible. for example theres a firm on harolds X http://www.kennywhelan.com/

seven-iron

also try tng.ie

Sirsparrow

If you're interested in working with the big 4 (and the others as well), i'd recommend sticking it out until the end of the year. The next milkround won't be until October 09, and you wouldn't actually be starting in your position as an auditor til around the same time in 2010.

It's a long time to wait i'm aware, but from what your degree is and your result, you should be more than qualified to make it.

Some of the big 4 take on people who haven't even done business. There were people who studied arts in my intake. The only qualification you really need is a degree. You just have to sell yourself well in the application forms and interviews.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Lost in SFMA

JennyAnt wrote: »

Hi All,

Just wondering what the steps are in trying to get into a career in auditing?
I graduated from DCU last year and have a 2.1 in Business Studies (Specialised in finance), and am currently working as a junior accountant.

Now I know that at the present moment looking for a new job is silly, and I am happy enough where I am but I feel that I would relish a career in auditing.

What further qualifications would I need? How does a graduate with some junior accounting experience go about trying to break into the world of auditing?

Thanks for any advise!

Hi Jenny,

Also a DCU grad, same degree and specialism! I'm now in my second year of acc trainee in big 4 audit. I reckon you're best bet is to go with the big 4 too - you get better training and more study leave and its a lot more craic. I know its a long time to wait but I think it would be well worth it. You may still have a chance of getting in in September 09 too. Pre-recession they used to do a second milkround as people drop out of their places but theres probably less of those places going this year. You definately have good enuf grades/experience to get into Big4. Most people have little or no work experience and you have loads. Were you in EE for a year too? Now that I think about it actually think I know who you are! lol.

Good luck anyway !

JennyAnt

Thanks for the replies, think I will stick it out in my job for the timebeing and apply for the milk rounds this year. The more experience I have the better I suppose!

Lost in SFMA wrote: »

I'm now in my second year of acc trainee in big 4 audit. I reckon you're best bet is to go with the big 4 too - you get better training and more study leave and its a lot more craic. I know its a long time to wait but I think it would be well worth it.

Do you like it? Whats your typical day like??

Lost in SFMA wrote: »

Also a DCU grad, same degree and specialism! You definately have good enuf grades/experience to get into Big4. Most people have little or no work experience and you have loads. Were you in EE for a year too? Now that I think about it actually think I know who you are! lol.

Weird!!!:eek::D

Lost in SFMA

JennyAnt wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, think I will stick it out in my job for the timebeing and apply for the milk rounds this year. The more experience I have the better I suppose!



Do you like it? Whats your typical day like??



Weird!!!:eek::D

sorry i meant EI not, EE, as in enterprise Ireland? no point in talking in code. I sent you an email there - really hope i have the right person now or else they will think im quite strange !

audting? mah !well its grand, hardly my dream career, but not too bad, if you're in fund accounting or anything like that its definately a million times better !

typical day is either in or out of the office (70:30) in the office, but totally depends on the industry your in. so you go out to the clients office and audit them all day. you'll generally be disliked there ! it can be fun though, you'll only be out with other trainees usually, probably locked up in some tiny room somewhere but you can have the craic too. theres about 300 people of every trainee level where i work, so its pretty much an extension of college. have nites out etc every week and lots of new friends etc. the work isnt too stressful - not half as bad as month end anyway. overtime sucks in busy season (now till april) but there is far less of that now thanks to the recession!

coming from dcu you'll have to do all of the exams and you'll get one little exemption from finance in the first year but thats it! well worth doing the acc exams though jenny, times like this only go to prove it. the exams suck though to be honest but sure you get through them!

and yeh i do like it.

Pisco Sour

JennyAnt wrote: »

I would relish a career in auditing.

Thats definetely the first time I've heard anybody say that.:eek:

Apply next september/october, and you will start the following september/october (2010)

shewasoctober

Sirsparrow wrote: »

If you're interested in working with the big 4 (and the others as well), i'd recommend sticking it out until the end of the year. The next milkround won't be until October 09, and you wouldn't actually be starting in your position as an auditor til around the same time in 2010.

It's a long time to wait i'm aware, but from what your degree is and your result, you should be more than qualified to make it.

Some of the big 4 take on people who haven't even done business. There were people who studied arts in my intake. The only qualification you really need is a degree. You just have to sell yourself well in the application forms and interviews.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

I would keep an eye on the Big 4 websites. Even though their main milround is in October, they do recruit in the Spring as well if there are openings left. Not everyone takes the offer they are given, so there just might be positions left. They are usually in FS Audit. I went through the mini milkround last April and started in FS Audit in Sept 08 at a big 4 (the equivalent of a 2.1 in Literature).

The dealine for acceptance of offers has on recently passed, mid-Dec-early-Jan. Give it til mid-Feb to March and you just might see recruitment open up again. So,it might be possible to start in Sept 09, just keep checking the sites.

Best of luck!

walshy123

as mentioned above, your most likely too late for the big 4, but there are alot more firms around than just the big 4. whether big4 gives you better training is debatable.

here's a link to the ICAI site, where you can get a list of firms recruiting for Sept (act fast though) http://www.icai.ie/en/General/About-Us/Chartered-Accountancy/Becoming-a-CA/Training-Vacancies/